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Norfolk’s Romanian Orthodox Church set for feast 

On Sunday, December 11, the Romanian Orthodox Church in Norwich and East Anglia will celebrate its first patron saint, the Martyr Philothea of Arges, with a special festal service, a play performed by children and a talk given by His Grace Ignatius of Mures.

The day will begin at St Mary's Church in Gillingham at 9.45am with an Akathist hymn dedicated to its patron saint also known as Protectress of Romania. The main service, the Divine Liturgy, will begin at 10.30am and will be led by His Grace Ignatie of Mures, Assistant Bishop in the Romanian Orthodox Church of Western and Southern Europe with its seat in Paris, headed by His Eminence Joseph, Archbishop and Metropolitan.  His Grace Ignatie of Mures is also the guest speaker.  

The religious service will be followed by a play, The Old Woman and the Wall, presented by the children of the parish Sunday School together with the children of the Joy of All Who Sorrow community, an Orthodox church that meets under the care of the Russian Orthodox Church in Mettingham.

The Romanian Orthodox Church in Norwich and East Anglia was founded in 2010 following the initiative of Fr Liviu Barbu and his wife, Ana-Maria, and with the help of Nicholas and Mirona Meade. The community has grown from a few families to about 50-80 believers every Sunday, mostly young families.

The church has met in various places over the years including All Saints Centre in Norwich city centre, St Clement's Colegate and has now temporarily returned to its first home in Mettingham.

This year on Sunday, December 11, the church will meet for the celebration at St Mary’s Church, Gillingham, Church Road, Gillingham, NR34 0ND.  Everyone is most welcome to attend.


Photo of St Mary's Church, Gillingham: © Copyright Suse and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.