Abba Seraphim joined the congregation of the Guild Church of St. Dunstan’s-in-the-West on 14 March for the service of The Solemn Consecration of the New Ring of Ten Bells, which was performed by the Lord Bishop of London (The Rt. Revd & Rt Hon Richard Chartres). Although the ceremony is quite a rarity, the Bishop of London admitted that this was the third set of bells he had consecrated in the City of London in recent years (St. Magnus the Martyr in 2009 & St. Michael’s, Cornhill in 2011).

Although it took place within the Lenten season, the ceremony had a festive feel to it, with Psalm 150 sung in Grandsire Triples and a newly composed Festal Te Deum by Stuart Murray Turnbull.  The bells, decorated with white ribbons and trailing ivy, were displayed in the sanctuary as the bishop and clergy, in gold vestments processed into the church to the strains of J.M. Neale’s “Christ in Made the Sure Foundation”. Following the old Pontificale Romanum the bells were each sprinkled with Holy Water, before being named by their sponsors, anointed with Oil of Catechesius, consecrated with Chrism and solemnly censed. Not only were they censed on the outside but a long-handled chafing dish was used to incense the interiors. The bells will now be hung and it is intended that they will first ring on 5 June when H.M. The Queen enters the City of London on her way to St. Paul’s Cathedral for the Service of Thanksgiving.

The service was followed by a reception generously hosted by Hoare’s Bank in Fleet Street.

Apart from being one of the ecumenical guests, Abba Seraphim’s had a number of reasons for his interest in the service: St. Dunstan was Abbot of Glastonbury; Abba Seraphim is a direct male descendant of the celebrated thirteenth century Kentish bellfounder, Stephen Norton; whilst another of his ancestors, Samuel Hugh Newman, was baptised in old St. Dunstan’s on 25 October 1798.

As one of their Lenten speakers, the chaplaincy of Morden College, Blackheath, invited Abba Seraphim to reflect on the current situation 0f Christians in the Middle East. Addressing a large audience on 8 March, Abba Seraphim outlined the problems of Christians in Iraq, Syria and Egypt since the Millennium and took the decline in the historic Christian communities in Iraq as a warning to the Christian world of how fragile they have now become. The problems faced by each country were each quite distinctive and owed much to their respective histories since the break up of the Ottoman Empire and the rise of militant fundamentalists. He emphasised the significance of Egypt, with the largest Christian community in the Middle East and the dynamic life of the Coptic Orthodox Church in the face of continuing sectarian attacks. Following a number of thoughtful questions from the audience, the Rev’d Nick Woodcock, chaplain, invited Abba Seraphim to lead the audience in prayer for the Christians of the Middle East.

At the invitation of the Chaplain, The Rev’d Jeremy Frost, Abba Seraphim preached at the Choral Eucharist at the Old Royal Naval College Chapel at Greenwich. The College is now part of the University of Greenwich but the Chapel,  which was constructed by Thomas Ripley to the designs of Sir Christopher Wren, was the last major part of the Royal Hospital for Seamen to be built. Following a disastrous fire in 1779, it was redecorated by James ‘Athenian’ Stuart in the Greek revival style, and today is a fine example of a complete neoclassical interior. The Chapel is dedicated to SS Peter & Paul, and is full of naval symbols, intended to remind the residents of the Royal Hospital for Seamen, who worshipped there daily, of their former lives. One of Abba Seraphim’s ancestors, Joseph Potter (1769-1855), who was decorated for his part in the fierce naval Battle of Cape St. Vincent (1797) was a pensioner at Greenwich Hospital 1842-1855.

Abba Seraphim preached on the Gospel of the day, Mark VIII: 31-38 on the theme of taking up one’s cross.

On 20 February Father Silas Spear flew into London on a stop-over for his traditional three-month visit to St. Mary’s Coptic Orthodox Church in Kitchener, Ontario, where he assists Father Athanasius Iskander. Abba Seraphim was at the airport to meet him and take him  back to the Church Secretariat at Charlton. After a brief rest he accompanied Abba Seraphim and Father Peter Farrington to the meeting at St. George’s-in-the-East at Shadwell. On 21 February Father Silas accompanied Abba Seraphim to Morden College at Blackheath to visit Father Michael Robson, who was delighted to see him. Whilst there Father Silas also visited the College Chapel and met with Father Nick Woodcock, the College chaplain.