FISH HARVEST SERVICE

When we visit new places, new cultures, we try to pop-up in their temples and observe the rituals and sometimes we find ourselves in the middle of these events like Buddha’s birthday celebration in a small, no touristic temple in Shanghai where we saw impressive scenes and at the end shared noodle soup with chinese community. It was one of most unforgettable moments of our travels.

Also we like special events in special temples like blessing of cars in a church in Coppacabana, Bolivia or a monastery in Symi Island, Greece visited by sailors for blessing.

This morning we enjoyed a very special service at St. Mary-at-Hill Church near Old Billingsgate Fish Market: Fish Harvest Service. When we arrived there, the nartex of the church decorated with fresh fishes and other richeness of the sea by fishmongers of Billingsgate Fish Market welcomed us.

Everybody prayed and shared their good wishes for seafarers, listened the church choir in company with the St. Mary-at-Hill Church’s organ which is described as one of the ten most important organs in the history of British organ building. Following the service, we joined the white wine and sushies (yes sushies) shared as a courtesy of the church. And we recorded another good memory to our London days.

From the prayers of seafarers:

“...we pray to thee for all seafarers and those who serve their needs; for keepers of lighthouses and the pilots of our ports; for all who man the lifeboats and guard our coasts; for the men of the fishing fleets and those who carry out the services of docks and harbours; for the guilds and societies which care for the wellbeing of fishermen and their families...”