| |
The Annual Orthodox Reception at Westminster Abbey, 2025
By Dr Dimitris Salapatas, General Secretary of the AECA
The AECA held its annual Orthodox Reception at Westminster Abbey. The evening began with Choral Evensong, followed by a reception at the Jerusalem Chamber, by kind permission of the Dean of Westminster. This year’s Orthodox Reception was well attended by members of the Anglican Communion and the Eastern and Oriental Orthodox and many members of the AECA. The evening began with a greeting from Reverend David Stanton, Sub-Dean and Canon Treasurer of Westminster Abbey, who welcomed everyone to Westminster Abbey, and explained the significance of the Jerusalem Chamber, where Henry the IV died in this room, making this a historic room. Importantly, much of the translation of the Authorised Version of the Bible took place in this room. The Chairman of the Association, The Rev’d Canon Dr William Taylor, was invited to greet everyone, introducing the guests; specifically the newly arrived Archbishop Atanasie, who is the first Romanian Orthodox Archbishop of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and older friends of the Association. Fr William explained how privileged we were due to the fact that we had during this evening both the Anglican and Orthodox Presidents of the Association, who were invited to speak.
The Rt Revd Chrisopher Chessun, Bishop of Southwark and Anglican President of the Association spoke first. He claimed that we are meeting on a historic day (regarding the peace agreement between Israel and Palestine). The Bishop stated that: ‘the hostages will soon be released; that some of the hurts will be healed; that there will be a change of hearts and minds and that people are willing to work together in the region for a more peaceful future. And we pray that there will be an end to innocent suffering.’ Bishop Chessun also referred to the new appointment of the next Archbishop of Canterbury, who will be the current Bishop of London, The Rt Revd and Rt Hon Dame Sarah Mullally. Bishop Christopher asked everyone to pray for Bishop Sarah, as she prepares to take on this very historic, significant and important role and pray for the wider Anglican Communion. He also wished to share his take on the progress the relations have had since their beginning, by quoting Fr Ephrem Lash, stating:
‘Some of us, not least in the Church of England, will remember the Archimandrite to the Ecumenical Throne, the late Fr Ephrem Lash, with great love and affection. He liked to tell the story, not least of the General Synod, of when in 1837 a member of the Augusta House of Curzon put a letter from Archbishop Howley of Canterbury into the hands of His All Holiness Gregory VI of Constantinople, the Ecumenical Patriarch, who insisted that he had not heard of the Archbishop of Canterbury and affected to be unaware that there was any such thing as the Church of England. This, the Archimandrite liked to contrast with the reception accorded to Archbishop Rowan Williams, on his visit to Mount Athos in 2012, which was little short of rapturous.’ Bishop Christopher, wished to add that, ‘our relations have come a long way. We do acknowledge the existence of each other, and in London there is a specially blessed, rich Ecumenical Fellowship. It is founded on friendship, and it is undergirded by prayer, and we must give thanks for that. The relational side of getting to know each other, meeting together, praying together, is immensely important, and I’m very honoured to be the Anglican President of the Anglican and Eastern Churches Association alongside Archbishop Nikitas.’
Archbishop Nikitas, of Thyateira and Great Britain and Orthodox President of the AECA spoke next, stating that, ‘we can say to the world that we have our challenges and our problems and yet we stand together and we as Christians are united, as best we can be, to fight off evil in so many forms, in so many ways that exist. We as the Eastern traditions come to join you here in the Western traditions. We form a tapestry of our own, because we come in all shapes, sizes, hats, robes, jewellery, and everything else; but, yet somehow, we come together; we form a beautiful tapestry. . .like that cloak of many colours of Joseph. We move forward and we must walk together. We pray all of us for the King. We pray for the stability of all the churches of God. We ask God to send down his grace upon this land, the King, the Royal Family, the Archbishop elect, the various hierarchs, encouraging all the good people of God in this land. And let us work together to overcome our differences. Let us find together solution to our problems. Let us pray for peace… For this is the chamber of Jerusalem, which has to do with peace and may the peace come not only from here but extend itself to Jerusalem, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. May that peace of Christ abide in our hearts and strengthen us in our journeys. And we pray that we will continue to work together; to move together; to have pilgrimages together; to have workshops together; and maybe even to sing together. Because when we sing together, we will form one voice, one choir. May that praise and that glory and that prayer be lifted up to the heavens, from all of us. . . May His mercy and His peace be on all of us.’
