Father John’s funeral was magnificent, befitting the man. As the large congregation gathered to venerate his body while the clergy read the Gospel, we were given time to reflect on just how important was the occasion; and how large a part Father John had played in so many lives. There was an air of expectation, which was fulfilled when Shanta and family, with the women resplendent in white saris, processed with great dignity into the church.
The future Archpriest John Lee was born John Samuel Lee in Mercer County, Pennsylvania. His family were farmers, on one side Scottish, the other Ukrainian.
Your Eminence Archbishop Job of Telmessos, well beloved brother in the Holy Spirit and concelebrant with my humble self, Exarch of the Orthodox parishes of the Russian tradition in Western Europe under the most holy Ecumenical Throne, most pious priests and deacons, honourable dignitaries and blessed Christians of this patriarchal Exarchate, may the grace and peace of God be with you, along with my prayers and blessing.
The funeral of our Archpriest John (Lee) is scheduled to take place at 11:00 am on Tuesday 1st July 2014 at St Andrew’s Church, Holborn. We expect the coffin to arrive at about 9:30am allowing, for those who wish, time to pray by its side. The funeral will start at 11:00am, followed by the burial at 2:30pm in Richmond cemetery.
Father John fell asleep in the Lord without regaining consciousness shortly before 10.00 pm last night. Father Alexander (Fostiropoulos) and Father Stephen (Platt) had visited during the day and said prayers with the family and anointed him.
Father John was priest in charge at St Andrew's, Holborn.
Over the Spring Bank Holiday weekend, the High Leigh Conference Centre resounded again and again to the best news ever heard in the world: “Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death; and to those in the tombs he has given life!” The annual Deanery Conference brought together a wonderfully diverse crowd of Orthodox Christians from all over the country and from abroad, and the choir, made up of singers from many parishes under Anne-Marie de Visser’s direction, sang the Paschal troparion and the other Paschal hymns with extra gusto, knowing that it was the last weekend when they would sing them for another year.
Here are the photos from the Deanery Conference 2014, courtesy of James Hyndman .To view the album on flickr: click here.To view a slideshow: click here.Click on any photo so see it enlarged. Click on the Flickr link beneath each photo to see it on the flickr.com website.To download a photo:
Over the Spring Bank Holiday weekend, the High Leigh Conference Centre resounded again and again to the best news ever heard in the world: “Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death; and to those in the tombs he has given life!” The annual Deanery Conference brought together a wonderfully diverse crowd of Orthodox Christians from all over the country and from abroad, and the choir, made up of singers from many parishes under Anne-Marie de Visser’s direction, sang the Paschal troparion and the other Paschal hymns with extra gusto, knowing that it was the last weekend when they would sing them for another year.
