Orthodox Christmas Night Vigil Brookwood Monastery 6 Jan 09

S Rozhdestvom!

Happy (Orthodox) Christmas  

Icon of Nativity, 18th century 

6th January - Anglican 'Epiphany' and Russian Orthodox 'Christmas Eve'

A dozen of us went from sacred:space to celebrate the Orthodox Christmas Night Vigil Service at Brookwood monastery.  This is the home of St Edward the Martyr Orthodox Brotherhood  for 25 years a  Russian Orthodox (in Exile) monastic community now under the Greek Orthodox Synod in Resistance. 

The Church is the old Anglican Chapel of Rest at the Brookwood Cemetery,  where 'the sacred relics of St Edward the martyr are enshrined'

It was a bitingly cold, Siberian Winter's night as we entered the Chapel,  the candle-light giving a sense of warmth, without necessarily the reality.   We stood, surrounded by Icons of Saints on all walls, with that feeling that  you are participating in historic worship that goes back centuries. The monks  led the liturgy with Father Alexis presiding.  A congregation of around 40 people seemed to follow the orthodox maxim of  'come when you can , go when you must'     

It was richly, deeply colourful and atmospheric. Periodically the clergy process around the church, liberally incensing the worship space, creating the sense of the holy.  Participation is through chanting along with the liturgy, and moving to the porch for the intercessory prayer. Newcomers venerating the icons of saints and lighting candles and everyone periodically genuflecting. I enjoy worshipping in this context because of the 'otherness', that the magical sense of the transcendent. Being drawn somehow higher into an experience of Light and Goodness.   Normally when I attend an orthodox church as an outsider,  I don't understand the language, so am drawn into the spiritual experience. On this occasion the liturgy was in rapid fire English, and occasional Russian,  so I could follow the structure more easily with my mind. Somehow that got in the way. I prefer the ecstatic to the rational.   

We were not able to stay to the end, but drifted out into the cold night in smaller groups and made our way home. Pausing outside and looking back at the cold solid stone church from the snowy exterior, I felt 'strangely warmed'.   

 

Let me finish with  a prayer from 'The Shepherd: an orthodox Christian Pastoral Magazine', which was handed to me by one of the Brothers (Vol XXIX No 4 Dec 2008) 

 

FROM THE FATHERS 

This is the night of the Most Gentle One 

Let no one be cruel

This is the night of the Humble One 

Let no one be proud 

Now is the Day of Joy 

Let us not revenge 

Now if the Day of Good Will 

Let us not be mean

In this Day of Peace 

Let us not be conquered by anger 

Today the Bountiful One impoverished Himself for our sake

So , rich one, invite the poor to your table

Today we receive a Gift for which we did not ask 

So let us give alms to those who implore and beg us 

This present day cast open the heavenly doors to our prayers

Let us open our door to those who ask our forgiveness 

Today the Divine Being took upon Himself the seal of our humanity

In order for humanity to be decorated by the Seal of Divinity 

Ven. Isaac the Syrian 7th century