The Chairman of the Association invited Archbishop Atanasie, of the Romanian Orthodox Church to give a brief message during this event. The Archbishop claimed that ‘the presence of the Romanian Orthodox began in the second half of the 20th century, when Patriarch Justinian established the first parish in London, at St Dunstan’s-in-the-West. . . After the fall of communism, and especially following Romania’s accession to the European Union, the number of faithful grew rapidly. From a few thousand, the community expanded to over one and a half million, bringing new pastoral responsibilities. By October 2024, there were more than 70 parishes and mission in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, together with three monasteries.’ Today there are nearly 100 parishes and in 2024, the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church decided to establish two dioceses, one for Great Britain and one for Ireland and Iceland. This then resulted in the Diocese of GB to be elevated to the rank of Archdiocese. Archbishop Atanasie pointed out that, ‘The Archdiocese is a sign of the communion with the Mother Church in Romania and with the other Christian churches in this land. We are grateful to the Church of England and to the wider Orthodox family for their fraternal spirit. We come with the richness of our tradition, yet we are open, ready to learn and to share, to offer hope to those who seek God. Our vision is to be a witness together to the love of Christ, in a multicultural society, building bridges between East and West, between tradition and today’s challenges, and between the Romanian community and British society.’
Archbishop Angaelos, Coptic Orthodox Archbishop of London, spoke about his recent work on the relations and about the International Commission which will be meeting shortly. His Eminence kindly invited the members of the Association to the events, explaining how crucial these are for the relations. Finally, Fr Matthias Heber, who recently took on the role of national advisor to the Archbishop and the Church of England, explained his recent work and the significance of the fellowship that exists between the churches.
The evening continued with great discussions, being a great opportunity to renew friendships between the members of the different churches and the members of the AECA who were able to attend this very successful event.
The Annual Constantinople Lecture, 2024
On Tuesday 18th of June 2024 the AECA held its 2024 Constantinople Lecture at St Alban’s Cathedral, where we find the shrine of Britain’s first saint, being the oldest site of continuous Christian worship in Britain.
The evening started with Choral Evensong. It was followed by a guided tour of the Cathedral which was led by The Rev’d Canon Will Gibbs, who is Canon for Mission and Pastoral Care at the Cathedral and member of the Executive Committee of the AECA. The fantastic tour allowed all the participants to see and learn about St Alban, the Cathedral’s history and artwork. It was fascinating to see the project regarding the iconography in the Cathedral, where projectors allow the visitor to see the icons in their past glory with vivid colours and detail. Projectors are also used to display colours on the Wallingford High Altar screen, bringing the statues to life. The tour concluded with a visit and prayer at the Shrines of St Alban and St Amphibalus, which is a place of worship for all Christians throughout the year.
The Lecturer for the evening was Mar Awraham Youkhanis, Bishop of London and Western Europe of the Assyrian Church of the East. The speaker was introduced by the Chairman of the Anglican and Eastern Churches Association, Rev’d Canon Dr William Taylor, explaining how important the relations are for all parties, especially today. Mar Awraham Youkhanis spoke on ‘Bridging Faith and Tradition: Exploring the Dynamix Relationship between the Church of England and the Assyrian Church of the East from the Late 1800s to the Modern Day in Mesopotamia and the United Kingdom.’ The Lecturer wished to give a historical account explaining the relations between the two Christian groups, highlighting the opportunities and challenges that came with this relationship. He was also able to discuss the lived experiences and difficulties Christians are faced with in the Middle East today and what support is needed. After the talk, there was opportunity to hold a Q&A, which allowed for further clarification of the points discussed in the Lecture. At the end, the General Secretary of the Association thanked the speaker for the interesting talk, reminding everyone how important it is to educate people in the West about the existence and the challenges faced by the Christians in the Middle East today. Also, thanks were given to Fr Will Gibbs and St Alban’s Cathedral for their great hospitality.
The evening ended with a reception where everyone was able to share ideas and communicate in a spirit of love.
The Annual Constantinople Lecture 2023
Constantinople Lecture 2023
On Thursday the 23rd of November 2023 the annual 'Constantinople Lecture' of the AECA
(Anglican & Eastern Churches Association) took place at the Archdiocesan Cathedral of the Divine
Wisdom in Bayswater, London. This year's lecture was delivered by the esteemed theologian and
chaplain of HM King Charles, Rev Dr Canon Jamie Hawkey. The Canon of Westminster spoke on the
theme of His Majesty the King's recent coronation in terms of both the liturgical influences
of the Orthodox Christian tradition (with holy oil consecrated and offered by the Patriarchate
of Jerusalem) and the ecumenical significance of His Eminence Archbishop Nikitas' active participation
in the ceremony, alongside other faith leaders.
