The Portal April 2015 | Page 21

THE P RTAL April 2015 Bishop Alan Hopes Page 21 Conclusion Bishop Alan Hopes, Bishop of East Anglia, was the Principal Celebrant and Preacher at our mass in the Chapel of Reconciliation. After a light lunch, Fr George Joy of the Indian Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church addressed us on “The Concept of Mother Mary in the Indian Orthodox Church”. Thinking back over the pilgrimage, what stands out? The address about Our Lady in Japan for one thing. The fact that a mainly non-Christian country had its main Christian city obliterated by the atom bomb in 1945 by a Christian west. The fact that the military who actually did the deed where mainly Catholic. It appears that Japanese Christians see this as the The Raising of Evening Incense was served by Fr Christians offering the sacrifice for the sins of the war. Peter Farrington, of the British Orthodox Church. The whole address was very powerful, prayerful, and What a joy to join with Orthodox Christians in their instructive. Thank you Fr Philip Corbett. Evening Office; quite a different approach to both worship and prayer. the Akathist Hymn Back in the village, Fr Mark Woodruff gave a meditative address at Benediction, and H. E. Kallistos led us in the Akathist Hymn. The day concluded with Question Time with a panel representing various Christian traditions. Day Four Any Questions. Archpriest Ivan Moody, Sister Marie Farrell, Metropolitan The morning started with Kallistos, Bishop Jonathan Goodall, Revd Mark Rowlands, Fr Phillip Swingler Catholic Mass in the Barn Chapel, and after breakfast we trooped to the Anglican Strangely, the Methodist Holy Communion Service Parish Church for a Scripture meditation given by The was a real treat, especially to realise that these Revd Phillip Swingler of the Diocese of Northampton Methodists were deeply schooled in sacramental on Galatians 4 - “Born of a Woman”. Some of us were theology. able to sneak out a see the eclipse - another treat! Also F