THE leader of a unique sect of Orthodoxy has been promoted and is now the first monk of his order in Bournemouth.

Father John Ives, of the Community of St Aristobulos and the Enlighteners of Britain, based near Boscombe has opened his home to members to practice their faith.

At a prestigious ceremony a fortnight ago he was tonsured - the practice of cutting or shaving some or all of the hair on the scalp, denoting religious devotion or humility - by the Archbishop Job, the Exarch of Western Europe, of the Patriachate of Constantinople.

Father Ives now hosts services at his home at Knyveton Road, after the group of roughly 15 people were no longer able to worship at St Peter's as the chapel was required for other purposes.

He's been a practising priest since 1994, and is now a hieromonk - the first in the area, he believes.

He is supported by the idiorrhythmic monastery.

Father Ives moved to Orthodoxy after serving as an Anglican vicar for several years.

"I learned about the Orthodoxy and then became an Anglican priest," he said. "But I left in 1994, mainly because they had started to ordain women. We don't believe we have that authority to make drastic alterations and so made the permanent move to this faith."

The group will soon be worshipping at St Clement's Church at Boscombe every other Sunday.