Bish Ser

Ascension Sunday and visit of Rowan Williams to St Paul’s Anglican Church Athens

Fr L W Doolan

 

They say ‘lightning doesn’t strike twice’. Open for debate, I think.  A few years ago I had the privilege of preaching at St. Mary’s Anglican Cathedral in the centre of Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia.  The preacher the Sunday before my preaching engagement was none other than one Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury. Follow that.

Well I find that I am in the same situation again. Bishop Rowan Williams preached here last Sunday, so I find myself in a somewhat unenviable situation again. ‘Lightning doesn’t strike twice’.  If I put a positive spin on this, I could be grateful to Rowan Williams as my ‘warm up’ guy.

Bishop Rowan was with us in Athens for 5 days, and we had a varied programme, a programme devised by me to exploit the world-wide prestige of this man, and the esteem with which he is held by the Orthodox Church here in Greece.

He arrived last Saturday night and stayed at the Residence of the British Ambassador. Sunday was set aside for a St. Paul’s focus, with him presiding and preaching at the morning Liturgy, followed by a wonderful church brunch served in our garden – thank you to all who organised this brunch, or who served food, moved tables, cleared away, and brought food to share.

After an afternoon rest we were back to St. Paul’s for Choral Evensong with the Schola Cantorum choir which Bishop Rowan thoroughly enjoyed, and we popped into Plaka to have a drink with the young singers.

READ MORE

Tues eve Blog

TUESDAY EVENING AT ST PHILOTHEI HOUSE

On Tuesday evening, May 28th, in the beautiful surroundings of St. Philothea House in Plaka, a colloquium of distinguished guests joined Bishop Rowan Williams and Fr Leonard for discussion and conversation.  The panel consisted of Orthodox Bishop Gabriel of Nea Ionia, Mr. Costas Carras, President of the environmental group “Europa Nostra”, Dr. Nicki Tsironi, Associate in Byzantine Studies at the Universities of Athens, Harvard and Vancouver, and Mr. Constantine Dimtsas, Director-General of the Orthodox Charitable Foundation, Apostoli. Bishop Rowan then gave a brief description of his thoughts on Being Human after which there were contributions from the panellists.

“Being Human”

  • The modern and technologically biased model of a human being is totally inadequate; a human being is not a “passive lump” – the body – powered by a “machine” – the brain, as proposed by various contemporary writers, but a united and living whole.
  • The “mystery” that is a human being is defined first in relation to our Creator and then to other human beings; we recognize them and are recognized by them; we work together with them and also interact with the physical world around us, not with an eye to self-gain but with reverence for God’s creation. But we should also stand in silence before God, His Creation and our Neighbour – seeing the mystery but not trying to grasp it.
  • Our best model of what God is like is found in Jesus Christ, Who not only used constant examples of the natural and physical world around Him to illustrate His teachings but also exemplified them through His actions. The Orthodox organisation “Apostoli” and the work it does with others, including St. Paul’s, to support those in need not only solves their problems but helps the image of Good in them to be realized.

READ MORE

Bytreeblog

OF WAR AND PEACE

There’s nothing like welcoming a group of inquisitive, exploratory children into a space with which you think you’re familiar, to make you look at it with fresh eyes and realise just how much you take for granted, or have missed altogether.

When the two classes from Year 4 (ages 8-9) at Byron College visited St Paul’s in May, they were delighted to be able to explore the church, and look closely at the various memorials, windows and liturgical furniture which adorn the building. For many it was their first time inside St Paul’s, and for some, the first time in a Christian church of any kind. The questions they asked about the building and its purpose were insightful, thought-provoking and occasionally challenging – but that’s how we all learn, and this Priest was certainly put through his paces and caused to think hard about some of his responses!

The children came as part of their studies on issues relating to war and peace, and specifically the history of the First World War. Having visited the Commonwealth War Graves cemetery at Alimos in the morning, the visit to St Paul’s was an opportunity to think about the names recorded on the various memorials in the church and to wonder who those men were, what had brought them to Greece and why their loved ones had wanted to commemorate their lives – and their deaths – in this particular place.

