ABOUT US
We are a small group of Orthodox Christians, based in Glastonbury, UK. In addition to our community activities, we also engage in some missionary work in the area.
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There is a legend that in Glastonbury Joseph of Arimathea first preached the Gospel of the Christian Faith in Britain and that the first Christian Church was established here. Whether true or not, for the past sixteen years since our arrival, we have been actively seeking ways to reignite the flame of Orthodox Christianity in this region and have been exploring various ideas to achieve our goal.
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Quite recently we became aware of a prophecy of Saint Porphyrios of Kavsokalyvitis that we had never heard before, which was conveyed to us through the son of the late Konstantinos Ganotis, a Greek Orthodox literature professor, and writer who was the spiritual child of the Saint and also composed the first Celtic service of all the Celtic and British Saints, which was approved by the Holy Synod of the Church of Greece.
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His son, Fr. George Ganotis, who served for 14 years in the holy chapel of St. Xeni in lower Patisia in Athens, founded within the chapel of St. Xeni, guided by his father, the holy chapel of the Celtic Saints, decorated with the iconography of the abbess of the holy Monastery of Panagia of Vryoula Milesi Oropos, gerontissa Philothei, published the book with the lives of twenty-one Irish, and British saints of the Celtic Church.
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He also informed us, as his father told him, that St. Porphyrios prophesied that,
"when the Greeks begin to discover the Celtic Saints, the Anglicans will become Orthodox."
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This was likely the reason the Saint instructed the construction of a unique and little-known chapel dedicated to the Orthodox Celtic Saints within the Holy Convent of Metamorphosis Sotiros at Milesi in Attica.
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The presence of the Celtic Saints remains strong, universal, and continuous to this day.
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We have been informed that another Celtic shrine is currently being built in the holy church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary of Kypriadou in Athens. This shrine honors the great Irish Saints and missionaries: Saint Patrick, Saint Kevin, Saint Columba, Saint Bridget, and Saint Melangel.
It will open for the first time in early July 2027, on the second Sunday of Matthew after Pentecost, when the Celtic Saints are officially celebrated.
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​​We believe that one of the main reasons for the fragmentation of Orthodoxy in Europe and the ineffectiveness of most missionary work in the UK and Ireland, is that orthodox diaspora isolate itself, hiding behind national languages and customs. We shouldn’t. As Orthodox Christians we all have an obligation to spread the Good News of the Kingdom in Heaven. While we possess both knowledge and experience in Orthodoxy, along with a commendable enthusiasm for sharing it, this enthusiasm alone is not enough. We must first study and explore the spiritual heritage of the country, much like explorers investigate the flora and fauna when discovering a new land.
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Another significant mistake made by Orthodox emigrants of the diaspora upon arriving in the UK and Ireland is their tendency to establish churches that function more or less as cultural centres than as places of worship. They often rely solely on their native language and customs, infuriating the native English speaking Orthodox,, venerating only the saints familiar to their home countries. This approach overlooks the remarkable efforts and sacrifices of pre-schism native saints, effectively dismissing their contributions and spiritual struggles in spreading the Holy Gospel throughout these islands.
Our missionary efforts must begin by establishing a connection through prayer, seeking guidance from those ancient saintly protectors of the Islands. We believe these saints continue to inspire and safeguard the lost in this land, even after a thousand years.
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They can assist us in our missionary endeavors and shield us from evil and ignorance. We need to momentarily set aside our national pride and introduce ourselves to the Christian forefathers of this Kingdom—the radiant Holy Sons and Daughters of the British and Irish Isles.
We should learn about them, seek their blessings, and show respect before attempting to gain personal benefits from these countries. This, I believe, is the least we can do.
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​Recognising the prophecy mentioned above as relevant to our current times, we have undertaken the enriching task of exploring the lives of British and Irish saints. Our goal is to create among others an online library featuring the Lives of the Saints, along with a selection of significant stories and ancient historical documents, by gathering as much information as possible. This endeavour aims to shed light on the lives and narratives that shaped Orthodox Christianity prior to the schism of the Christian Church in 1054.
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We hope you find it inspirational.
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​PS: We welcome all types of contributions, particularly those related to information about Saints prior to the schism.
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