Prior to the lecture itself, the chairman of the AECA, Rev Canon William Taylor, offered welcoming
remarks, whilst the Rt Rev Bishop Christopher Chessun of Southwark congratulated Canon Jamie
following his insightful talk. The V. Rev. Archimandrite Nephon Tsimalis, Chancellor of the
Archdiocese of Thyateira and Great Britain, represented His Eminence Archbishop Nikitas.
The lecture sparked glimmers of hope within the context of Anglican -Orthodox dialogue,
placing emphasis on practical implementation of Christ's commandments of unity and of 'diakonia,'
serving and ministering to others in His name.
The lecture and gracious reception hosted by the Cathedral of the Divine Wisdom was truly a
joyous occasion for further fellowship amongst members of the AECA and other attendees,
in a spirit of Christian solidarity, in prayer for a brighter future of unity, in faith
and fraternal love.
Deacon Gregory Florides
Photos by Alexios Gennaris
The Annual Orthodox Reception at Westminster Abbey,
2023
The AECA held its annual Orthodox Reception at
Westminster Abbey. The evening began with Choral Evensong, followed by a
reception at the Jerusalem Chamber, by kind permission of the Dean of
Westminster.
This year’s very successful Orthodox Reception
attracted many Orthodox from a variety of jurisdictions from both Eastern and
Oriental Orthodox. Speakers at this year’s event were the Dean of Westminster
Abbey, The Very Reverend Dr David Hoyle MBE, who welcomed us to this event. The
Right Revd Jonathan Baker, Bishop of Fulham, greeted the reception and the
guests, explaining how we are currently living in troubled times, where many
parts of the world are in war, including the Holy Lands, where the ICAOTD was
officially meeting. Thankfully everyone was safe. Finally, His Grace Bishop
Hovakim Manukyan, Primate of the Armenian Diocese of Great Britain, was asked to
speak about the current war in Nagorno Karabakh between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
He expressed the importance of the relations and of prayer, so this conflict can
end soon. The evening continued with great discussions, being a great
opportunity to renew friendships between the members of the different churches.
Photos by Rose Collis and Alexios Gennaris
The Annual Constantinople Lecture, 2022
On Thursday 24th November 2022 the AECA held its
annual Constantinople lecture at St John the
Evangelist, Notting Hill. This year’s speaker was His Eminence Archbishop
Angaelos, OBE, who is the
Coptic Orthodox Archbishop of London. The evening began with Evensong, led by Fr
Alan Trigle, the
Treasurer of the AECA. Fr William Taylor, Chairman of the AECA, welcomed
everyone to the event.
His Eminence spoke about ‘The Church: The strength of its witness and brightness
of its light.’ The
speaker focused on the Coptic Church, expanding on the contribution of the
Coptic Church to
Christianity, namely:
A. Faith to the Ecumenical Councils, up to the Third Council.
B. The Tradition of monasticism
C. Martyrdom, which is still evident to these days.
His Eminence Angaelos highlighted the importance
of fellowship between the Christian
denominations. Interestingly enough, the speaker also reported the fact that the
Dialogue between
Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox will commence again, with the blessings
of His All-Holiness
Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew.
After the talk, the Secretary of the AECA thanked
His Eminence for his inspiring talk. Fr Alan Trigle
presented a picture to His Eminence from the summer AECA AGM, taken in front of
he Serbian
Orthodox Church of St Sava, in London. This picture was a gift from the
Photographer of the
Archdiocese of Thyateira and Great Britain Mr Alexios Gennaris.
The event concluded with a reception, where we had
the opportunity to taste Syrian food.
Photos by Alexios Gennaris
The Annual Orthodox Reception at Westminster Abbey,
2022
The AECA held its annual Orthodox Reception at
Westminster Abbey. The evening began with Choral Evensong, followed by a
reception at the Jerusalem Chamber, by kind permission of the Dean of
Westminster.
This year’s very successful Orthodox Reception
attracted many Orthodox from a variety of jurisdictions from both Eastern and
Oriental Orthodox. Speakers at this year’s event were the Revd Dr Jamie Hawkey,
the Chairman of the AECA, Revd Dr William Taylor, the AECA’s Anglican President,
Bishop of Southwark, the Rt Revd Christopher Chessun, His Eminence Archbishop
Zenon of Dmanisi (Georgian Orthodox Church), His Grace Bishop Hovakim Manukian
(Armenian Church) and Fr Yohannes Sibahtu of the Eritrean Orthodox Church.