READ MORE

Group blog

Visit of Bishop Revd. Dr Rowan Williams to Athens

Sunday 26th May 2019

 

Last week St Paul’s Anglican Church in Athens was honoured to receive a visit from the former Archbishop of Canterbury the Reverend The Lord Williams of Oystermouth, Master of Magdalen College Cambridge.  In fact, this was his second visit to Athens having been here in 2010 as Archbishop of Canterbury when he planted an Olive Tree in our garden which continues to flourish.

A very busy schedule had been arranged for the Bishop which commenced with him presiding over the Sunday Liturgy at St Paul’s, assisted by Father Leonard, Father James, Deacon Chris and Father Bjorn of the Scandinavian Church, who played a guitar accompaniment to the choir.

Bishop Rowan who is a good friend of the Chaplaincy, and who has helped Raoul an Iranian refugee in Greece, to finally settle in the UK, delivered a sermon based on the bible readings of the day.  He pointed out that whatever was recorded 2,000 years ago refers to us today as Christians who do our best to follow the teachings of Jesus Christ in a church where, every Sunday, God and his beloved Son are present with us.

READ MORE

Arpeg blog

The Arpeggione Duo

Friday 7th June 2019, 20.30

at St Paul’s Anglican Church, 27 Filellinon street, Syntagma, Athens

The Arpeggione Duo presents a new and original sound, that of two of the most ancient stringed instruments, the cello and the guitar.

The Arpeggione Duo with Thomas Schönberg and Christopher Kachian combines the old with the new in their programme. They specialise in elegant and evocative concert renditions and interpretations of folkloric music. To their tour of Sweden, Hungary, Armenia, Equador, Spain and Brazil, the Duo now adds Greece as one more destination to present their fascinating programme

Organized by: The Arpeggione Duo

ENTRANCE FREE- RETIRING COLLECTION

For more information please visit:

http://www.arpeggioneduo.com/

 

wine blog

A TASTE OF SUMMER AT ST PAUL’S

We are delighted to announce that Kokotos Wineries will be hosting an evening of Wine tasting in the beautiful setting of St Paul’s Garden on Thursday 30th May from 18.00 hrs to 21.00hrs.

 

In 1980, George and Anne Kokotos created a vineyard of seven hectares, planting international varieties; Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Chardonnay. Their aim was to produce wine of the highest quality.

The decisive factors contributing to their success are the excellent terroir, with soil which is poor in organic matter but rich in trace elements, the altitude of 450 metres and the well-drained slopes of the vineyards. These ensure the production of top quality grapes, which ripen fully giving a good concentration of fruit, sugars, flavour and aromas.  They also buy in Savatiano, Roditis & Gewürztraminer grapes from growers within the wider area. Ktima Kokotou produces seven different wines with a total annual production of approximately 50,000 bottles.  They also produce pure, unprocessed honey and olive oil.

 

The vineyards are certified organic and are cultivated with the utmost respect for the environment and the consumer.

 

Entrance fee 5 Euros

 

Scola CAntorum May

Choral Evensong at St Paul’s

Choral Evensong at St. Paul’s Anglican Church on Sunday, May 26th, 6:30-7:30 p.m., Filellinon 27, 10557 Syntagma.

Collegium & Cappella Sancti Pauli conducted by Iason Marmaras

Minister: The Reverend Canon Leonard Doolan

free admission, discretionary donation

The Renaissance Choral Evensong services at St Paul’s are organised by the Schola Cantorum Sancti Pauli, the Athens Centre for Early Music, and St Paul’s Anglican Church.

The choir Cappella Sancti Pauli, under the direction of Iason Marmaras, sing a series of Choral Evensong services that aim to revive the musical and liturgical practice at Cathedrals and Chapels during the Renaissance, but also the experience that musicians had of this music at those times, looking at the music as a functional part of the liturgy, rather than as a building-block for concerts.

