On 26 and 27 April 2025, His Eminence Metropolitan John of Dubna made a pastoral visit to the St Stephen Community in the Royan area at Vaux-sur-Mer.
On Sunday 27 April, the Archbishop presided at the Divine Liturgy for the very first time in the Church of St Stephen in Vaux-sur-Mer, near Royan. On this occasion, Metropolitan John was surrounded by the Rector of the St Stephen Orthodox Community (COSE), Fr Matthieu (Leszczynski), and Archimandrite Amfian (Negrut). To complete the service in the altar, the following were present: the Deacon, Fr Basil Vrancea (St Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, Paris) and five subdeacons: André, Metropolitan John’s secretary; Richard Di Paola, churchwarden of the Community (COSE); Dimitri Gladiy, churchwarden (St Martin’s Church, Tours); Dragos Amarri (St Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, Paris) and Serge Malko. Almost all the faithful of the young Community were present, as well as regular sympathisers and local people, curious to discover the Orthodox rite, who had heard of Metropolitan John’s episcopal visit.
The Community (COSE) had a very beautiful icon of St Stephen painted as a token of thanks and gratitude for the loan of the magnificent Romanesque church where Orthodox services have been celebrated since 2022.
At the end of the Liturgy, Metropolitan John officially presented this icon to the Catholic community of the Church of St Stephen and to the Municipality of Vaux-sur-Mer, owner of the building. The presentation was made simultaneously to Fr Sermonfils AUGUSTE, Dean and Parish Priest of Royan and Episcopal Vicar of the Diocese of La Rochelle, and to the Mayor of Vaux-sur-Mer, Mr Patrice LIBELLI.
Among the elected officials invited were Senator Mickaël Vallet, Mr Didier Quentin, former Member of the National Assembly for Charente-Maritime, Mrs Marie-Pierre Quentin, Departmental Councillor, Mr Patrick Marengo, Mayor of Royan, and Mr Thierry Saintlos, Mayor of Le Chay, and Mrs Danièle Carrère, former Mayor of Vaux-sur-Mer, as well as the Imam of Royan, Mr Mohammed IAHNACH, and Pastor Chantal Vianou. The great majority were able to attend this presentation ceremony, and the Community thanks them wholeheartedly for their time and presence despite their very busy schedules.
Metropolitan John said he was delighted to have discovered such a large community, nearly forty of whose Orthodox members received Holy Communion. The church was full and the whole congregation responded vigorously in chorus, “Truly He is risen,” in both Slavonic and French, and recited the Creed and the Lord’s Prayer. Metropolitan John spoke of the plan to raise the Community to the status of a Parish in the near future. At the reception, punctuated by fraternal handshakes, the faithful and guests shared delicious agape fare in Paschal colours, prepared by the faithful who come from various countries.
The young Community warmly thanks Metropolitan John and all those present for their kind and enriching participation.