The speakers all pointed out the difficult times
regarding Christian persecution, the assistance the Christians need abroad and
in the UK and reiterated the importance of our friendships between Christians
from East and West.
As a concrete manifestation of the solidarity of
Christians from East and West, the recent successful pilgrimage to the Syriac
Orthodox Church of the Tur Abdin, co-led by Mor Polycarpus of the Netherlands
and Bishop Christopher of Southwark was highlighted.
Photos by Rose Collis.
AECA AGM and Dinner 2022
On Thursday 23rd June 2022, His Eminence
Archbishop Nikitas of Thyateira and Great Britain attended the Annual Meeting
and Dinner of the Anglican and Eastern Churches Association (AECA) accompanied
by Revd Archdeacon Dr George Tsourous. The association is under the co-Patronage
of His All Holiness the Ecumenical Patriarch and His Grace the Lord Archbishop
of Canterbury. Its Presidents are H.E The Archbishop of Thyateira and Great
Britain, and the Lord Bishop of Southwark.
The dinner was preceded by vespers at the Serbian
Orthodox Church of St Sabba in Notting Hill, London. Several other leaders of
Christian churches in the UK attended the gathering, including His Grace
Christopher Anglican Bishop of Southwark, His Grace John Anglican Bishop of
Bardwell and His Eminence Angaelos Coptic Archbishop of London.
Photos by Alexios Gennaris.
The Annual Orthodox Reception at Westminster Abbey,
2021
After a year long break due to the global Covid-19
Pandemic, the AECA was able to organized its annual Orthodox Reception for the
second time in its history at the Jerusalem Chamber, in Westminster Abbey. The
evening began with Choral Evensong, attended by members of the Association,
followed by the reception in the Jerusalem Chamber, where King Henry IV passed
away in 1413.
Speakers at this year’s event were the Revd Dr
Jamie Hawkey, Canon Theologian of Westminster Abbey, a Chaplain to Her Majesty
The Queen, and Chair of the Westminster Abbey Institute, who greeted the AECA
and the Orthodox and Anglican representatives. Revd Dr William Taylor, Chairman
of the AECA, wished to explain the importance of the relations between East and
West in the 21st century. The Bishop of Fulham, The Right Revd Jonathan Baker
was presented as the new Lead Bishop for the Church of England in relations with
the Eastern Orthodox. He also spoke about his enthusiasm about his new role. The
Rt Revd Dr Graham Tomlin, Bishop of Kensington greeted the event, speaking about
his projects and his relations with Orthodoxy. Finally, His Eminence Archbishop
Nikitas of Thyateira and Great Britain, who is also the AECA’s Orthodox
President, spoke about the importance of the relations between the Orthodox and
the Anglicans.
Constantinople Lecture 2020
For the first time in our long history and due to
the current restrictions due to the global pandemic, the AECA had its first
online Constantinople Lecture. Speaker for this event was Fr Dragos Herescu
(Principal of the Institute for Orthodox Christian Studies, Cambridge), who
spoke on 'Secularism, Orthodoxy and Europe.' This was a great experience for us
all, which was well attended by people from all around the world, making this a
global event!
Click here to see the video on Youtube
The Annual Orthodox Reception at Westminster Abbey,
2019
The AECA organized the annual Orthodox Reception
for the first time in its history at the Jerusalem Chamber, in Westminster
Abbey. The evening began with Choral Evensong, attended by members of the
Association, followed by the reception in the Jerusalem Chamber, where King
Henry IV passed away in 1413. Bishop Christopher Chessun, Bishop of Southwark
and Anglican President of the AECA, together with Fr William Taylor, Chairman of
the Association, spoke first, introducing the guests. Importantly, they
introduced the newly appointed Archbishop Nikitas of Thyateira and Great
Britain, who was asked to become the new Orthodox President of the Association,
which he accepted. Archbishop Nikitas spoke about the importance and the need
for dialogue and communication between all Christians, explaining how there are
more things that unite us rather than separate us. His Eminence also highlighted
the fact that we need to study the theology and traditions of other Christians
in order to bridge our differences. He stated that: ‘we have had 1000 years of a
unified Church; 1000 years of separation; the third millennium is the time of
hope.’
