On Saturday 13 October and Sunday 14 October we had services for the Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost and for the feast of the Protection of the Mother of God.  Revered throughout the Russian Orthodox Church, this feast is of particular important to the faithful in Newcastle – it was the patronal feast of the first Orthodox church in the Hunter Valley, established in the Greta Migrant Camp in 1949.  Although that small Holy Protection church closed together with the camp in 1960, our parish continues to observe its patronal feast-day.  On Saturday evening, All-night vigil with the blessing of wheat, wine, oil and five loaves was served. On Sunday morning the lesser blessing of water was served, followed by Divine Liturgy, a moleben to the Mother of God, and a procession around the church.  In his sermon the parish rector spoke about the Orthodox veneration of the Mother of God.  At Divine Liturgy prayers were especially offered for peace in Ukraine.  Following the services on Sunday a collection was taken up to assist the Synodal Liturgical Music Commission of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia.