On Friday 18 August and Saturday 19 August we had services for the Great Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord.  Prior to the service on Friday a reliquary containing portions of the relics of twenty-four New Martyrs and Confessors of Russia was brought to our church, remaining with us throughout the evening and on the following day.  All-night Vigil with the blessing of wheat, wine, oil and five loaves was then served.  On Saturday morning Divine Liturgy was served, after which there was the customary blessing of apples, grapes and other fruit.  A moleben was then served to the New Martyrs and Confessors of Russia, prior to which the parish rector spoke about the life and witness of three of them in particular – Saint Vladimir, Metropolitan of Kiev (+1918); Saint Tikhon, Patriarch of Moscow (+1925); and Saint Luke, Archbishop of Simferopol (+1961).