The parish of St Stephen in Vaux-sur-Mer (Charente-Maritime) celebrated on 23 and 24 January 2026 the Vespers and Divine Liturgy of Theophany according to the rite of St Basil the Great. The celebration was marked by a particular fervour, only a few weeks after this young community was raised to the rank of parish by Metropolitan John of Dubna, Archbishop of the Churches of the Russian tradition in Western Europe.
Father Matthieu Leszczynski, rector of the parish and director of the St Andrei Rublev School of Iconography in Paris, presided over the celebration. He was assisted by Subdeacon Richard Di Paola, churchwarden, and Deacon Sergei Malko of the parish of the Resurrection in Nantes, who has exercised an itinerant ministry in the region since his ordination. The choir, directed by Egor Soloviev (rue Daru), included in particular Olga and Sarah, whose voices especially touched the congregation.
This feast took place within the framework of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. Father Sermonfils Auguste, Catholic parish priest of Royan, currently abroad, had delegated a representative of his parish, accompanied by several faithful. Two members of the local Protestant community, Étienne Lys and Jacqueline Barrau, also took part in the service.
Parishioners from Saintes, Rochefort, La Rochelle and the surrounding area had made the journey for the occasion. The celebration continued with a fraternal agape meal, organized by Matushka Marusia and Richard Di Paola.
The schedule of upcoming services is available on the website orthodoxie-royan.fr.