Huddersfield Parish Church is being used again to celebrate the festival of ‘Filseta’, a marathon 16 day period from 7th-23 August, around the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Member of this ancient Orthodox Christian church will be in worship, for prayer and silent meditation for 24 hours a day. St. Peter’s remains open midweek 9.30am-4.00pm.
The Ethiopian Orthodox church usually meets weekly at St.Thomas’ Church Manchester Road, but Huddersfield Parish Church has more space and is able to accommodate this expansive offering of worship.
The Rev’d Canon Simon Moor said, ‘We are honoured that this faithful community is able to find a home in the churches of Huddersfield. I was overwhelmed last year when this festival took place. The commitment to God and the time that is spent, the early mornings and late nights of prayer, is quite humbling.’
This branch of the Orthodox family of churches is a community from a specific part of Ethiopia, famous for the churches which are carved out of the very bedrock of the land. The feel of the worship is oriental with lilt and cadence beautifully exotic.
Canon Moor continued: “We can learn a great deal from the worship of this festival, the worshippers have great reverence worship with their whole bodies. It is worth coming, listening and watch and perhaps joining your prayers with their ancient liturgy.”
Huddersfield Parish Church continues to be open as usual while the Ethiopian Orthodox Christian’s are in residence.
Details of the Ethiopian Orthodox church:
http://www.eotc.faithweb.com/orth.html
Detail of the carved churches.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_of_Saint_George,_Lalibela
Example of the music and liturgy of the Ethiopian Orthodox church.
Huddersfield Parish Church 