On Monday, 3 August 2026, Matins and the Divine Liturgy were celebrated with the blessing of Archbishop Nikitas of Thyateira and Great Britain in the crypt of the historic Church of St Olave, near Tower Bridge in central London. The services marked the feast of the translation of the relics of St Olave.
The Revd Œconomos Kristian Akselberg and the Revd Presbyter Gregory Florides concelebrated. Orthodox Christians from across London attended, including several members of Christian Orthodox Thyateira Youth. The crypt was filled with faithful, who gave glory to God in the words of the Psalmist: “who is wondrous in His saints” (Psalm 67:36).
As a young man, St Olave travelled to England and encountered the life and tradition of the Church in the British Isles. Inspired by Orthodox Christianity in Britain, St Olave conveyed the Christian faith to the people of Norway and the wider region. St Olave was martyred in 1030 and is honoured by Orthodox Christians in Britain as a pious king, saint and martyr.
The Church of St Olave, regarded as one of the oldest churches in London, stands on the site of the Battle of London Bridge in 1014, where St Olave defended the city against invasion. A church was first built on the site in honour of St Olave in 1050.
The Divine Liturgy in the historic crypt offered the faithful an opportunity to commemorate St Olave at a location closely associated with the saint and to engage anew with the Orthodox Christian roots and ecclesiastical history of Britain.
