Every second Saturday of the month, Divine Liturgy in English of Sunday - Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral of the Holy Family, Duke Street, London W1K 5BQ.
4pm Divine Liturgy. Next: 13th November 2021

Very sadly, the Divine Liturgy in English at 9-30 am on Sundays at the Holy Family Cathedral, Lower Church, have had to be put on hold. Until the practicalities we cannot use the Lower Church space. Hopefully this will be resolved very soon. Please keep checking in here for details.

Owing to public health guidance, masks should still be worn indoors and distance maintained. Sanitisers are available. Holy Communion is distributed in both kinds from the mixed and common chalice, by means of a separate Communion spoon for each individual communicant.

To purchase The Divine Liturgy: an Anthology for Worship (in English), order from the Sheptytsky Institute here, or the St Basil's Bookstore here.

To purchase the Divine Praises, the Divine Office of the Byzantine-Slav rite (in English), order from the Eparchy of Parma here.

The new catechism in English, Christ our Pascha, is available from the Eparchy of the Holy Family and the Society. Please email johnchrysostom@btinternet.com for details.

Tuesday 15 April 2014

Churches devastated and icons desecrated in Maalula - Fides News Agency

Maalula (Agenzia Fides) - After the reconquest of the Christian village of Maalula - 55 km northeast of Damascus - by the Syrian government army, the images and descriptions released by government sources and international news agencies also document the devastation committed against Christian places of worship during the four months in which the city was under the occupation of the rebel militias. In particular, serious damages were carried out against the Greek-Melkite shrine of Mar Sarkis, where the church is destroyed, the floor is covered with religious objects, images and sacred books are damaged, the icons kept in the sacristy are missing and there are no bells or the cross surmounting the dome of the Greek-Melkite monastery. The sanctuary, founded at the end of the fifth century, is dedicated to Saints Sergius and Bacchus, Roman soldiers martyred for their faith under the Emperor Galerius. (A.D. 250-311).





Before being devastated by the civil war, the village of Maalula - which now appears uninhabited – was inhabited by 5 thousand Syrians, the vast majority were Christians (Greek-Catholic and Greek-Orthodox). The reconquest of Sarkha, Maalula and Jibbeh is the result of the offensive with which the Syrian government army took control of almost all of the region of Qalamun. In this offensive the Syrian military units are supported by the Lebanese Shiite militia of Hezbollah. The three operators of the Hezbollah television station al-Manar TV were killed by rounds fired by snipers while they were documenting the reconquest of Maalula. (GV) (Agenzia Fides 15/04/2014)




Churches devastated and icons desecrated in Maalula - Fides News Agency

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