Metropolitan Jonah speaks at international gathering in Oxford
His Beatitude, Metropolitan Jonah, delivered a presentation titled “Monasticism in the American Context” at the annual general meeting of the charitable and educational society, the “Friends of Mount Athos,” in Oxford, England June 15-16, 2012.
Under the chairmanship of His Eminence, Metropolitan Kallistos [Ware], the society is devoted to offering support to the monasteries of Mount Athos and to assisting those making the pilgrimage to the Holy Mountain.
Other presentations included “The Monk and the Maiden: Theophanes the Cretan and the Athonite Iconography of the Annunciation” by Father Maximos of Simonopetra Monastery, and an illustrated presentation on the monasteries of Georgia by Mr. Peter Lea.
As reported earlier, Metropolitan Jonah, with the blessing of His All Holiness, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople, also made a retreat at the well-known Patriarchal Stavropegial Monastery of Saint John the Baptist in Essex, founded in 1959 by Archimandrite Sophrony, the disciple of Saint Silouan the Athonite.
On Wednesday, June 20, Metropolian Jonah was graciously hosted by His Eminence, Archbishop Elisey of Sourozh and His Eminence, Archbishop Anatoly of Kerch, both of the Moscow Patriarchate, at London’s historic Cathedral of the Holy Dormition. Metropolitan Jonah was greeted at the cathedral entrance by the hierarchs and cathedral clergy. After a tour of the cathedral complex, Metropolitan Jonah expressed his joy in meeting with his brother hierarchs and clergy in London.
Later in the day, Metropolitan Jonah was hosted by His Eminence, Archbishop Gregorios of the Ecumenical Patriarchate’s Archdiocese of Thyateira at London’s Cathedral of the Holy Wisdom.