Message of Abbot Paul - Trinity Sunday 4th June 2023
Abbot Paul • June 3, 2023
Although in Britain today it’s the feast of the Holy Trinity, in Greece we are celebrating Pentecost, although I have a sneaking suspicion that many Greeks are probably unaware of this, just as most Brits are unaware that it’s Trinity Sunday. I’m given to understand that 16% of Greeks go to church for part or all of the Divine Liturgy on a Sunday, whereas 91% of the population is Orthodox. The Catholic Church is a very small minority, enlarged in recent years by the influx of Poles, Filipinos, Albanians, Ukrainians, and others. They number around 70,000 are are classified as a religious and not ethnic minority. I mention this as yesterday I visited the Catholic cemetery, which borders on one of the British war cemeteries on the western edge of the city of Thessaloniki. I wanted to visit the graves of priests I had known. It’s a fascinating cemetery with monumental graves commemorating a large variety of nationalities as well as Catholic Greeks from Constantinople, Asia Minor and the Islands. The history of the city and of Macedonia in general must be one of the most fascinating in Europe, all part of my obsessive love for Greece and the Balkans.
Before visiting the cemetery, we had lunch at a favourite old fashioned Greek restaurant, one we frequented in the old days, where the chef-owner has been cooking daily for over 50 years. It’s the sort of restaurant where you go into the kitchen, look at everything and choose what you want. Everything is as delicious as it looks and more so. I love resinated wine and there’s a wide variety to choose from. Did you know that Pope St Gregory the Great, who was Papal Ambassador to the imperial court of Byzantium before his election as Bishop of Rome, imported retsina from Constantinople as it was the only thing that could help him digest his food? It’s heavenly eating Greek food again, not to mention the abundance of fresh fruit. As I write, I’m enjoying a bowl of cherries, apricots and watermelon, a foretaste of heaven.
Br Meinrad and Br Gildas attend a special service with the Benedictine community of St Paul's Outside the Walls with King Charles and Queen Camilla.
Honesty and Love Before God: Pharisee and Tax Collector; Pope and King - a homily by Abbot Brendan for the 30th Sunday of the Year.
We are sad to announce that Fr Stephen died on Monday 21st October 2055. He was 94. He died peacefully in hospital, having recently fractured his shoulder. He was a beloved member of the monastic community, who had settled back at Belmont after many years on Belmont parishes, including in Abergavenny, Swansea, Hereford and Weobley. He will be much missed. His Requiem Mass will be at Belmont on Wednesday, 5th November at 11.30am followed by burial in the monastic cemetery. The Reception of his Body into the Abbey Church will take place on Tuesday, 4th November, at 5.45pm.
With honoured guests we were delighted to open our doors again of our new guesthouse and conference centre: The Chapterhouse.
"A hymn to the human body." Abbot Brendan's Homily at the annual Mass celebrated at Rotherwas Chapel in Hereford that dates from the 1580s on the feast of the Assumption.
From Francis to Leo: A special event with Christopher Lamb of CNN in conversation with Austin Ivereigh who commentated for the BBC on the transition from Pope Francis to Pope Leo.
On 12th June an Ecumenical Service was held at Hereford Cathedral to celebrate the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicea.
