[incimisiche]

The following news item from an RSS feed might be of interest to Monachos readers:

The Queen and other members of the royal family are expected to attend the Christmas day service at Sandringham.
This news item is from the BBC UK News service.

Click here for fuller text...

[Seiblybiozy]

Aahhh, family traditions.

Just curious, it seems the Royal Family went to St. Mary Magdalene church and most of their names are from the Saints. What Faith are they? I had heard one of the princes? often visits Mt. Athos. Is there the outside chance of England becoming Orthodox again?

[Stengapsept]

Aahhh, family traditions.

Just curious, it seems the Royal Family went to St. Mary Magdalene church and most of their names are from the Saints. What Faith are they? I had heard one of the princes? often visits Mt. Athos. Is there the outside chance of England becoming Orthodox again?

Dear Paul,

They are all Anglican, indeed the Queen is a very good example of the very best type of Anglican - a life dedicated to her people and consecrated to duty. Prince Philip was born into an Orthodox family, but became an Anglican before he married. Prince Charles definitely has an interest in Orthodoxy, but then so he does in New Age cults and Islam, so I guess one would have to say he was not untypical of a man of his generation.

It would be good to think that England might yet once more become Orthodox, and who knows. the Royal Family may yet have a role to play, but one suspects that it will be a long process.


In Christ,


John

[Trikaduliana]

I think that it would be hard for the Royal Family, especially the monarch or heir to the throne, to become Orthodox because Orthodoxy is still a very minor player in the British religious scene. It would be as unlikely as a member of the Royal Family becoming a Plymouth Brethren! Well slightly less unlikely. :-)

If Orthodoxy CAN grow in the UK, and especially if an indigenous Orthodox tradition can really develop, then it would be less unlikely. Especially if the Church of England was disestablished. But I am in two minds about disestablishment because I would be fearful that the disestablishment of the Church of England would actually mean the privatisation of Christianity.

At present the Queen is a wonderful advert for Christianity. Much as I like and respect Prince Charles I am not so sure that he is such a good example.

Peter

[Styparty]

Prince Philip was Greek Orthodox until his marriage when he was required to convert to the Anglican Church, which he did with the Ecumenical Patriachs permission. This may have had something to do with Prince Charles' interest in Orthodoxy but I think his relationship with his paternal grandmother was more important. Princess Alice of Battenbury founded the order of martha and mary in 1949, when it failed the Queen and Prince Philip offered her a home in England. She moved to England permenantly in 1967 but had been a regular visitor throughout Prince Charles and his siblings childhoods.

I believe that when she moved permenantly to England an Orthodox Chapel was created for her at Buckingham Palace. Following her death she was orignaly buried at the chapel in Windor but was more recently moved to the grounds of the convent of Mary Magdalen on the Mount of Olives where she had wanted to be buried.

A further family influences toward Orthodoxy is Prince Charles' cousin, Constantine the former King of Greece who lives in London and is Prince William's godfather. It was Constantine who introduced Charles to Mount Athos.

All this having been said there is no chance that Prince Charles will convert to Orthodoxy. Given his position in life it would be untenable for him to be anything but Anglican.

[Stengapsept]

Dear Elena,
All this having been said there is no chance that Prince Charles will convert to Orthodoxy. Given his position in life it would be untenable for him to be anything but Anglican. You are, of course, quite correct in what you say - mind you, given the present state of Anglicanism it is a moot point as to what sort of Church he will inherit. Perhaps he can head up the more Orthodox wing? If he believes in the reality of the Incarnation he will be doing more than many of his bishops do.

In Christ,

John