Archdiocesan District of Adelaide Statewide Christmas Concert 2023

With the blessing of His Eminence Archbishop Makarios of Australia, the Archdiocesan District of Adelaide held its fourth annual Christmas Concert. The event was again hosted in the Sports and Performing Arts Centre of St George College, who kindly provided the facility despite their ongoing renovations.

The event comprised performances by the District of Adelaide’s Women’s Choir, the St John of Damascus Choir, students of the Adelaide campus of the School of Byzantine Music (including the young “Psaltakia” class), the St Nectarios Youth Group, St Raphael’s Sunday School and choirs from the two Greek Orthodox Colleges of St Spyridon and St George. The groups sung a mix of songs inspired by the Feast of the Nativity of our Lord – including Orthodox hymns from the divine services of the Nativity, traditional carols from Greece and Asia minor, and a handful of English-language Christmas carols. The carols attracted a crowd of around 300 people, who warmly applauded the efforts of the performers.

During the intermission chips, calamari, frappe and loukoumades were prepared by the tireless ladies of the Central Philoptochos, as well as a selection of books and devotional items from their wonderful bookstore.

At the close of the evening, His Grace Bishop Silouan of Sinope addressed those in attendance, conveying the blessings of His Eminence Archbishop Makarios of Australia, thanking the performers, the audience, the College and the Central Philoptochos for their wonderful witness, and exhorting everyone to allow the reality of our Lord’s incarnation to take root and become present in our lives.