Former Evangelical Community Celebrates First Divine Liturgy

Fr. Gregory Hallam presided at the Divine Liturgy for the Orthodox Community of St. Hilda of Whitby. Photo: antiochian-orthodox.com

HALIFAX, UK — The newly established Orthodox Community of St. Hilda in Halifax celebrated its inaugural Divine Liturgy on August 17 at St. Malachy’s Catholic Church, drawing 61 worshippers. The service, held during the Afterfeast of the Dormition of the Theotokos, was celebrated by Fr. Gregory Hallam of the St. Aidan of Lindisfarne parish in Manchester, with 15 Orthodox faithful receiving Holy Communion, according to the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of the British Isles and Ireland.

Formed earlier this year after an Evangelical congregation chose to embrace Orthodox Christianity, the community is preparing for a major milestone on September 6, when Met. Silouan will receive 34 believers into the Church through baptism or chrismation.

Photo: antiochian-orthodox.com

The following day, Met. Silouan will preside at a Hierarchical Divine Liturgy, during which Douglas Clark, the group’s former Evangelical pastor, will be ordained a deacon with the name Caedmon, after the spiritual son of St. Hilda of Whitby, the renowned early English hymnographer.

The transition has included Associate Pastor Viviers Ferreira and most of the original congregation, and has drawn new members from Halifax and surrounding towns.

"We are grateful to Msgr. Fr Michael McQuinn and his bishop, the Catholic Bishop of Leeds, the Rt Revd. Marcus Stock for their generous and warm hospitality in sharing their magnificent and beautiful St. Malachy's church with us," the newly founded parish said.

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