The Activities of the Parish
Liturgy
The liturgy is overseen by the team of altar servers, headed by Jānis Arums, as well as the lectors – laypeople, both men and women, who read the Holy Scripture readings of the day during the Holy Mass.
SERVICE THROUGH LITURGICAL MUSIC
The musical accompaniment of the Holy Mass is taken care of by the parish choir, which has been gathering singers for 38 years, as well as musicians from the ‘Effata’ community, the St. Camillus prayer group, and the Apostolic Oblate movement ‘Pro Sanctitate.’
‘CARITAS’
Once a month, the parish ‘Caritas’ group organizes a Bible study session, where parish members and the needy cared for by ‘Caritas’ can get to know each other, meet like-minded people, and learn about the teachings of the Bible.
SUNDAY SCHOOL
The parish runs a Sunday school where children and youth are prepared to receive the sacraments of the Catholic Church. The long-time teacher of the adult Sunday school is Deacon Gunārs Konstantinovs, while the youth receive their education from the Apostolic Oblate Sisters.
PRAYER GROUPS
Within the parish operate several prayer groups, including those of St. Faustina, St. Philemon, and St. Philothea, as well as the St. Camillus Youth Prayer Group, which combines service in hospitals with a life of prayer. It is named after St. Camillus de Lellis (Italy), who, despite being incurably ill himself, worked as a caregiver for the sick at St. James’s Hospital. He founded a congregation whose members, in addition to vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience, committed to caring for the sick even at the risk of their own lives.
‘LEGION OF MARY’
The apostolic lay community ‘Legion of Mary’ also resides at St. James’s Cathedral. It provides spiritual care for the sick and poor (at home, in hospitals, women’s shelters, social houses, and elsewhere) through prayers, offering spiritual literature and devotional items, calling priests to the sick when needed, and assisting in the burial of the deceased.
DAILY SERVICES AT THE CATHEDRAL
The life of the Cathedral is also supported by cleaners and attendants who faithfully fulfill their duties. St. James’s Cathedral has a library run by Helēna Žigo, where visitors can find books on religious topics as well as quality secular literature, including works by exile writers. The church also has a bookstand where Christian literature can be purchased.
The parish celebrates the major feasts of the liturgical year—Christmas, Easter, Pentecost—with social events and organizes meetings with parish clergy and active lay members.
ADORATION CHAPEL AND PILGRIMAGES
Opposite the Cathedral lays the Adoration Chapel, which was established at the initiative of the former parish priest pr. Antons Smelters (1923-2010). In late summer 1989, the parish of St. James’s Cathedral in Riga was the first to openly resume pilgrimages to Aglona for the Feast of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, thereby preparing a strong spiritual foundation for the Baltic Way on August 23, and consequently for the country’s path to freedom. Pilgrimages from the Cathedral to Aglona continue to this day. Since 2019, St. James’s Cathedral in Riga has also been included as a stop on the Camino de Santiago, which leads to the pilgrimage site of Santiago de Compostela in Spain.
CHARISMATIC COMMUNITY ‘EFFATA’
The charismatic community ‘Effat’ regularly gathers to praise the Lord and was once led by Archbishop Z. Stankiewicz. Currently, the community is led by Ģirts Reimats. Its brothers and sisters often participate in parish events, enriching them with testimonies and music.
Art and Culture at St. James’s Cathedral:
Many people enjoy art outside the church. However, it is time for art to return to the church, and this practice has already begun. In churches with active congregations, spiritual music concerts, exhibitions of appropriately themed artwork, and cultural activities involving various denominations are taking place. The parish of St. James’s Cathedral has joined this profound tradition—capturing and guiding the human world from the secular to the divine through beauty.
For the third year, the parish of St. James’s Cathedral participated in the ‘Night of Churches,’ not canceling the event even during the state of emergency. For the second year, the parish also took part in the Riga City Festival, and it should be noted that in 2018, by participating in these events, the parish joined the celebrations of the 100th anniversary of the Latvian state.
St. James’s Cathedral has been regularly hosting organ music concerts for some time now, featuring both the Cathedral’s own artists, who feel a deep connection to the parish as they and their family members have received the Sacraments in this ancient house of worship, and invited artists.
The life of the parish is coordinated by the Pastoral Council, consisting of both clergy and laypeople, in accordance with the recommendations of Vatican II’s Decree on the Apostolate of the Laity, Apostolicam Actuositatem No. 26.
Prepared by:
Stella Jurgena