a priest's musings on the journey
Tuesday, August 05, 2008
Icon of the 7 Martyrs of Melanesia... written by Luiz Coelho for the Closing Eucharist and the Melanesian Church
From the Living Church....
Seven martyred Melanesian brothers were added to the names in the Chapel of Saints and Martyrs of Our Own Time at Canterbury Cathedral during the closing Eucharist of the Lambeth Conference Aug. 3.
The seven members of the Anglican Religious Community of the Melanesian Brotherhood were killed by separatists in the Solomon Islands in 2003 while they were trying to serve as peacemakers in the conflict. Archbishop Ellison Pogo, primate of Melanesia, presided at the closing liturgy, which included hymns, anthems and readings in a variety of languages used throughout the Anglican Communion.
Following the post-communion prayer, Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams received the names of the seven brothers at the location in the cathedral where Archbishop of Canterbury Thomas a Becket was murdered in 1170.
Beginning in the nave, members of the four religious communities of Melanesia chanted the Litany of the Saints and Martyrs of Melanesia as they slowly processed to the altar. The brothers and sisters wore soft-soled shoes or sandals so that their voices were the only sound echoing through the packed cathedral.
.....
What the Living Church did not report, nor any the other blogs that I have read about that evenings liturgy, was that on the altar where the names were recieved stood an icon of the 7 Martyrs of Melanesia, written by Luiz Coelho and given as a gift to the Melanesian Church. The icon has been blessed by the Archbishop of Canterbury, and, at the request of the Melanesian Church, will remain in the Chapel of Saints and Martyrs of Our Own Time so that pilgrims can know the story of the 7 Martyrs and add their prayers to the prayers of the martyrs and of all the church for peace in the world. Rumor says "the real story" of the liturgy can be read in the Church Times in days to come.... I'll keep you posted.
More on the martyrs can be found here and here
:: posted by Padre Rob+, 8:27 AM
2 Comments:
Robbie,
this is also wrong:
"Following the post-communion prayer, Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams received the names of the seven brothers at the location in the cathedral where Archbishop of Canterbury Thomas a Becket was murdered in 1170."
What happened was:
The Melanesians (including the Franciscan and Sisters of the Church ones) knelt around the Compass Rose, in the nave. The Archbishop Ellison Pogo said a short prayer, the names were read by Abp. Williams (if I'm not wrong), then we processed (all religious orders and chaplaincy team) singing the following litany:
"May our Blessed Lady pray for us.
May St. Mark, St. Simon and St. Jude pray for us.
May St. Paul pray for us.
May St. Anthony, St. Benedict and St. Francis pray for us.
May John Coleridge Patteson and the Martyrs of Melanesia pray for us.
May Ini Kopuria and Charles Fox
and all our seven martyred brothers pray for us"
We went through the quire, through St. Augustine's chair, and till the far east of the Cathedral, close to the place where St. Thomas Becket tomb was (and not where he was killed, which is in a completely different location). That chapel is now the Chapel of the Saints and Martyrs of our time.
Only one photographer was allowed to go there, and only the chaplaincy team (composed by religious from across the communion) actually could see the scene. The altar had 7 candles and the icon (which I had intended to give them as a gift of gratitude, but Fr. Chris Chivers found a way of incorporating it into the liturgy). The vision of Archbishop Pogo kneeling in front of the altar and all the brothers and sisters around it, with the icon in the center, was one of the (probably the most) most intense spiritual experiences I've ever had. It was a real window to heaven, and we felt the strong presence of all the saints with us there.
It rained a lot during mass. To the Melanesians, it's always a sign that God is crying with us and they say it always rains when we remember the departed.
Abp. Povo was so moved that he forgot to bless the icon, so it was blessed today by Abp. Williams at St Augustine's abbey, which was the end of our spiritual pilgrimage. It will now return to the Cathedral, where it will probably stay forever, hopefully.
Icons are not signed. Once you finish the eyes and name them, you can't change them or do anything else, just write on the back "to the glory of God by the hands of xyz". All the merit belongs to God. All the people who will see it there won't even know who I am, and that's the most wonderful thing. Everybody but my loved ones and those religious and stewards will never know who wrote it and why. But the martyrs will be forever remembered, and as we pray for them, they'll be praying for us... And it will rain, again.
Blessings to all.
this is also wrong:
"Following the post-communion prayer, Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams received the names of the seven brothers at the location in the cathedral where Archbishop of Canterbury Thomas a Becket was murdered in 1170."
What happened was:
The Melanesians (including the Franciscan and Sisters of the Church ones) knelt around the Compass Rose, in the nave. The Archbishop Ellison Pogo said a short prayer, the names were read by Abp. Williams (if I'm not wrong), then we processed (all religious orders and chaplaincy team) singing the following litany:
"May our Blessed Lady pray for us.
May St. Mark, St. Simon and St. Jude pray for us.
May St. Paul pray for us.
May St. Anthony, St. Benedict and St. Francis pray for us.
May John Coleridge Patteson and the Martyrs of Melanesia pray for us.
May Ini Kopuria and Charles Fox
and all our seven martyred brothers pray for us"
We went through the quire, through St. Augustine's chair, and till the far east of the Cathedral, close to the place where St. Thomas Becket tomb was (and not where he was killed, which is in a completely different location). That chapel is now the Chapel of the Saints and Martyrs of our time.
Only one photographer was allowed to go there, and only the chaplaincy team (composed by religious from across the communion) actually could see the scene. The altar had 7 candles and the icon (which I had intended to give them as a gift of gratitude, but Fr. Chris Chivers found a way of incorporating it into the liturgy). The vision of Archbishop Pogo kneeling in front of the altar and all the brothers and sisters around it, with the icon in the center, was one of the (probably the most) most intense spiritual experiences I've ever had. It was a real window to heaven, and we felt the strong presence of all the saints with us there.
It rained a lot during mass. To the Melanesians, it's always a sign that God is crying with us and they say it always rains when we remember the departed.
Abp. Povo was so moved that he forgot to bless the icon, so it was blessed today by Abp. Williams at St Augustine's abbey, which was the end of our spiritual pilgrimage. It will now return to the Cathedral, where it will probably stay forever, hopefully.
Icons are not signed. Once you finish the eyes and name them, you can't change them or do anything else, just write on the back "to the glory of God by the hands of xyz". All the merit belongs to God. All the people who will see it there won't even know who I am, and that's the most wonderful thing. Everybody but my loved ones and those religious and stewards will never know who wrote it and why. But the martyrs will be forever remembered, and as we pray for them, they'll be praying for us... And it will rain, again.
Blessings to all.
thanks for telling us the real story ... it sounds like such a beautiful moment
