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Friends of Orthodoxy on Iona

Repose of H.E. Metropolitan KALLISTOS of Diokleia

26/8/2022

H.E. METROPOLITAN KALLISTOS OF DIOKLEIA
born 11 September 1934, reposed August 24, 2022

Along with countless Orthodox Christians in every corner of the
world, supporters of the Friends of Orthodoxy on Iona felt
both sorrow and profound gratitude on hearing of the peaceful
repose of our deeply cherished chairman, Metropolitan Kallistos of
Diokleia.  To quote from an announcement by the Archdiocese
of Thyateira and Great Britain, which he served, Metropolitan
Kallistos was “a scholar, lecturer and author…a devout and faithful
clergyman,  a beloved spiritual father.”
Metropolitan Kallistos loved Iona, describing it as a “thin” place where
the walls between heaven and earth were almost permeable. With patience,
wisdom and humour, he led FOI on many pilgrimages to Iona and other
holy places, including Donegal, Connemara, Lindisfarne and, in one
venture outside the Celtic lands, Jerusalem.
The island of Saint Columba held a special place in his heart.
Grateful pilgrims will retain a vast store of memories, both
solemn and light-hearted, from his sojourns on the holy isle.
They will recall him serving the liturgy
in the millennium-old chapel of Saint Oran; delivering outdoor
homilies next to ancient stone crosses; enjoying a discreet bathe
in chilly waters infested with seals; and
leading fellow-pilgrims in hilarious comic songs.

Repose of Reader Ignatios Bacon

15/8/2022

READER IGNATIOS BACON

The founder of Friends of Orthodoxy on Iona, Reader Ignatios Bacon,

passed away peacefully on August 28, 2021 in Edinburgh. He was

passionately devoted to the cause of establishing a permanent

Orthodox Christian presence on Iona and organized numerous

pilgrimages to the island, starting in 1996. Although originally

from the south of England, he and his wife Joanna put down deep

roots in the Scottish Highlands. From their home and house of prayer

near Fort Augustus, they were for many years the principal organizers

of the Highland Orthodox community. A wise spiritual counsellor once

told him that his dream of re-introducing Orthodox Christianity to Iona

would certainly be realized, but not in his lifetime. Encouraged by

the example and passion of Reader Ignatios,

many people continue to pray for the fulfilment of that dream, in

whatever way and at whatever time God may determine.

2017 Pilgrimage Account Available

27/8/2018

The Secretary of FOI, Columba Bruce Clark, has kindly provided his diary of the 2017 pilgrimage to Rostrevor and County Down. You can read the PDF below:

rostrevor_foi_2017_pilgrimage_diary.pdf
File Size:	99 kb
File Type:	pdf

FOI on Facebook

20/1/2018

In addition to all of the photographs and information on this official site of the Friends of Orthodoxy on Iona, be sure to look for us on Facebook.

Plans for a Pilgrimage in 2017

14/1/2017

Here is a long overdue announcement about FOI’s plans for 2017.

Very briefly, FOI is planning by the grace of God, and with the warm blessing of our chairman His Excellency Metropolitan Kallistos of Diokleia, to hold a pilgrimage in Ireland between July 2 and July 9, based in the small seaside town of Rostrevor. Details below.

First a word of explanation. You will recall that more than a year ago I undertook to investigate three possibilities for 2017: a gathering in the north of Ireland, a voyage from Ireland to Scotland, and a gathering in Scotland. My hope was that it might be possible to combine two or three of these options. As it turned out, some practical issues arose. Family obligations largely confine me to Ireland, and that makes it hard to organize events in Scotland because I cannot make the necessary reconnaissance trips. With regard to the sea trip, a small group of us, including Father Nicanor Lepeshev who is a veteran of FOI pilgrimages, had the good luck to make a sort of pilot voyage from Derry to Iona this past summer, on an old wooden sailing boat called the Soteria. That was a great joy, but practically speaking I realized that it will not be possible to repeat that voyage in the absence of i) an injection of funds to make it possible for young people to take part, and ii) some organisational help. So with the blessing and guidance of Metropolitan Kallistos I have focused on the feasible and found a pilgrimage centre in Ireland which is accessible from Belfast and Dublin, and a short distance from several of Ireland’s most important early Christian sites.

For further information, please see the tab labelled Pilgrimage 2017.

Proposed Pilgrimage to Derry/Londonderry & Iona - 2017

17/8/2015

See the tab on the left for details on the planned FOI pilgrimage in 2017!

New FOI Chaplain: Father Augustine McBeth

14/11/2014

Friends of Orthodoxy on Iona has been an informal association of Orthodox Christians who honour the name of Saint Columba and undertake week-pilgrimages to Iona and other places of importance in Celtic Christian history. By the grace of God, successful pilgrimages, each involving about 40 people from all over the world, were organised in 2009 (to the west of Ireland), in 2012 (to Mull and Iona) and in 2014 (again to Mull and Iona).

After a discussion about future directions for FOI, it was agreed that we should focus more on making it easier for pilgrims to visit Iona for a duration of their own choosing and participate in Orthodox Christian worship. In several recent years, Orthodox priests have established a de facto presence on the island by renting out a boarding house and holding morning and evening services in Saint Oran’s chapel, with the permission of the building’s steward, Historic Scotland. This experiment has worked well and valuable experience has been acquired.

Metropolitan Kallistos has invited Father Augustine McBeth, who is the Orthodox chaplain of Glasgow University, to take over a new role as chaplain of FOI, and in that capacity to explore further opportunities for keeping an Orthodox presence on Iona for part of the year. It was agreed that every effort should be made to maintain good relations with the permanent residents of Iona, with the Iona Community, and with the various Christian confessions which are already present on the island.

FOI extends its good wishes to all other initiatives aimed at establishing Orthodox Christianity on the west coast of Scotland, although its own focus will continue to be on Iona and the heritage of Saint Columba.

7 November, 2014

HE Metropolitan Kallistos of Diokleia

Chairman, Friends of Orthodoxy on Iona

Father Augustine McBeth

Chaplain,

Friends of Orthodoxy on Iona

Bruce Clark

Secretary, Friends of Orthodoxy on Iona

Pilgrims arrive on Iona -August 2014

4/8/2014

About 40 pilgrims from all over Europe and the United States are spending a week on Mull and Iona under the leadership of Metropolitan KALLISTOS of Diokleia. The pilgrims included seven members of an Orthodox parish in Mainz, Germany, as well as visitors from Las Vegas, New Jersey and Boston. Today, some pilgrims visited an early Christian site on Mull while others went by sailboat to Inchkenneth island. On Wednesday, God willing, pilgrims will celebrate the Divine Liturgy at Saint Oran’s Chapel on Iona, marking the New Calendar Feast of the Transfiguration.

IONA and MULL 2014

27/1/2014

New Pilgrimage! See the tab for full details.

July 31st, 2012

31/7/2012

For updates on the holy pilgrimage to Iona and Mull, see the 'Iona and Mull 2012' page!