ECUMENICAL PATRIARCHATE

Exarchate of Parishes of Russian
Tradition in Western Europe

The Crockett impressions of the Vicariate Conference as discussed on the way home

Xenia :   So, what did you make of it?

Ron: It was good. Yes, I liked it. Very friendly. Nice to see so many people we knew.

Xenia:  What did you think of the new Archbishop then?

Ron:   Yes. I liked him. I liked the way he circulated and chatted. I think he’ll be all right

Xenia: I think the atmosphere was so good. People spoke and looked at each other. If we all look forward and don’t harp too much on what we have ‘lost’ and with the leadership we have, I say let’s go for it.
I liked Bishop Basil’s history lesson. He explained a lot of what had been going on, and why. You can’t deny that we are an interesting lot of people! You know I was worried about the part my uncle had played in the London Parish in the 1940s and after the war. Now I wonder what part if any my father played in the decision to stay with Moscow. Somehow I wonder if it had all been decided by the time he came to England. In a way I hope so. Papa was an outspoken liberal. Perhaps somebody can tell me.  I hope the talk will be published, I’d love to read it.
I was impressed with Archbishop Gabriel’s address. He certainly gave us very good background information, and I liked the way he was not afraid to say that our Metropolitan had not always been kind to rue Daru. I also liked his repeated reference to ‘us being in Europe’ now.

Ron:  There was much discussion concerning the Cathedral. It’s something we all care about. Somebody referred to ‘rented property’, but I think if we cannot return it’s not necessarily a bad thing. Most provincial parishes do not have the advantage of owning the building where they worship. Probably several of them are, as the Archbishop said, in the same situation as many of the parishes on the continent who worship in house chapels.
The Cathedral was rented for something like twenty years until the money had been raised to purchase it. This money was raised not solely by the London parish. All the provincial parishes helped as did friends and sympathisers. We need to remember that although the Cathedral was special to Londoners worshipping there it is equally important to the whole of the Diocese.
I wonder how many remember Father Deiniol. Remember, when we visited North Wales several years ago, he and his parish had just bought a completely derelict church – leaking roof, no floors to speak off, freezing cold with the wind and rain blowing in through every hole in the walls. Two years ago when we visited again, what did we find? All the work had more or less been finished – we attended a lovely service and were made so welcome.

Xenia:  People on the whole have very short memories. Take all the talk about the Cathedral. Of course we are all ‘narked’ that we appear to have lost it – but have we? Hindsight is a wonderful thing. Perhaps we should have locked the new Russians out – but was that what our beloved Metropolitan tried to teach us? I remember very unhappy occasions in the cathedral. It could be a very cold and unfriendly place and that before the influx from Russia. I remember instances when we went to the liturgies and nobody spoke or smiled. I suppose neither did I, but it was never a friendly place. People always took themselves too seriously. Perhaps we should bear that in mind too. Remember the comments we got from our kids? How they came to dislike going to the cathedral? How there was never any attempt of finding out why kids stopped coming? No, I can’t say that the cathedral was always squeaky clean and beautiful. I don’t remember many lovely occasions. Not like when we went to Devon or Southampton or Canterbury. Remember when we collected Mark’s wedding icon from Fr David in Walsingham?
Don’t think I have no feelings for the Cathedral. It’s the place where both my parents had their funeral services. It’s where we got married 48 years ago, remember? Remember Mr Fedorov singing? Remember the family christenings and weddings there? You were received into the Orthodox Church there. And we must not forget that both of our bishops were consecrated there. It holds so many memories, more for some perhaps, but that should not stop us from looking forward.
What did you make of the Greek Archbishop arriving in the afternoon. He so reminded me of our Metropolitan – all in black, white beard, dark twinkling eyes – not capable of piercing right through you though, as the Metropolitan could, and did – how he scared me….
I thought the three bishops sitting in front of us presented such a good and positive picture. Bishop Basil needs friends and supports like Archbishops Gregorios and Gabriel.
I would like for somebody to have said something about the clergy who have had a dreadful time, full of stress and uncertainty – parishioners wanting to know what they did not know themselves. And Bishop Basil, who can disagree with his ‘had I known then….’. He is one brave man.
Peter Scorer impressed me though. It’s not just about London and the Cathedral. Where would either be without the support from the provinces.

Ron:   Yes, I think what Peter Scorer said is very important. We, as a family belonged to the Cathedral for many years and for a while now to Clapham. Over the years we have visited many other parishes. And always we encountered the feeling that communications could be better and that there was a need to consider opinions from all sides. Our present situation could prove to be a good foundation to build on.

Xenia:   Yes, several opinions were voiced how to improve communications. Aren’t we lucky that we have such marvels as the internet and e-mail at our disposal. Our Exarchate has a web site. Let’s write down what we’ve been discussing and share our thoughts with everybody else – It was a great meeting, and a good start for our future.

Bracknell, 24 November 2006