On Saturday, August 10, 2024, Archbishop Nikitas of Thyateira and Great Britain made his inaugural pastoral visit to the Church of the Holy Transfiguration in Great Walsingham. Presbyter Christopher Knight, Priest-in-Charge, and the congregation warmly welcomed the Archbishop, who was accompanied by Archdeacon George Tsourous.
Before Vespers that evening, Fr Christopher took the Archbishop on a memorable tour of Walsingham’s sacred sites. Their journey included a visit to the revered Catholic Shrine of Our Lady, and the Anglican one which also includes the Orthodox Chapel of the Theotokos the Life-giving Spring, a symbol of the village’s rich spiritual heritage.
They also stopped at the Slipper Chapel, where, in medieval times, pilgrims would remove their shoes before continuing barefoot to the Holy House. Their pilgrimage through history continued with a visit to the Orthodox Chapel of St Seraphim, culminating in a tour of the Icon Heritage Museum.
The following day, Sunday August 11, Archbishop Nikitas celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the Church of the Holy Transfiguration. Celebrating with the Archbishop were Protopresbyter Patrick Hodson, Presbyter Christopher Knight, Presbyter Constantine Litvinenko and Archdeacon George. At the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, the Archbishop tonsured Stephen Riley-Elliott as a Reader.
As is the tradition of the Feast of the Transfiguration, the Archbishop blessed the grapes and other fruits, as the congregation thanked God for the abundance of His mercy.
The community hosted a hospitable reception for the Archbishop, the clergy, and the faithful who gathered that day. During this time, Archbishop Nikitas engaged with attendees, offering the opportunity to ask questions about the Faith and the ministries of the Archdiocese and Orthodoxy in the UK.
