Bishop Iakovos of Miletoupolis officiates at the Holy Cross Monastery in Mangrove Mountain
On Sunday morning, 9 February 2025, with the blessing of His Eminence Archbishop Makarios of Australia, His Grace Bishop Iakovos of Miletoupolis presided over Matins and the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy at Holy Cross Monastery in Mangrove Mountain.
Before the dismissal of the Divine Liturgy, His Grace spoke on the profound significance of the Liturgy, which has as its primary purpose not merely our passive participation but rather our living experience of the Liturgy, of experiencing the joy of life which is in Christ. His Grace emphasised that it is through the Divine Liturgy we are able to learn from the words of Christ and the Fathers of the Church the truth of our Faith, the truth of eternal life, the truth of the resurrection of the dead, and the truth of the forgiveness and great mercy of God, for which Christ came into this world to save sinners.
His Grace affirmed the importance of the period of the Triodion that begins with the Sunday of the Publican and the Pharisee, as it prepares us for Great Lent and Holy Week, and where the Church will demand of us to pray more fervently, to have greater participation in the Holy Services, to immerse ourselves more intensely in fasting, good works and philanthropy, and to live in true repentance and contrition.
His Grace pointed out that the Gospel reading of the Publican and the Pharisee is a primary example that calls for imitation. Whereas the Pharisee fasted and carried out all good works, he failed to receive the blessing of God because he did not have true humility. The Publican, on the other hand, was blessed by God because in his heart was true repentance and humility, which leads to true knowledge of ourselves. His Grace asserted that our imitation must be that of the Publican who cried out “God be merciful to me a sinner!” for this leads to salvation.
His Grace also conveyed to Gerondissa Philothei, the Sisters of Holy Cross Monastery and the congregation the blessings and wishes of His Eminence Archbishop Makarios of Australia.
After the dismissal of the Divine Liturgy, His Grace conducted a Trisagion Service at the grave of the late Sister Agathi.
