His Eminence Archbishop Makarios: “St George did not shed his blood for a lie”

His Eminence Archbishop Makarios, Primate of the Greek Orthodox Church of Australia, conducted the Divine Liturgy at the celebrating Holy Monastery of St George at Yellow Rock in New South Wales on Thursday 23^rd April. Due to the social restrictions imposed by the coronavirus pandemic, the monastery was not open to pilgrims.

At the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, His Eminence thanked the Abbot, Fr Kyriakos for his contribution to the monastery. He continued by saying that St George’s feast day is always celebrated during the Paschal period because his life is a witness to the historical truth of the Resurrection. His Eminence characteristically said, “St George, and all the martyrs of our Church, did not shed their blood for a lie.”

In addition, he made mention of the saint’s father, Senator Gerontius, who also martyred for Christ in front of St George and, in this way, became an inspiring example for the saint who followed the exact same path. “Our life teaches us either to do good or to do evil,” said His Eminence. “If we do the right thing, then we instil in our children and all those around us, how to become better people. In this manner, St George’s father taught his child to desire Christ at all cost, to the point of even giving his life for Him. And he taught this, not with many words, but by his martyric death, that is, by his example.”

His Eminence also referred to the celebrating Holy Monastery of St George at Phanar, which is home to our Ecumenical Patriarchate as well as to the Abbot of the Monastery, our Ecumenical Patriarch. “With gratitude, we remember the Great Monastery and the Patriarch of our people and the Abbot of Orthodoxy and we beseech St George to intercede for our Patriarch and for all those who labour in the Patriarchal quarters.”

Finally, His Eminence Archbishop Makarios wished that the Monastery’s next feast day be filled with pilgrims, as it has been every previous year, with the many Orthodox faithful who revere St George and who eagerly attend to venerate his miraculous icon.