Poem by an early Irish monk (on thoughts)

Shame to all my thoughts now
How they skip and stray,
This will be my danger
On the Judgment day.

At the singing of the psalms
My thoughts take another road,
Giddy, fretful always
Forgetting about God.

With wanton women
Beckoning in the mind
Through woods, through cities –
swifter than any wind

Now in a sweet meadow
Now in a place of shame
Now in a banquet-hall
In a country without a name.

Unhelped by even the slightest craft
They make light of every sea;
One leap from earth to heaven
Proves their agility.

They run the race of folly
Far and near;
After a daft spin through time and space
They come back here.

And if I shackled their hands, fettered their feet,
Tethered them to my own breast,
Do you think that would stop them?
They’d never rest.

Sword and whip are helpless
To keep them down,
Eels bellying through grasses
Of the mind’s moist ground.

No lock of jail or dungeon
Can hold them back,
No man-made chains will keep them
From their crazy track.

O Christ
To You such things are clear
Help me to net these thoughts
To keep them here.

Locked in my mind’s cold cell,
Feeling the chill
Discipline that makes me hope
I do Your will.

St David’s Day 2025 with His Grace Bishop Maximos

St David’s Day 2025 with His Grace Bishop Maximos

It was our honour to have His Grace Bishop Maximos of Melitene preside the Divine Liturgy at our Church of the Three Hierarchs & St Cybi celebrating the feast of St David, patron saint of Wales, on March 1st.

We were also glad to be joined by many parishioners from the Greek Orthodox Community of St. Nicholas with thier priest, the Very Revd. Archimandrite Eleftherios Price.

St Davids Day – Visit of Bishop Maximus

St Davids Day – Visit of Bishop Maximus

Dear Faithful of Lampeter Orthodox Church,
Our parish will be honoured to receive a visit from His Grace Bishop Maximos on the Feast Day of St David of Wales. March 1st.

Divine Liturgy will be served in Lampeter on Saturday the 1st of March with the Bishop.

The Liturgy will followed by a buffet which will take place at the Falcondale Hotel in Lampeter.
There will be a delicious range of vegetarian food available.

This is an excellent opportunity to meet the Bishop and celebrate the feast of St David, we hope as many members of our parish as possible will be able to come.

We will ask a donation for the cost of the food of £10.00 for those 18yrs+ (if your donation could exceed this, the excess will contribute to those who have limited means). Donations can me made by bank transfer with the details below (please quote ref “stdavidsday” or via the church directly.

Please contact me to confirm if you wish to attend.

Tim Stowe – trstowe@proton.me – 07974731911

HSBC Lampeter Orthodox Church

Acc: 31280589

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Deacon Stephen – Axios

Deacon Stephen – Axios

The Parish of the Three Hierarchs and St Cybi are delighted to announce that on the 20th April, with the Blessing of His Eminence Archbishop Nikitas of Thyateira and Great Britain, Stephen Edwards was Ordained to the Holy Diaconate by His Grace, Bishop Maximos of Melitene