St Mary of the Angels Catholic Church in Worthing is delighted to announce that later this month they will once again host a small group of Russion Nuns from St Elizabeth Convent in Minsk, Belorus

They also have stayed several times with St Mary’s Parish Priest Father Chris Benyon in Worthing and previously in Haslemere and now visit many Churches in Great Britain.

This years ‘one night only’ event will include a Male Voice Choir, Slavyane, who have won several international awards and will be coming to St Mary’s in Richmond Road to give their Charity Concert at 7.30pm on Friday 28^th September at 7.30pm to raise funds for their vital work.

Under Communist rule, the Russian Orthodox Church, like most religions was kept going underground in Belorussia. The Church was kept going by families in their homes. Children were baptised and instructed. About 1990, as the Soviet Union dissolved, and Belorus became an independant Republic for the first time, three young women decided they wished to dedicate their lives to serving the Lord as Nuns and do something about the terrible social problems left by the Communists – unemployment, poverty, abandoned orphans and disabled people.

Seventeen years later, they run a farm and workshops, an orphanage, have built a Convent and provide food for the destitute. There are 70 Nuns who have taken vows in the Convent assisted by many lay assistants, known as sisters as well as men. The Superior is in her 30’s!

They will come to the UK in old dormobiles, (in which they sleep if they cannot find accommodation), bringing the Icons and other religious articles produced in their workshops to sell at Churches, markets, fetes or any venue they can find, to fund their activities.

For a time they only visited Orthodox Churches, but as part of their attempt to widen their activities, they contacted Fr Chris when he was at Haslemere some years ago and are now regular visitors.

Their religious articles will be on sale on the night.

The charity event will take place in the Parish Church

St Mary of the Angels Catholic Church

• Richmond Road,
  Worthing,
  West Sussex,
  BN11 4BJ,
  United Kingdom
  http://www.stmaryoftheangels.org.uk