 

More information at:    www.scholacantorum.gr

https://www.facebook.com/scholacantorum.gr/

Asipka

The Creditors – Asipka Theatre Group

“The Creditors. A autobiography” based on A. Strindberg’s play “The creditors”

ASIPKA THEATRE GROUP

*with English surtitles and Greek surtitles for the disabled deaf

 

Monday 20th May, 21.00, Tuesday 21st May, 21.00 and Friday 24th May, 00.00(midnight performance), Monday 27th May, 21.00 and Tuesday 28th May, 21.00


at St Paul’s Anglican Church, 27 Filellinon street, Syntagma, Athens

The group attempting  to transfer the “observer” Strindberg to the field of observation, uses in this work extracts from both personal letters of the author and other letters and texts. The fragments of these letters function as an acoustic environment creating a parallel space of obsessions and ghosts from the world of the author himself and not only. This particular “space” functions as a canvas and scenery of the central drama among the three main heroes of the work.

“We will live in loneliness in green meadows away from people”
(an extract from A. Strindberg’s letter to his wife)

The ASIPKA Group was founded in 2007 by the director Dimitris Bitos and the actress Irini Drakou. Since 2007, ASIPKA has more than 16 performances in its assets, both in theatres and in non-conventional spaces (abandoned buildings, public spaces, monuments) as well as four film productions (three short films and one feature film (Fan 2013).
Among other things, the group has been invited to participate at the Athens and Epidaurus Festival in 2012 (Antigoni by Sophocles ), at the National Theatre with the Project Lodes (2011), and also at IETM Athens with the Walk in the Desert Country at the Kallimarmaro Stadium (2013).

Credits:

Directed by: Dimitris Bitos

Dramaturgy: Irini Drakou, Dimitris Bitos

Stage design – Costumes: Angelos Mendis , Lightings: Stella Kaltsou Assistant Director – Production Organization: Theodora Elli Athanassopoulou Assistant Set Designer – Costume Designer: Alexandros Garnavos

Performed by Irene Drakou, Nikos Kamontos, Dimitris Bitos

Duration: 95’
Photos: Alexandros Garnavos Contact: Chrysa Matsaganis

Entrance by tickets: 12 Euros, Reduced (Student, Unemployed, Over 65, People with Disabilities): 8 Euros

Information : 698.77.38.178 (For Reservations)

VASSILINA 23rd MAY PHOTO

Vassilina – Taste the Music series

VASSILINA

Taste the Music series

Thursday 23rd May 2019, 21.00

at St Paul’s Anglican Church, 27 Filellinon street, Syntagma, Athens

Based in London, VASSIŁINA composes pieces that balance aesthetic elements of pop with obscure electronic elements from Fever Ray, FKA Twigs, Sevdaliza and Portishead. Intense reverb, delay and field-recodings create a romantically melancholic soundtrack, as self-destruction and chaos lead the body to ecstasy.
In March 2018, Undo Records released her first EP, “In-Sōma”.

Organized by: United We Fly

ENTRANCE BY TICKETS 10 euros

a

ssilhttps://www.viva.gr/tickets/music/agglikaniki-ekklisia/taste-the-music-of-vassilina/

Follow United We Fly
www.unitedwefly.com
Facebook.com/unitedwecanfly
Youtube.com/unitedwefly
Instagram.com/united_we_fly

Afformance blog

AFFORMANCE – Taste the Music series

AFFORMANCE Taste the Music series

Friday 31st May 2019, 21.00

at St Paul’s Anglican Church, 27 Filellinon street, Syntagma, Athens

In 2017, Afformance was in the aftermath  of a bold record project with the simultaneous release of two albums, with two different orientations, and two different personalities, both musical and thematic, by United We Fly records. In this concert, Afformance will perform live “Music for Imaginary Film # 1” for the first time.

Organized by: United We Fly

ENTRANCE BY TICKETS 10 euros

Information and tickets pre-sale: Viva.gr

Tel. 2106985340 (10.00-18.00)

https://www.viva.gr/tickets/music/agglikaniki-ekklisia/taste-the-music-of-afformance/

Follow United We Fly
www.unitedwefly.com
Facebook.com/unitedwecanfly
Youtube.com/unitedwefly
Instagram.com/united_we_fly