Feast Day of the Church of Saint Andrew the Apostle, Sunshine, in the Holy Diocese of Chora
On the 29th and 30th of November 2024, the Parish – Community of Saint Andrew the Apostle in the Melbourne suburb of West Sunshine, in the Holy Diocese of Chora, honoured its patron Saint with due reverence.
On Friday evening, the Great Vespers of the Feast took place and was officiated by His Grace Bishop Evmenios of Chora, along with the participation of all the clergy from the Holy Diocese of Chora.
On Saturday morning, His Grace officiated during the Matins Service and presided over the Feast Day Divine Liturgy, in the presence of a large faithful congregation.
At the end of the Holy Services, His Grace Bishop Evmenios of Chora conveyed to the faithful the blessings and love of His Eminence Archbishop Makarios of Australia, while during his sermon he referred to the life of Saint Andrew, emphasising his immediate and faithful response to Christ’s call and his role as the First-Called Apostle.
His Grace also emphasised the connection of Saint Andrew with the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, which was founded through the missionary work of the Apostle. He referred to the importance of the Patriarchate as the spiritual heart of Orthodoxy, which preserves the unity of the Church and proclaims the Gospel. At the same time, His Grace emphasised the leadership of His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, whom he described as the successor of Saint Andrew and a beacon of faith and unity for the Orthodox world.
