His Beatitude Abba Seraphim has passed away on 12^th November 2025 in London.

After 5 years of diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease, Abba Seraphim, Passed away in his own home during his sleep peacefully. Due to the Lord’s grace, he never suffered or was in pain in his last moments. Cared for by Abba James for this time.

“I made a promise to Abba Seraphim to enable him to die in his own home with dignity and grace. I feel like I have kept my promise. He was surrounded by his faith, books and cats that he treasured so much.” – Abba James

Abba James, performed the prayer of the sick for Abba Seraphim before his death which bought much comfort.

In 2019/2020 before the pandemic, he was suffering from memory loss with names and places and became frustrated after MRI and tests he was diagnosed with the disease in 2022, at which point the effects were more apparent. In 2023 he ceased functioning in his capacity due to confusion but had made great efforts the summer beforehand to complete all of his publication projects.

Abba Seraphim was born in Lewisham, London and while born in the Church of England, during his teens he began exploring alternatives to his faith needs and found some interest in Catholicism but ultimately it was via a genealogical communication with his cousin and predecessor Mar Georgius. He spent his late teens enjoying the ROCOR Eastern Orthodox liturgies as well as with his cousin with the Orthodox Church of the British Isles. Abba Seraphim dedicated his early twenties in the OCBI and by his 30’s became Mar Georgius’ Coadjutor Bishop.

Abba Seraphim didn’t believe he, or his clergy, should ever be full time clergy, often remarking that clergymen pontificating about the difficulties in life, without a connection to the real, secular, world often don’t understand the struggles of life. In his early 20’s after completing a teacher training course in Exeter he became a school master and taught during his working life in South-east London at Catford Boy’s school in Lewisham and Eaglesfield school in Greenwich. Both schools gave him much joy and support with his faith and he gained many lifelong friendships.

In the 90’s it was only a passing comment by a Coptic layperson that Abba Seraphim approached Pope Shenouda III in a way to legitimise the link between the Apostolic tradition of the church. This audience with Pope Shenouda III sparked a lifelong friendship as they had an instant connection and shared the same diasporic approach to spreading Orthodoxy to the world. Not to treat Orthodoxy locked behind a culture or language but to spread wide across the world and localise it to the needs of the people.

The British Orthodox had a major turning point at that moment. Pope Shenouda III, in a groundbreaking way, accepting Abba Seraphim’s prior ordinations from the OCBI (renamed to The British Orthodox Church) and with anointing him, brought him and his clergy into the Oriental Orthodox tradition and solidifying their apostolic tradition.

Pope Shenouda III, also Ordained Abba Seraphim to a Metropolitan (Arch Bishop) and eventually became (at the time of separating from the Coptic Church) the 8^th most senior Metropolitan in the church.

Abba Seraphim enjoyed the fruits of his new family, bringing in more people into the church, helping the Coptic church gain significant first steps into purchasing buildings, setting up communities, fighting persecution, advocating for the release of Abune Antonious of Eritrea and working with committees and inter faith dialogues that helped bring the Orthodox Churches together in the UK. He gave many presentations, sermons and discussion groups on his faith and the difficulties within a country where church fellowship continues to be on the decline.

After the repose of Pope Shenouda III, Abba Seraphim saw the need to go his separate ways from the Coptic church. While normally this would involve an excommunication both parties reached an amicable agreement and The British Orthodox Church returned to its independent state.  This posed serious challenges between the congregation but Abba Seraphim had the same issues previously when joining the Coptic church and continued living in his faith and looking after his congregations.

Abba Seraphim, had a memorial service in London, on the 13^th December 2025, at St. Thomas’ church Charlton where the British Orthodox Church held many services spanning over 40 years. This was attended by many friends, family and old school pupils from the two schools.

The burial took place in Bournemouth, on the 16^th December 2025, a simple service before the committal at the graveside. Abba James held both of the services and said his final goodbyes to his predecessor after caring for him for the last 3 years. Abba James will now be known from this point as Abba Jacobus III of the British Orthodox Church retaining all titles from Abba Seraphim as instructed in the trust deeds.

Abba Seraphim

+ Memory Eternal

27/02/1948 – 12/11/2025

As with many things in life things sometimes don’t go exactly as planned and with Abba David’s passing the need for a priest at Cusworth was essential to keep the needs of the dedicated community that Abba David had shepherded for so long to continue.

Mark, took up the responsibility of this task willingly and while was unable to receive his ordination to Deacon from Abba David as planned this summer, The British Orthodox Church synod decided to go ahead with a double ordination. As the tradition of the church dictates, only one major order can be performed to a candidate.

On the 5th August, Mark was ordained in the Holy Church as Deacon and on the morning of the 6th, he was Ordained to Priest in St. Thomas’ Church, Charlton by the hands of Abba James.

