On Saturday the 12th August 2023 the Divine Liturgy was celebrated in English at the community of St Barnabas in Wood Green. The Rev Presbyter Petros Georgiou was the celebrant of the well-attended Eucharistic synaxis and the Rev Gregory Florides served as Deacon, complemented by the joyous participation of the Mosaic Choir. His Grace Bishop Iakovos of Claudiopolis, Bishop-in-charge of the Community, was prayerfully present in the holy Altar along with visiting priest Protopresbyter of the Ecumenical Throne Fr Athanasios Melissaris, Professor of the Theological School of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens.
Following the Divine Liturgy the Rev Deacon Gregory Florides gave a talk on the upcoming feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos, highlighting the role of the Mother of God within our Orthodox Christian Tradition. Deacon Gregory concentrated on the works of Saints Photios the Great, Epiphanius of Cyprus, Gregory Palamas and John of Damascus regarding their teachings on the person and example of the Most-Holy Virgin Mary.
Amongst the multinational and dynamic group of faithful who participated both in the Liturgy and the Q&A session following the talk were five of the recently illumined Christians who had been baptised with the other 23 servants of God at St Nektarios in Battersea, bringing much joy to the community of St Barnabas.
The Liturgy and talk was yet another example of the new initiatives of re-evangelisation and outreach within the community of St Barnabas in North London and the wider Archdiocese.
