On Sunday 30th April / 13th May 2018, the final Sunday of Pascha — dedicated to the man born blind — the Divine Liturgy was celebrated at the Parish of St John of Shanghai in Colchester by His Grace Bishop Irenei. Serving with His Grace were Archpriest Andrew Phillips and Priest Ioan Ioana, together with Altar servers from the parish.

This was the sixth time that the Parish of St John has held Hierarchical Divine Services over the past 18 months, and at the end of the Liturgy, after offering a homily on the spiritual significance of Christ’s healing of the blind man, Bishop Irenei conveyed his heartfelt greetings to the clergy and all the parishioners, and expressed the joy he feels at visiting the parish and sharing in their life.

Following the Liturgy, a parish meal was held in the hall, at which Bishop Irenei, as is his custom, answered a variety of spirtiual and practical questions put forward to him by members of the parish, including its children.