“This will be a blessing to the Cusworth congregation with a strong community focused leader at the helm. I wish Father Mark many years of great service.” – Abba James

Abba David Seeds was born at Codnor, Derbyshire, on 7 October 1939 and was educated at Swanwick Grammar School. He graduated from Manchester University with a B.Sc. in 1960 and from the University of Birmingham with a post-graduate Certificate of Education. He studied at Linacre College, Oxford University and Ripon Hall Theological College, where he graduated with a B.A. in Theology (1967) and was later awarded an M.A. (1987). He taught for a number of years in boys’ secondary schools and also served as Assistant Curate at St. Cyprian’s, Frecheville, Sheffield 1967- 1970, having been ordained deacon (1967) and priest (1968) in the Church of England. From 1972-1976 he was Religious Education Advisor to the Bishop of Derby; served as Warden of a hall of residence at Bishop Lonsdale College, Derby and Priest in charge of Christ Church, Belper and Holy Trinity, Milford. His last appointments were as Vicar of St. John’s, Mickleover, Derby 1982-1987 and as Vicar of Alfreton 1987-1995. He left the Church of England over the ordination of women priests and was received into the British Orthodox Church, being ordained to all the orders of the ministry, concluding with ordination to the Sacred Priesthood at Cusworth on 22 December 1996. Father David has been the much-loved parish priest at Cusworth for over two decades. He was ordained as Hegoumenos on 5 July 2009. He was consecrated as the Bishop of Priddy in October 2017.

He was much loved by all and was known for his kind heart, hearty laughter and community focused dedication to his congregation. He will be sorely missed by many as their spiritual father.

His funeral will be held in the Cusworth church followed by burial in Alfreton on the 7th August.

Memory Eternal!

On Sunday, 9 October Abba Seraphim performed the ordination of David Bolatiwa of Gillingham, Kent, as a Reader at St. Alban & Sr. Athanasius Orthodox Church in Chatham. Although he was born at Brent in Greater London he was of Nigerian descent, who had been baptised & chrismated by Abba Seraphim on 13th March 2022, when he replaced his original name of Ayomide with the Christian name of David and has since been a regular worshipper at the Chatham Orthodox Church on the second Sunday in each month and at St. Thomas the Apostle Parish, Charlton on the fourth Sunday in each month.

Whilst officiating on Sunday, 18th September at our Bournemouth Church, Abba Seraphim was assisted by his Coadjutor, Abba James, and Father John Ives, the Bournemouth Parish priest, and Abba Seraphim started officiating by ordaining as a Reader, Cristian Craciun, a Romanian who was born in the historical region of Western Moldavia in north-eastern Romania, but now lives in Surrey and often attends our Bournemouth Church.

The service included a panikhida celebrating the life of HM Queen Elizabeth II, With the national anthem as our final Hymn.

During the Divine Liturgy we will now change the prayers that we have used in services for our sovereign Lord King Charles III. In the Second Diaconal Litany the prayer should now say:
“For our Most Gracious Sovereign Lord King Charles, and all the Reigning House, with his whole Court and Council, let us pray to the Lord.”

And in “THE COMMEMORATION OF THE LIVING” the prayer should now be:

“Remember O Lord, our Sovereign Lord King CHARLES and all the Reigning House, with his whole, and Council. Remember the forces of the crowd and grant them from heaven and victory; touch their armour, shields arise to their help, and humble before them all their enemies. Set aright their plans, so that we may live a peaceful tranquil life in all piety and dignity.”

On 24 August 2022 the Greek Orthodox Metropolitan Kallistos Ware died, aged 87 years. He had been born in Bath, Somerset, as Timothy Richard Ware on 11 September 1934. He was educated at Westminster School in London and Magdalen College, Oxford. In 1958 at the age of 24 he became an Orthodox layman and was ordained as a monastic priest and archimandrite in 1966. He also became Spalding lecturer at the University of Oxford in the Eastern Orthodox studies, having also published a book entitled The Orthodox Church in 1963 and The Orthodox Way in 1979. He was consecrated as Bishop of Diokleia in Phrygia of the British Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Thyateira.

Abba Seraphim became a close friend with him when he was only a deacon and shared with him some of his historical studies on the history of Orthodoxy in Britain, especially Ex Oriente Lux (2008) which was the story of Dr. Joseph J Overbeck (1820-1905) and Father Stephen Hatherly (1827-1905), two converts to Orthodoxy with different conceptions of founding an indigenous Orthodox Church.  When he became a Metropolitan he and Abba Seraphim gathered together occasionally and became very friendly.

Following his recent death, Abba Seraphim held a panikhida of prayers for his repose and instructed his British Orthodox faithful and clergy to maintain regular prayers for his repose in Christ.

Memory Eternal!