Adelaide: Palm Sunday Celebrations in Riverland Region for local Greek Orthodox Community

Situated on the Murray River, the Riverland has a very low annual rainfall and a borderline desert climate. But in 1887, an irrigation scheme made the desert bloom, and the town of Renmark was born. With several other towns since being developed nearby, the region has become the premier fruit-growing region (in particular, for citrus fruit) of South Australia. It has also become home to perhaps the largest Greek community in South Australia outside of Adelaide, with hundreds of families in Renmark and Berri, and neighbouring towns of Barmera, Loxton, and across the Victorian border in Mildura. The communities have been ably served for many years by the local priest Fr Dimitrios Moraitis, who is based in Renmark but also serves at the churches in Berri.

With the uncertainties of COVID-19 causing a general shortage of priests in our District, and with Fr Dimitri also being unwell, the community were facing the prospect of a Holy Week without a priest. So when His Grace Bishop Silouan managed to find a priest (Fr Jeremy Krieg, Assistant Priest of St Nectarios) to send for Palm Sunday, the people took advantage of the opportunity – not knowing if they would have another chance to worship before Pascha. Church was attended by up to 100 faithful, who at late notice still made the effort to come and worship on this important day.

Fr Jeremy addressed the people, reading a sermon in Greek about the mask of hypocrisy, and in English, speaking about the humility of our Lord who chose the most modest form of transport possible for his grand entrance into Jerusalem.

The community celebrated with a well-attended festive luncheon after the service, celebrating the day serving the traditional fish meal. Congratulations to the tireless committee, the hard-working ladies auxiliary and the pious faithful for celebrating the entrance of our Lord into Jerusalem in such a moving and prayerful way.