Photos by Fr Anastasios Salapatas
The Annual Constantinople Lecture at St Sophia Greek
Orthodox Cathedral, 2019
On Thursday 2ist November 2019 the annual
Constantinople Lecture took place at the Greek Orthodox Cathedral of St Sophia,
Bayswater. The evening began with Orthodox Vespers and a memorial service to the
late Archbishop Gregorios of Thyateira and Great Britain. Fr William Taylor,
Chairman of the AECA introduced the speaker. The lecture was given by the Rt
Revd. Dr Gregory Cameron, Bishop of St Asaph and co-chair of the Anglican
Oriental Orthodox International Commission. The topic of this year's lecture
was: “Can Anglicanism learn from Orthodoxy?” It was an interesting talk,
discussing among other things icons and martyrdom. The paper was also published
in the AECA’s journal: Koinonia (No 72). After the lecture, the Rt Revd.
Christopher Chessun, Anglican President of the AECA, thanked Bishop Gregory
Cameron for his interesting paper. After, the General Secretary of the AECA, Dr
D Salapatas, also thanked the key note speaker and also announced the programme
for Archbishop Gregory’s funeral. The evening continued with a reception,
organised by the Association. During the reception, Alexios Gennaris presented a
number of pictures of the late Archbishop, who was also the Orthodox President
of the AECA.
Photos by Alexios Gennaris.
The Annual Constantinople Lecture AT St John's
Notting Hill, 2018
On Thursday 22nd November 2018 the annual
Constantinople Lecture took place at St John's Notting Hill. This year's lecture
was given by Bishop Jovan Culibrk of Slavonia. The topic of this year's lecture
was: 'New Martyrs and New Paradigm of Martyrdom: Jasenovac'. The evening began
with an Evensong. Following, Fr William Taylor, the Chairman of the AECA,
welcomed everyone and introduced the speaker. Bishop Jovan gave an interesting
explanation of modern martyrdom by quoting a number of songs and modern artists,
such as Patti Smith and Bob Dylan. However, the main focus was Jasenovac, which
was in many ways more horrible than its Nazi counterparts, where many Serbs,
Jews and gypsies were murdered, being one of the largest concentration camps on
the continent. After the talk, many had the opportunity to visit the exhibition
on the Jasenovac genocide, with the assistance of the Museum of Genocide
(Belgrade), which was launched at the Constantinople Lecture 2018. This
exhibition also included a newly commissioned icon of the martyrs of Jasenovac,
which is hoped to travel to different locations in the UK during the course of
2019. As usual, refreshments followed, allowing for further discussions between
Anglicans and Orthodox.
Photos by Alexios Gennaris.
THE ANNUAL ORTHODOX RECEPTION AT FAITH HOYSE,
WESTMINSTER 2018
The Anglican and Eastern Churches Association
organized the annual Orthodox Reception at Faith House, Westminster. This year
the event attracted Bishops, priests and laymen from a number of Orthodox
Churches. The Anglican President, Bishop Christopher of Southwark, Archbishop
Angaelos of London, of the Coptic Church, and the President of the AECA Fr
William Taylor addressed the event. All the speakers promoted and expressed the
deep friendship that exists between the churches and their representatives.
Ecumenical Relations have never been as important as they are today. Promoting
them is key for the future.
Photographer: Alexios Gennaris
ANGLICAN-ORTHODOX CHURCH LEADERS RECEPTION, 2017
Fr Stephen Stavrou
The AECA held its annual reception for church
leaders at Faith House, Westminster, Monday 16th October 2017. This is an
occasion when bishops, clergy and leading laypeople gather to meet one another
and further our ecumenical relationships. We were addressed by our Anglican
President, Bishop Christopher of Southwark, by His Eminence Archbishop
Elise's of the Russian Orthodox Church and Fr Jusuf Al Banna of the Syrian
Orthodox Church.
CONSTANTINOPLE LECTURE 2016
By Dimitris Salapatas
On Thursday 17th November 2016 the annual
Constantinople Lecture, organised by the Anglican and Eastern Churches
Association, took place at Southwark Cathedral. This year’s lecture was given by
Professor Andrew Louth. The evening began with evensong in the Cathedral.
Firstly Fr William Taylor, Chairman of the AECA welcomed everyone for coming to
this event and also thanked Bishop Christopher for hosting this event in the
Cathedral. After this introduction, Dimitris Salapatas introduced Fr Andrew
Louth, who spoke on an interesting theme, entitled: 'Easter, Calendar and
Cosmos: an Orthodox View.' The Professor examined his topic giving a great
exegesis of the issue of Calendar, explaining its importance for Christianity,
whilst also identifying how other religions understand the issue of calendar. He
also gave his views on the current issue of Easter, and whether it could change
or not, or whether East and West could celebrate Easter on the same day. For
those who are members of the AECA, the next issue of Koinonia will have this
year’s lecture published there.
