ECUMENICAL PATRIARCHATE

Exarchate of Parishes of Russian
Tradition in Western Europe

Sermon preached by Archbishop Gabriel of Comana, on Sunday 27 August 2006, at the parish of SS Aidan and Chad, Nottingham

In the Name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Today I feel like Moses, who received the word of the Lord, and the Lord said to him, ‘Go to Pharaoh and to my people, and say to Pharaoh, “Let my people go.”’ And Moses said, ‘Lord, I have a problem – I have a problem because I don’t speak very well’. And that is also my problem today. I do not speak English very well, but I think I have to speak today, and I hope you will understand me.

Most of us here today have had the same experience as Abraham. One day the Lord said to him, ‘Do not stay in your country, in the house of your fathers, but go away, and I will give you a new country’ - and he did that. And that is also a spiritual experience. Many of us have also left the house of our spiritual fathers. I myself was born and educated in the Catholic tradition – maybe some of you also, or in the Anglican tradition, And one day the Lord himself took us to show us, to give us, a new home, a new country – the community of the Orthodox Church.

Here in England, in Great Britain, there was a prophet: there was a man sent by God to be an apostle of Christ. This man was the late Metropolitan Anthony. He was a real Orthodox missionary – a priest and a bishop – and he always said ‘I want to work for a Church that is free, independent, a Church for all people who want to be Orthodox.’ Because the confession of the true faith is the first important thing in the Church and for all Orthodox people. And that is why the Church he founded was not British – there is no British Orthodox Church – she was not Russian, nor Greek. She was Orthodox.

And at the same time, on the continent you have the diocese of rue Daru – Metropolitan Evlogii, Metropolitan Vladimir, Archbishop Georgios and the second Archbishop Georgios, Archbishop Serge, and now myself. And in that diocese on the continent there was the same conviction. We received it from the people of the Russian emigration, who said, ‘We are Orthodox. Now we are in the western part of the world so we have to proclaim our faith – the Orthodox Tradition – and we have to make it for all people.’ Because if the Orthodox faith is the truth faith, then it means that the Orthodox Church is universal, and the faith also. It cannot be the property of one nation – it is the Church of Christ, and that is why all people have to be welcome in that Church.

So in your country there was Vladyka Anthony, and on the continent the members of the diocese of rue Daru. Now Vladyka Anthony is no longer with us, though he is with us in a spiritual way, and I, the Archbishop of rue Daru, am a convert. And here you have as the second bishop after Vladyka Anthony, His Grace Vladyka Basil. You are responsible for the work of Vladyka Anthony and Vladyka Basil.

That is why, at a particular moment, Vladyka Basil said, ‘Something has to be done’, and he asked the blessing of the Patriarch of Constantinople to be received into that Patriarchate – not for political reasons, but to save the local, universal Orthodoxy. And so now we are together, the diocese on the continent and the diocese in England. We have a very important mission – to be all together an example of real Orthodox Christians. And that means we cannot say to anybody, ‘You are not welcome, you are excommunicated.’

I know also, especially in your community, that you are suffering because some people are unhappy and they asked me not to come today – but I am here. Why? Because I have that mission. I am a bishop of the Church. I am a convert, and I want to proclaim the beauty of the true faith everywhere. I do not want discussions, but only that we love each other. I have found in England, and today here this morning, a real Orthodox community.

This is the second time I have celebrated in English – forgive my mistakes, and I promise that next time I will do better. You have your bishop. I am the Exarch, but your local bishop was, and is today, and will be for the future Vladyka Basil. Some people think that his canonical situation is not correct. That is not true. I do not want to give you a lecture in canonical matters, but it is not true because we are protected now by the Holy Church of Constantinople. That Church is poor – and that is why she is so rich. She has no money and no political power, and that is why she is pure.

Under her protection we can do the same thing that was begun by Vladyka  Anthony and all the people on the continent – to be Orthodox Christians, to proclaim the true Orthodox faith. Let us be together. Let us love each other, and let us be happy that you have this very beautiful church and a good and educated priest. You also have a wonderful choir. It is a real community of prayer. Let us be together, and  – I ask you all – you have to support your Bishop Basil. He needs your love and your prayers, and at the same time – do not forget me.

The most beautiful thing we have is the beauty of the truth and the love of Christ. Do not make a second parish in this city. Try to stay together, Try to understand those who are not very happy today. Unity in Christ is so important. Do not speak about nationalities. I am from Belgium, and my language is Dutch, but I am Orthodox –and you also. So let that be our real joy.

As I said, next time I will better speak your beautiful English language. But now I say, let us please be together, pray together and celebrate together this beautiful Liturgy. Amen.