Hierarchical Divine Liturgy at the ‘All Celtic Saints’ Monastery on the Isle of Mull – Scotland

Sunday, January 26, 2025, Archbishop-elect Atanasie, with the blessing of His Eminence Metropolitan Iosif of Western and Southern Europe, celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the “All Celtic Saints” Monastery in Kilninian, Isle of Mull – Scotland.

In his sermon, His Grace highlighted the key spiritual aspects found in the encounter between our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and Zacchaeus, the tax collector: the Mystery of Repentance, the human thirst to know God, the rise from sin to virtue, and Christ, Who transforms the human heart. Zacchaeus promises to correct his wrongdoings and amend his life, going beyond the requirements of the Law, which shows that true repentance involves inner transformation and the desire to repair the harm done. Tradition holds that Zacchaeus became a bishop, demonstrating that repentance leads to transformation and active service to God.

His Grace emphasised that the Gospel’s central message is the universal call to repentance, which restores the divine image in man and opens the path to salvation. God’s love and grace lift the sinner from their fall and lead them to a new life in communion with Christ. The encounter with God at the table of repentance mysteriously continues in every Divine Liturgy.

The reflection on the Gospel of the day can be read here.


The Orthodox Monastery of ‘All Celtic Saints’ in Kilninian, the Scottish Isles, represents a revival of Orthodox monastic life in this region after an absence of nearly a thousand years. Re-established in 2009 on the foundations of a 6th-century Celtic monastery, the church, originally dedicated to Saints Ninian and Cuthbert, was donated to the Romanian Orthodox Archdiocese of Western Europe. Renovations carried out between 2010 and 2014 were made possible through the support of Orthodox Christians from the USA, the United Kingdom, and Canada.

The site’s history begins with Saint Ninian’s Well, known for its healing properties, which attracted the first monks at the end of the 6th century. After a period of flourishing, the monastery was destroyed by Viking raids and, in the 18th century, was transformed into a Protestant church.

Today, the community includes two monasteries: one on the Isle of Mull, dedicated to ‘All Celtic Saints,’ and another on the Isle of Iona, dedicated to ‘The Dormition of the Mother of God and All the Saints of Iona Isle.” The monastic communities consist of monks and nuns from various countries, and the primary liturgical language is English.

On July 7, 2024, on the 2nd Sunday after Pentecost, the sanctuary of the monastery was consecrated, with the blessing of His Eminence Metropolitan Iosif of Western and Southern Europe, by His Grace Auxiliary Bishop Atanasie of Bogdania, who was joined by His Eminence Archbishop Benjamin of the West and San Francisco (OCA). This historic event was attended by Romanian and foreign Orthodox clergy, as well as numerous faithful from the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, and Romania. Additionally, on the same day, the first abbess of the monastery was installed.

The address of the monastery is: Lunga Cottage, Kilninian Monastery, Isle of Mull, PA74 6NH, Scotland, UK.

Text credit: Department for Communication and PR of EORI