Feast Day and Hierarchical Liturgy on the Celebration of the Holy Apostles in the Romanian Orthodox Parish of Nottingham

On the feast day of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, the 29th of June 2025 – which this year coincided with the third Sunday after Pentecost – His Eminence Atanasie, the Romanian Orthodox Archbishop of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, celebrated the Divine Liturgy amidst the parish community of Nottingham – East Midlands, marking the celebration of the parish’s patronal feast.

The parish is spiritually protected by the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, alongside Saint Spyridon the Wonderworker of Trimythous. This year’s celebration brought deep spiritual joy, gathering numerous faithful from Nottingham and surrounding areas, who came in reverence to offer prayers and thanksgiving to God for His blessings upon the parish community.

Homily: Trust in Divine Providence and Witness Through Grace

In his homily, delivered at the appointed moment, His Eminence reflected on the Gospel reading of the day, encouraging the faithful to step out of the logic of fear and into the logic of faith, placing their trust in God’s providential care:

`Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.` (Matthew 6:33)

`This Sunday, the Gospel places before our hearts the Lord’s call to leave behind the fragmentation caused by worldly cares and to step into the light of unwavering trust in Divine Providence. The teaching from the Sermon on the Mount forms a spiritual ladder on which the soul is invited to ascend with hope, casting aside the burdens of life’s vanities and choosing to serve God alone.

The words “You cannot serve both God and mammon” mark a clear boundary between life in the Spirit and life according to the world. To seek the Kingdom is to choose God as the beginning, middle, and end of our life, knowing that He, who feeds the birds of the air and clothes the lilies of the field, will not fail in His care for us. Yet such care cannot dwell in a heart overcome by fear. That is why we are called to leave behind the logic of anxiety and enter into the logic of faith – entrusting ourselves to the grace of the One who knows what we need even before we ask.`

On the Power of Grace in the Lives of the Holy Apostles

`These two great Apostles of the Lord, so different in character, culture, and calling, were united through the grace of the Holy Spirit in the same witness: the Gospel of Christ. Peter, the Galilean fisherman, was raised from his fall through repentance and forgiveness; Paul, the learned Pharisee, was illumined by the vision on the road to Damascus. Their lives reveal that God calls and sanctifies people from every place and condition, working through them the salvation of others.

From Jerusalem to Rome, their paths converged in a martyr’s death, sealing with their sacrifice the very foundation of the Church. The pagan city of Rome became, through their blood, the new Jerusalem. And today, as we honour them together, we too are called to become witnesses of a world transfigured by grace – to live in Christ, with the power of love that forgives, endures, heals, and blesses.`

The service was celebrated in an atmosphere of prayer and fellowship, in the presence of local clergy, numerous faithful, and guests who came to honour the parish’s feast. At the conclusion of the Liturgy, words of gratitude were expressed to the hosts and to all those who had laboured for the success of the event, both by the Archbishop and by the parish priest, Father Dan Petru Ghindea. On this occasion, Father Dan was elevated to the rank of stavrophore econom(cross-bearing archpriest) by His Eminence – as a sign of appreciation and recognition for his dedicated pastoral and missionary service in the Lord’s vineyard over many years.

At the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, His Eminence Atanasie blessed two reliquaries crafted by the parish community: one for the vestment of Saint Dimitrios the New, Protector of Bucharest, and another for the slippers of Saint Spyridon the Wonderworker of Trimythous.

To close the celebration, the children of the parish school “Saint Andrei Șaguna,” under the coordination of presbytera Olivia Florina Ghindea, offered a heartfelt recital of songs and poems.

A Short History of the Parish

The Parish of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul and Saint Spyridon of Trimythous was officially established on the 7th of September 2008 at Bramcote Memorial Hall, Nottingham, with the blessing of His Eminence Metropolitan Joseph, who appointed Father Dan Petru Ghindea as its founding parish priest. Initially, services were held in rented spaces, and between 2008 and 2016, Father Dan also ministered to emerging Romanian communities in Liverpool and Manchester.

In 2019, the parish acquired its own church building from the Roman Catholic Diocese of Nottingham. This became possible through parish funds and a bank loan, which was fully repaid by 2024. In June 2025, construction began on the Saint Andrei Șaguna Cultural Centre – a major project currently underway, with promising prospects for the future.

The Romanian Orthodox Parish in Nottingham is also actively involved in educational work through the Saint Andrei Șaguna Romanian School, organises regular pilgrimages within the UK and abroad, and carries out pastoral and spiritual visits to local hospitals and prisons. Over the years, the parish has been visited by hierarchs of the Romanian Orthodox Metropolis of Western and Southern Europe and continues to benefit from the support of both local and international communities.

Listen to the homily here 👇

Read the  Homily of the Third Sunday After Pentecost.
Read the Homily of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul.