Every year, there is an Ecumenical Pilgrimage of English Anglicans and Catholics to Our Lady of the Vineyard at the Beguinage, and to the Holy Blood, in Brugge. Its principal aim is to be an exercise in spiritual ecumenism, praying for the visible reconciliation of all Christians in the one Church of Christ, and joining together, side by side, in the beautiful worship and Gregorian chant of the Benedictine sisters in the Begijnhof and at the Holy Blood Basilica.
In recent years, a much appreciated new aspect to the pilgrimage has been a celebration of the Divine Liturgy of St John Chrysostom served by the Society of St John Chrysostom’s chairman, the Melkite Fr John Salter, in the house chapel of the sisters.
The local Catholic diocese in Brugge is well known for its strong commitment to Christian Unity and a few years ago it was instrumental in enabling the Orthodox parish (founded in the mid 1990s) to take on a disused 13th century chapel of St Joos – previously set aside as an ecumenical place of prayer – to become their Church of Saints Constantine and Helena, their patronage symbolising the undivided Church when Byzantium became the capital of Christendom to a congregation of many diaspora from around the world putting down roots in contemporary Belgium. During the last 2 years an immense amount of building work has taken place, culminating in the painting of beautiful frescos and the consecration of the Church in May 2008. The parish has a photo gallery at Orthodox Bruges. And here is the parish website. The parish maintains the ecumenical spirit of the old chapel – the rector, Fr Bernard Peckstadt, is active in ecumenical efforts and prayer in Flanders.
Fr John Salter, chairman, and Fr Mark Woodruff, vice-chairman, hope to visit the Orthodox parish in Brugge in September.