On Sunday, September 29, in the Sydney suburb of Kogarah, the festivities in honour of Panagia Myrtidiotissa culminated. A large number of devout Christians from the local Parish–Community of the Resurrection of Christ, Panagia Myrtidiotissa, and Agia Elesis, along with visitors from other areas of Sydney, participated reverently in the Archpriestly Divine Liturgy. The service was presided over by His Eminence Archbishop Makarios of Australia and followed by an all-day cultural program featuring traditional dances, music, and flavours from the homeland.
During the Divine Liturgy, Archbishop Makarios was joined by His Grace, Bishop Iakovos of Miletoupolis, Bishop Christodoulos of Magnesia (Priest-in-Charge of the honoured Parish), the Chancellor of the Holy Archdiocese, His All-Holiness Archimandrite of the Ecumenical Throne Christoforos Krikelis, and several clergies from Sydney, including Fr. Stavros Agoroudis. Fr. Stavros was honoured by His Eminence with the title of Archimandrite.
Addressing the honoured clergyman with paternal speeches, Archbishop Makarios encouraged him to serve with even greater zeal and a profound sense of responsibility for the holiness and salvation of the faithful entrusted to his ministry. “Every honour, progress, and advancement,” His Eminence emphasised, “comes with great responsibility: the responsibility of holiness and salvation. This is your responsibility today, not only for yourself but also for your neighbours. As we have said before, salvation in the Church is not personal. We want heaven to be for everyone, for all of us to be there, just as we are gathered here now in the Divine Liturgy.”
The Archbishop then reflected on the day’s Gospel reading from the Book of Luke, where Christ teaches the importance of loving our enemies. “By teaching us to love our enemies, Christ initiated a religious and social revolution,” he noted, emphasising that this doctrine is unique to Christianity. “No other religion teaches what we heard today in the Gospel,” he added. “This is the greatness of our faith. This is how those who love Christ and wish to follow the holy gospel should live.”
Before concluding, His Eminence referenced the upcoming Apostolic Visit of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew to Australia, inviting everyone to show their filial love and respect for His All-Holiness during his time in Sydney. “Let us gather to welcome the Patriarch of our Nation, the First of the Orthodox Church, and to greet him with one voice and one heart: ‘Welcome, Your All-Holiness, Father and Despot,’” he urged.
In closing, the Archbishop offered his blessings to the Parish–Community of Kogarah, invoking the grace of the Most Holy Theotokos upon them. He also extended paternal wishes for His Grace, Bishop Kyriakos of Melbourne.
The celebrations in honour of Panagia Myrtidiotissa in Kogarah were attended by several distinguished guests, including Mr Matt Thistlethwaite, Australian Minister of State for Immigration; Mr David Coleman, Federal Member of Parliament and Shadow Minister for Communications; Mr Simon Kennedy, Federal Member of Parliament; Mr Mark Coure, State MP; Mr Sam Stratikopoulos, Councillor of Georges River Borough; Ms. Vicky Poulos, Councillor of Bayside Borough; Mrs. Barbara Zantioti, President of the Kytherian Association of Australia; Mrs. Anastasia Karakominaki, President of the Pan-Macedonian Association of New South Wales and many others.
Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew is scheduled to visit Australia from October 4 to 19, 2024, as part of the centenary celebrations of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia. This marks his second visit to the country after almost three decades. His visit will commemorate the 100th anniversary of the establishment of the Archdiocese, which has played a pivotal role in Greek Australians’ spiritual and cultural lives.
During this Apostolic visit, Patriarch Bartholomew will attend events in Sydney and Melbourne, visit Greek Orthodox churches, and attend the Patriarchal Divine Liturgy, with over 9,000 people attending in Sydney. He will also engage with local communities and parade in Melbourne. His presence is expected to be a deeply spiritual and festive occasion, emphasizing the importance of the Orthodox faith and the significant contributions of Greek Australians to the nation’s history and culture.
Click HERE for more details on this historic visit. Patriarch Visit | Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia
Photo Gallery of the day’s events:
All Images Copyright: Nick Bourdaniotis / Bourdo photography
