About the Joy of All Who Sorrow Church
Whilst the majority of Orthodox Churches are to be found in large urban centres, our church seeks to minister to those Orthodox Christians scattered in the wide rural area between Norwich and Ipswich (to the North and South) and Lowestoft and Bury St Edmunds (to the East and West).
Founded in Mettingham on the Norfolk/Suffolk border in 2008, the Church of the Ikon of the Mother of God ‘Joy of All Who Sorrow’ marks the return of the Orthodox veneration of our Lady to the Waveney Valley, an area noted for its highly developed devotion to the Mother of God in earlier centuries.
Set in extensive grounds, our church is one of a handful of purpose built Orthodox churches in this country complete with white wooden walls and blue cupolas. Through the generosity of our benefactors we have been able to supply the church with traditional furnishings and many ikons.
An Orthodox Christian Community
Although the church is under the canonical care of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad it is not an ethnic ghetto. When we stand before God, in church, we do so simply as Orthodox Christians. We may be an assortment of Russian, Greek, Romanian, English and other peoples but we are one in Christ, thus we leave our ethnicity outside.
Reaching out to all the Orthodox Christians scattered in this area and to those seeking for ancient Christianity, we echo the words of the Holy Apostle Philip to Nathaniel, “come and see” (John 1: 46).
Schedule of Services
The Church is open every day and has a full schedule of daily and weekly services in English with a little Slavonic. To view our services for the present month please go to our Services page. Every evening at 6pm, we remember all those who have asked for our prayers before the Ikon of the Mother of God ‘Joy of All Who Sorrow’. If you would like us to add the names of anyone to our list of commemorations then please contact us.
Every Saturday and before every Great Feast, we have Great Vespers at 7.30pm where the feast and saints for the coming day our celebrated. Each Sunday the Divine Liturgy is served – preceded by the Hours at 10.10am – which is the focal point of our community’s spiritual life followed by refreshments and fellowship in the House. For more information about our church and community please subscribe to receive our monthly news bulletin direct to your email account.
We hope you enjoy visiting our website, and learning more about our small community and the Saints and Righteous Ones who continue to light up our path to Christ our God, to Whom be due all glory, honour and adoration now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
