December  2006
 

”The Church of St. Clement and St. Panteleimon Ohrid, Macedonia”

In this Issue

St. Clement of Ohrid
Patronal Festival of the Romanian Parish in Mirfield

Journey to Macedonia
Part II: St. Clement of Ohrid
By Fr Samuel

December 8th is one of the feast days of St. Clement of Ohrid.

Richard and Jean and I had the great privilege to venerate the actual relics of this saint in the newly reconstructed church of St. Clement and St. Panteleimon.

In the spring of 886 St. Clement arrived in Macedonia, at the shore of Lake Ohrid, after going through many perils from Byzantium to Great Moravia, Venice and Rome, to find his safe refuge.

In the crucial times after the death of St. Cyril and St. Methodios a fierce persecution of their students and disciples started. There is a unanimous belief that it was Macedonia where Slavic literacy was saved and that it was Ohrid where the sun rose again to shine for more than a millennium on the Slavic world. The true source of this light was Plaosnik, St. Clement's monastery church dedicated to St Panteleimon built by St. Clement around 893. The school attached to this monastery was attended by over 3,500 monks who later became bishops, priests, writers, translators, missionaries and all levels of church officials.

Before the end of the 15th century, the monastic church was demolished by the Ottomans, who tried without success to build a mosque there. The relics of St. Clement were moved by the faithful to St. Mary Perivleptos church, but the faithful still looked after the remains of the church and lit candles on the ruined walls.

On 8th December 2000 the foundation stone for the reconstruction of the Church of St. Clement and St. Panteleimon was laid. The church was completed by the end of July 2002 and the holy relics of St. Clement were brought back in great procession on 10th August 2002.

Whilst the Troparion to St. Clement was being sung by the people, we all venerated the holy relics to ask St. Clement's prayers for all of you and to seek a blessing. Fr. Sashio, the parish priest and guardian of the relics, then gave us a piece of cotton wool which had been wrapped around the hand of St. Clement. This is now with our other Relics in the Altar, (sanctuary) at St. Michael's.

In Acts 19 vs. 11 and 12 we have an example of "secondary relics" being used as vehicles of the grace of God ....handkerchiefs etc. which had been in contact with the body of St. Paul. In Luke 8 vs. 40-48 the touching of the hem of Jesus' robe brought healing to the woman with the issue of blood. The mercy of God will find a way!

Advance Notice

Our Romanian friends have invited us to join them for their Patronal Feast, on Saturday January 20th 2007, at Mirfield. This is a great opportunity for a pan-orthodox celebration and a sharing of friendship and hospitality.

I know it's a long way, but if we share transport and cancel Vespers at St. Michael's that Saturday, it should be possible for most of us to join them. Fr. Constantin and his young family make the journey to Mirfield every Sunday from Stafford, setting everything up for worship before the Liturgy, much as we had to do at St. Clare's years ago.