A brilliant celebration of the Annunciation of the Theotokos at the newly restored Cathedral of Sydney

The great feast of the Annunciation of the Theotokos was celebrated in Sydney with due ecclesiastical splendor. Many believers came to the celebrating Holy Cathedral with an excess of joy and emotion, in the suburb of Redfern, which had suffered extensive damage from the fire that broke out on September 30 last year, but was restored and delivered in time to celebrate the saving event of the Annunciation.

On the eve of the feast, Thursday, March 24, the Cathedral reopened its doors to celebrate the Ce;ebratory Vespers of the feast, officiated by His Eminence Archbishop Makarios of Australia, while the day of the feast of the Annunciation, Friday 25 March, was the focus of the events of worship that took place in the Holy Archdiocese of Australia for the Annunciation of the Theotokos.

His Eminence Archbishop Makarios of Australia officiated at the Service of the Orthros and presided at the Divine Liturgy, while he also officiated at the three-year Holy Memorial Service for the repose of the soul of Archbishop Stylianos of Australia, of blessed memory.

During the Divine Liturgy, accompanied by the Their Graces, Bishop Iakovos of Miletoupolis, Bishop Emilianos of Meloa, Bishop Christodoulos of Magnesia, Bishop Bartholomew of Charioupolis, His Eminence Archbishop Makarios officiated the ordination to the priesthood of Deacon Fr Irenaeus Triantis, to whom he wished the course of his priesthood “to be wholly an Annunciation”.Recognising the many spiritual gifts and talents that the young Priest has and expressing his satisfaction for his ministry so far in the local Church, His Eminence urged him, during the performance of his priestly duties, to have as his primary concern the transmission of the joy of the Annunciation to the modern world.

“Our Holy Theotokos became a communicant of the divine grace and in this way she transmitted and bequeathed this joy all of humanity”, His Eminence noted, among other things, that “everything is bathed in the light of joy on the day of the Annunciation and everything is a foretaste of the Resurrection”.

“Everyone believes that today, more than ever, we are in need of the Good News (the Annunciation),” His Eminence commented to Father Irenaeus, adding: “There are so many hearts around us with sorrow and pain. A priest is called to ignite a light of hope in their hearts and give joy.

It is time to experience the joy of the Annunciation. It is time for each of us to experience it personally and whole-heartily. “Because if you do not experience this joy in your soul, you will never be able to transmit it to other people.”

Throughout the ordination, the young Priest’s mother, Mrs Penelope Triantis followed and watched with great emotion, along with his ten brothers and sisters. At the end of the ordination, Father Irenaeus accepted the cordial wishes and prayers of his Shepherd, the Hierarchs and clergy present, as well as the faithful.

Subsequently, His Eminence Archbishop Makarios of Australia officiated the three-year Memorial Service of his blessed predecessor, Archbishop Stylianos, for whose personality and work he spoke with words of deep gratitude and respect.

“Archbishop Stylianos of blessed memory served our local Church for 44 whole years and, in fact, in difficult times when he was required to struggly not only to teach the word of truth, but to struggle for the obvious, to prove what in other areas and in other local Churches was in fact a given,”  His Eminence noted.

“By the grace of God, he managed to make great strides in the local Church, mainly of an ecclesiastical and ecclesiological nature,” he said, acknowledging that Blessed Archbishop Stylianos had handed over the Holy Archdiocese of Australia much better, more numerous and much more ecclesiastical than he had received it.

In closing, he urged the Bishops, the Holy Clergy and the Christ-loving people of the local Church to remember and always commemorate the every blessed Hierarch, praying that God would rank him among the Saints and the Righteous.

It is noted that in Sydney the official celebration of the 201st Anniversary of the Greek Polygenesis will take place on Sunday, March 27, a day on which a Doxology will be performed, presided over by His Eminence Archbishop Makarios at the Holy Cathedral of the Annunciation, followed by a Memorial Service and the laying of wreaths at the Cenotaph at Martin Place, Sydney CBD.

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