A.E.C.A. RECEPTION FOR ORTHODOX
CLERGY, 2016
By Dimitris Salapatas
The Anglican and Eastern Churches Association held its
annual reception for Orthodox clergy on Monday 10th October at Faith House
Westminster. This was a special occasion, being the last A.E.C.A. event for the
Rt Revd and Rt Hon Dr Richard Chartres, Bishop of London, who is also the
Anglican President of the Association, before his retirement in February 2017.
The event began with Fr William Taylor (Chairman of the A.E.C.A.) welcoming
everyone and speaking about the Bishop of London. Later, the bishop spoke about
the A.E.C.A and his role within the Association, thanking all for their
important work in promoting relations between the churches. In order to show
their appreciation for his Presidency, the Association gave the Bishop of London
a gift, an icon of St Seraphim of Sarov, who he respects and venerates greatly,
which was given to him by the Orthodox President of the A.E.C.A, H.E. Archbishop
Gregorios of Thyateira and Great Britain. Bishop Richard gave a great
explanation of how the relics of St Seraphim of Sarov were saved from the Museum
of Atheism in Russia. At the end of this great event, the Association announced
the new Anglican President, who is going to be the Rt Revd Christopher Chessun,
Bishop of Southwark. The next Reception for Orthodox Clergy will take place in
October 2017.
CONSTANTINOPLE LECTURE 2015
By Dimitris
Salapatas
The Anglican and Eastern Church Association (AECA)
organised its annual Constantinople Lecture, which took place on Thursday 19th
November 2015 at St Sophia Greek Orthodox Cathedral in London. The evening began
with Orthodox Vespers, followed by a lecture given by the Rt Revd Christopher
Chessun, Bishop of Southwark, on ‘Patriarchy and Dispersion.’ Bishop Christopher
has supported Anglican-Orthodox dialogue for a number of years, ‘and has enabled
many western Christians to gain an understanding of eastern Christianity through
pilgrimages to Tur Abdin and the Holy Land,’ as stated by the editor of
Koinonia, Fr Stephen Stavrou, in the latest issue of the journal.
Read more here: 
A.E.C.A. RECEPTION FOR ORTHODOX
CLERGY, 2015
By Fr William Taylor
The Anglican and Eastern Churches Association held its
annual reception for Orthodox clergy on Monday 12th October at Faith House
Westminster. This year saw a larger number of Orthodox clergy attending than
ever before, with a large delegation from the Armenian Church. His Grace Bishop
Hovakim, Primate of the Armenian Church in the U.K, addressed the assembly on
the events to mark 100 years since the Armenian genocide in 1915. His Grace
Bishop Angaelos, General Bishop of the Coptic Church in the U.K, also addressed
the assembly on the refugee situation for Christians from Syria and Iraq. The
next reception will be in October 2016.
COMMUNIQUÉ 2015
The Anglican-Oriental Orthodox International Commission
has held its fourth meeting from the 5th to 10th October 2015 at Gladstone’s
Library, Hawarden, Wales.
The Commission greatly appreciates the welcome to his
diocese given by the Right Reverend Gregory K Cameron, and the hospitality
offered by the staff of the Library.
The Commission is also grateful to the members of St
Dyfnog’s Church Llanrhaeadr yng Nghinmeirch, Canolfan Dewi Sant, Abergele, and
St Abba Eskhairon Coptic Orthodox Church in Llandudno, and the Dean and Chapter
of St Asaph Cathedral, for their warm welcome, as well as to Bishop Gregory and
Mrs Cameron for inviting the members of the Commission to their home, and for
their kind and generous hospitality.
A new publication containing the Agreed Statement on
Christology of the Anglican-Oriental Orthodox International Commission 2014 was
launched during Vespers in St Asaph Cathedral by the Co-Chairs of the
commission, the Rt Revd Gregory K Cameron Bishop of St Asaph, and His Eminence
Metropolitan Bishoy of Damietta, in the presence of the Rt Revd Dr Geoffrey
Rowell, former Co-Chair of the Commission and co-signatory to the Statement.
