Issued by
His Eminence Metropolitan Silouan
Metropolitan of the Archdiocese of the British Isles and Ireland
of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East
In Remembrance of the Bombing of St Elias Church – Dweilaa
Sunday, 22 June 2025
Dear Reverend Fathers and beloved faithful,
With hearts full of sorrow and eyes filled with tears, we received the grievous news of the cowardly terrorist bombing that took place on Sunday during the Divine Liturgy at St Elias Church in Dweilaa, Damascus. This heinous act led to the martyrdom of a great number of innocent believers and wounded many others, as they were lifting up their prayers before the altar of the Lord.
We extend our heartfelt condolences to His Beatitude Patriarch John X, to our brothers in the Holy Synod of Antioch, and to all the faithful of our mother Church, praying that the Lord may receive the martyrs into His infinite mercy, grant healing to the injured, and console the hearts of all those who grieve.
This appalling crime, which struck our faithful during the hour of worship, is yet another page in the long history of suffering and witness written by the people of Antioch since the earliest centuries. At the same time, it is a living testimony to a faith that cannot be conquered and to a hope that does not disappoint, as we hold fast to the words of our Lord: “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:10)
On this sorrowful occasion, and as we approach the Feast of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, founders of the See of Antioch, we call upon all our reverend clergy in this God-protected Archdiocese to offer the Trisagion service for the repose of the souls of the martyrs, on the coming Sunday, 29 June 2025, immediately following the Divine Liturgy.
May this sacred day be one of prayer and spiritual unity with our suffering brethren, and a day of hope, in which we commend the blood of the martyrs into the hands of the Lord, awaiting the joy of the Resurrection.
Let us remain united in prayer, firm in love, remembering always that the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church, and that martyrdom has never departed from the Church of Antioch, but has been for her a crown and a glory.
Mercy to the martyrs, healing to the wounded, and peace to our struggling Church.
Your Father in Christ,
+Silouan
Metropolitan of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of the British Isles and Ireland
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Sermon
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, one God, Amen.
“I will develop arguments,” I say to myself, “I will find words to persuade and debate: that the Church is true, that Christ is risen, that all should join the Orthodox Church.” And I come out with these clever sayings—put downs to atheists, ridicules towards those of different faiths, derision towards agnostics—so that all may see the truth, my truth, which I am delivering as the universal spokesman for Orthodoxy. And with this I will bore my friends, accost people in the street, make divisive social media content that I may be glorified, that my preaching may become known, that all may recognise me as the teacher of Orthodoxy.
“At that time, as Jesus walked by the Sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers, Simon who is called Peter and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. And He said to them, ‘Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.’”
And the Lord shows me the errors of my ways. I want to persuade, to argue, to justify: He walks by me and says, “Follow Me.” He offers no compulsion, no threat, no clever arguments nor moralistic judgements, simply “Follow Me.” And when I want to debate, to reason, to influence, he says to me, “Follow Me.”
“Follow Me,” he says to us, “and I will show you your true purpose; Follow Me and I will deliver you from the power of death, sin and idols; Follow Me and I will lead you to Truth, true reality and meaning. Follow Me.”
…
Read this Sermon, Follow me and acquire the Holy Spirit.
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Services this week
Friday 27th June
Discussion on the Prophecy of Isaiah, 8 pm
Online only
Saturday 28th June
Great Vespers, 6.30 pm
At 3rd URC Scout Hall, Chandlers Ford
Sunday 29th June
Matins & Divine Liturgy, 9 am
At 3rd URC Scout Hall, Chandlers Ford
Online session is via Google Meet: please get in contact for the details.
Please join us: all are welcome, come and see.
Attending Church
We meet at 3rd URC Scout HQ, Kings Rd, Chandlers Ford SO53 2EY. The Scout hall is behind and to the left of the URC Church. Come and See.
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With love in Christ
Fr Alexander
webenquiry@orthodoxeastleigh.uk