Good evening to all orthodox brothers and sisters!
I have a question. If anyone knows the answer, i'll be very thankful!
Can the Synodikon (with anathemas) be read by a community of laymen or is this a service that can be read only by priests or hierarchs?
Welcome, Hristofor, to this Cafe !
I was wondering the same thing. One of our advanced members will surely answer.
The rubrics of this service call for a bishop to celebrate, and say that this service is celebrated in Cathedrals and some monasteries. The anathemas, as well as the commemorations and "Memory Eternal's", and then the "Many Years" are proclaimed by a deacon and chanted by all the clergy present, and then the choir. But there's no reason why a group of laypeople can't read the text.
When I was a young girl in NYC and attended the ROCA Synod Cathedral, they would stat the Liturgy 1/2 later than usual on the Sunday of Orthodoxy, so that all of the clergy from the nearby parishes could attend (back then there were at least 8 parishes in NYC, and around 8 within an hour's drive) and up to 40 priests would gather, and at least 3 bishops. It was a truly impressive service.
Some of the nuns here at Lesna still remember St. John of Shanghai celebrating it at the monastery.
Ah, it's THAT Matuskha Efrosinia ! I wasn't sure, but I thought it was the Serbian one all this time !
[ Side note : Condolences on the repose of your father. I was FASCINATED with that article on LiveJournal which was quoted elsewhere.
I kept meaning to write a comment there saying how deeply it had affected me to hear about his very interesting life.
I read every word carefully. It was riveting. Maybe a copy should be posted here on Euphrosynos Cafe ?? ]
Thank you for the answer.
That was interesting about how New York Synodal services were at that time for Orthodoxy Sunday.
8 parishes there, and 8 more near. Amazing.
Times have changed since then, in so many ways !
Maybe you should write down your memories of those days growing up there ? Some of us would love to hear.
Are there any photos of St John serving this Feast at Lesna ??
Do the nuns have any particular recollections about that ? They may be too old to articulate that well, but that is so special to hear
on the Vigil of that same day.
I wish I could see a video of that as well as of the Synod service headed by St. Metropolitan Philaret, too !
I am going to watch that New Martyrs Glorification one posted by Fr Siluan, which is why I came here just now.
Mother Evfrosinia, what about Lesna now, is there any Bishop to serve over there this year ?
[If you return and see this ?]
Thank you, Barbara. We have 3 sisters here that remember St. John of Shanghai, and he tonsured our Abbess a rassaphore nun back in 1960. Unfortunately, they don't remember anything specific about this service. And while we have quite a few photographs of Vl. John at the monastery, we don't have many of him celebrating. It was not really accepted to take photographs during church services back then, especially with a flash. When Vl. Seraphim (Doulgoff) was the ruling bishop here in Western Europe, back in the late 90's and early 00's, he celebrated the service here at the monastery 3 years in a row. But we haven't had a bishop present since then. Our Vladyka Tikhon visits us at best 2 times a year, and someone from the monastery travels to Russia or Ukraine, usually during one of the Synod sessions, to see him, also at least once a year. It's just too expensive to do it more often.
I keep meaning to write down what I remember of the old ROCA, and especially about Met. Philaret, but there's just so little time...
Just so interesting, all of this !
Thank you, Mother Evfrosinia, for all the fascinating information. Everything you say gives a picture of how
things were.
Wish I could see those pictures of St John at your convent - I bet they are so wonderful.
Even what you said about the non-permission for photos being taken during the services is telling.
That's WHY i guess there ARE so few photos of him serving. Really when one thinks about it, the number
is quite few.
I wonder if this was due to a specific prohibition by St John, or was general practise in Rocor ?
It brings an era back to life, though, just hearing that.
I am basking in the glow.
Those 3 nuns are so blessed to have been present, and it's Abbess Makrina, right, who was the one tonsured
by St John a rassophore nun ?
I remember reading how both St John and Metropolitan Philaret really loved the Convent.
You must try your best to record all your memories at least jot them down as they pop back up,
and collect into a binder or something to organize better into a coherent piece
when you will have time maybe a little later stage ?
I know it's unimaginably busy, with all the obediences.
But these are PRICELESS !
At least to me, and I am sure a small collection of other souls.
So your effort will be rewarded by an appreciative readership !
I see about the difficulty in travel. I think it's probably amazing to be able to send someone to the Synod Meetings -
I realize how expensive that all is these days. I was a student in France and I remember the special student
passes offered on SNCF and European trains, but otherwise, phew, prices were high even then. Now probably unbelievable.
Especially the German trains were a great deal with Interrail, or Eurailpass, but at a regular fare quite strenuous on the purse.
Likewise, it's nice that Archbishop Tikhon can serve even once or twice a year.
Wouldn't it be great if our RTOC expands enough for there to be made a Bishop for Europe, maybe based at Lesna ?
Please do write EVERYTHING you recall about Metropolitan Philaret, especially, when you can manage it. We all know
how details get pushed to the background by all the intervening events.
Thank you, Mother, for posting some of your recollections here.
It would be very beneficial to our spiritual growth if you could share some more.
Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me a sinner.