Read more here:
AECA 150th ANNIVERSARY
DINNER
By Dimitris Salapats
2014 is the 150th Anniversary of the Association. To
mark the occasion, a Dinner was held at Lambeth Palace in the presence of
Anglican and Orthodox guests and friends. ‘The Anglican and Eastern Churches
Association (AECA) is the first group to be founded in Britain on
Anglican-Orthodox relations. The number of Anglican-Orthodox groups which exist,
primarily in the West, and more specifically in Britain, have contributed
immensely towards the establishment of the current dialogue. The first group to
be founded in Britain was “The Association for the Promotion of the Unity of
Christendom” which was founded in 1857, whilst the Eastern Church Association
came into being in 1864. The E.C.A.’s purpose was to inform Anglicans of the
state and position of the Eastern Christians; to make the doctrines and
principles of Anglicanism known in the East; to take advantage ‘of all
opportunities which the providence of God shall afford us for intercommunion
with the Orthodox Church, and also for friendly intercourse with the other
ancient Churches of the East’; to give financial assistance to the Orthodox
bishops to assist in their efforts to promote the spiritual welfare of their
flocks. The E.C.A.’s importance is evident, since it was the first endeavour
within the United Kingdom to find an organisation with a sole purpose the
promotion of Anglican-Orthodox Relations. On the whole, discussions before this
point were products of individuals, existing on the periphery of the church’s
interest, in both East and West. Nevertheless, the E.C.A. altered this practice.
It persisted that its members were representing a church; consequently giving it
an official position within the relations of the two churches. This organisation
is currently known as ‘The Anglican and Eastern Churches Association’
(A.E.C.A.). It eventually amalgamated with ‘The Anglican and Eastern Orthodox
Churches Union’, in 1906, forming finally the existing A.E.C.A, based in London.
It is significant to identify its goals; the Association has the following
aim: “To advance the Christian religion, particularly
by teaching members of the Anglican and Orthodox Churches about each other, in
order to prepare the way for an ultimate union between them, in accordance with
our Lord’s prayer that ‘all may be one’. All its members are urged to work and
pray constantly to this end.”
AECA at 150
By
William Taylor
In the second half of the nineteenth century, The
Tractarian (or “High Church”) party of the Church of England came into
increasing prominence and positions of influence within that church. As it did
so, it employed particular “narratives of identity” to present itself as a
sister church to Orthodox Churches. As such, these narratives influenced the
Church of England’s involvement with all Orthodox Churches. What was important
to the Church of England during this time was to take the characteristics
considered to be essential to an accurate description of the Church, and to
present them as having been present from the Church’s origin. The sense of
continuity and identity thereby invoked was used by the Church of England to
describe its own history in ways that were designed to present itself as a
church possessing historical and ecclesiological authenticity.
Read more here:
THE AECA'S AGM AND DINNER
2015
The Anglican and Eastern Churches Association held its
AGM and Dinner on Thursday 9th July 2015 at St Sava’s Serbian Orthodox Church,
which for another year was a great venue for this occasion. Due to the tube
strike not many attended the AGM; nevertheless, the AECA had a good number of
participants.
CONSTANTINOPLE LECTURE 2014
The Anglican and Eastern Churches Association in
association with The Fellowship of St Alban and St Sergius organised the annual
Constantinople Lecture on Thursday 27th November 2014. The lecture was given by
Fr John Behr, who is Dean of St Vladimir’s Seminary in New York. The title of
the lecture was ‘Take Back Death! Christian Witness in the Twenty-First
Century.’ The event took place in St Mellitus College. The evening began with
Evening Prayer, led by the Chairman, Revd Dr William Taylor. Following, Fr
William introduced Dr Catherine Reid, who had won the AECA Travel Award in
commemoration of the 1700th anniversary of the Edict of Milan. She then gave a
brief account of her time at St Elisabeth’s Convent in Belarus.
ORTHODOXY IN HARROW AND THE
A.E.C.A.
By Fr Anastasios D.
Salapatas
“How awesome is this place! This is none other than the
house of God; this is the gate of heaven”
Gen. 28, 17
By the Grace of God and the prayers of our Patron
Saints, Panteleimon & Paraskevi, with the blessing of His Eminence our
Archbishop Gregorios of Thyateira & Great Britain and with the very hard and
dedicated work of the leaders and member of our Community, as well as with the
generous contributions of all our donors and benefactors, we managed to build in
Harrow, from scratch, a magnificent place of worship in Byzantine style. The
construction had taken place between August 2009 and March 2011. In November
2012 it was blessed and consecrated and was offered to our faithful for worship,
for the ultimate goal of the Glorification of our Holy God and for the
deification of His people.
