Archbishop Makarios Delivers Christmas Message of Spiritual Renewal at Belmore's All Saints Church in 2024

BELMORE, NSW – On Sunday, December 22, 2024, the Sunday before the Nativity of Christ and the feast day of Saint Anastasia, Archbishop Makarios of Australia presided over the Divine Liturgy at All Saints Church in Belmore. The service was attended by a capacity congregation, including Mr Ioannis Chrysoulakis, former Secretary General of Hellenism Abroad and Public Diplomacy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Greece, as well as Father Chris Triantafyllou, who recently retired after five decades of service at All Saints, and his successor, Father Dimitrios Papaoikonomou.

In his homily, Archbishop Makarios connected the day’s feast commemorating Christ’s ancestors to the reality of Christ’s incarnation. "The Church honours their memory so that we realise that the birth of Christ is not a fable but a historical event," he explained. "Jesus was a real person who lived, breathed, and had a family tree. This genealogy demonstrates his tangible presence in human history."

Turning his attention to the modern tradition of gift-giving during the Christmas season, Archbishop Makarios offered a profound challenge to the congregation: to offer their sins to Jesus Christ as their gift. “Christ became man so that man might become God,” he proclaimed. “But to become God, man must be freed from sin.” He emphasised that recognising one's sinfulness is the first step towards this liberation.

“When we acknowledge our sins, we can then seek the mercy of Christ and the Church through confession,” he continued. “This is the greatest gift we can offer to Christ and the best investment for the afterlife, for the Kingdom of Heaven.”

Archbishop Makarios concluded his homily by cautioning against judging others. He characterised this tendency as a “trap of the devil” that “disorients us and prevents us from seeing who we are.” He explained that those preoccupied with judging others have no time for spiritual growth.

The Archbishop summarised his message for the approaching feast of Christmas by urging everyone “to celebrate Christmas differently, spiritually, approaching the manger of the newborn Jesus Christ, ready to offer what burdens us, what we do not need. In this way, we realise that Christ came into the world to make the human person, God!”

Mr. Ioannis Chrysoulakis served as the Secretary General of Hellenism Abroad and Public Diplomacy within Greece's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. His role involved strengthening the connections between Greece and its diaspora, promoting Greek culture, language, and education worldwide. Chrysoulakis was notably involved in initiatives like creating "StaEllinika," an online platform for learning Greek. He has participated in numerous conferences, interviews, and public events focusing on the role of the Greek diaspora in public diplomacy, enhancing Greece's international image, and fostering cultural links. His work has been crucial in maintaining and promoting Greek identity and heritage among Greeks living abroad. Mr Chrysoulakis is also currently the Chairman of the AHEPA International Committee.

Image Gallery of the morning service

*All images Copyright Nick Bourdaniotis for Greek City Times