CONSTANTINOPLE LECTURE 2013
The Anglican and Eastern Churches Association (AECA)
organised its annual Constantinople Lecture on Thursday 21st November 2013 at
the Greek Orthodox Cathedral of the Divine Wisdom, Moscow Road, London. The
night began with Vespers, followed by the lecture, which was given by The Rt
Revd Andrew Proud (Bishop of Reading). The title of the talk was “Fully alive:
good news for our time”. Fr William Taylor, Chairman of the AECA introduced the
speaker, giving some biographical facts. The speaker
reflected on St Irenaeu’s most famous aphorism, which he believes offers the
good news our time so desperately needs to hear. He pointed out that our society
is more secular now. Despite being more atomised and fragmented it seems that we
are currently also more connected, via this new movement of social media
networks.
A.E.C.A. RECEPTION FOR ORTHODOX
CLERGY, 2013
The Anglican and Eastern Churches Association organised
its annual Reception for Orthodox Clergy at Faith House, near Westminster Abbey
and Big Ben, in Central London, on Monday 14th October 2013. This event allows
for the members of the Orthodox Church and the Anglican Communion to come
together, to speak and exchange ideas on various current topics. As Fr. William
Taylor, Chairman of the Association, claimed that it is not only a change for
the Orthodox to meet the Anglicans, but it is also a chance for Orthodox to meet
each other, i.e. Orthodox from numerous jurisdictions.
CONSTANTINOPLE LECTURE 2012
The Anglican and Eastern Churches Association in
conjunction with The Nikean Club organised this year's Constantinople
Lecture at Lambeth Palace, on the 22nd of November 2012. The evening began with
Evensong in the Archbishop's Chapel, within Lambeth Palace. The Service was
conducted by The Rev'd Dr. William Taylor, Chairman of the A.E.C.A. It was a
fantastic experience giving the opportunity to everyone to join in a tradition
of worship that has been offered by Archbishops of Canterbury and their
households on this site since at least the 13th century.
EASTER 2006 WITH THE
ETHIOPIAN ORTHODOX TEWAHEDO CHURCH: A JOURNEY BACK
IN TIME
A pilgrimage led by the Rt. Revd. Michael Jackson, Bishop of
Clogher and the Revd. William Taylor, Chairman of
the AECA.
So this was Ethiopia 1998 - where the 13-month year
commenced in September and the day at 6.00 am. (We
stayed on GMT to avoid total confusion!) This was Ethiopia,
where Semitic, Asian and African traditions blend together and where the
people are proud to retain their own unique Amharic
script. This was Ethiopia - the home of coffee, where
the berries were originally chewed by the monks of old to ward off sleep
during lengthy devotions and where, today, the aroma
of pounded beans roasting over a charcoal brazier
mingles with the heady scent of incense and spices.
It was early on Maundy Thursday and excitement mounted as our plane hovered
over Addis Ababa, Ethiopia's sprawling young
capital city, surrounded by aromatic eucalyptus groves
- a bustling and culturally diverse diplomatic centre, home to the African
Union and the United Nations Economic Commission for
Africa.
Read more here:
ANGLICAN-ORTHODOX RELATIONS. A DEAD-END OR A WAY
FORWARD?
By Dimitris Salapatas
Relations between the Orthodox Church and the Anglican
Communion have been an ongoing phenomenon since the 17th century. However, the
20th century has taken the relations to a new level, resulting in the
establishment of the Official Dialogue between the two churches. This century
will be known as the Age of Ecumenism, “the age in which Christians of all
denominations became aware of the scandal of disunion, and attempted to do
something to bring it to an end.” We live in a globalised, digital world and
epoch; it is inevitable that this would have affected the relations between the
churches on a global level, taking us away from the past, isolated state within
which the churches and the people existed. It is crucial to understand why this
has happened now, i.e. the dialogue between Eastern and Western Christianity,
whether it is a dead-end or a way forward for all of Christianity.
Read more here:
AN OUTLINE HISTORY OF THE ANGLICAN & EASTERN
CHURCHES ASSOCIATION
By the Reverend A. T. J. Salter
It was a cold and windy night, the rain pelted down
stair-rod like, whilst two Anglican clergymen met under a railway bridge in
Lewisham in 1906. They were the Reverend Henry Joy Fynes-Clinton, an Assistant
Curate at St Stephen’s. Lewisham, an aristocrat; and Canon John A. Douglas,
Vicar of St Luke’s, Camberwell, from a middle-class engineering family. Once
cannot begin to understand the Anglican and Eastern Churches Association without
taking into consideration these two characters, both of whom I knew in their
latter years; and who were to fall out dramatically in 1933.
Read more here:
|
|
1
2
3
4
5
6
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
