First celebration of the annual cutting of the Vasilopita at Saint Sophia, Bowden

With the blessing of His Eminence Archbishop Makarios of Australia, the Archdiocesan District of Adelaide again gathered for its annual District-wide celebration of the cutting of St Basil’s pie (Vasilopita) on the evening of Wednesday, 3 January 2024. Priests and representatives from parishes of the Archdiocese from across Adelaide came together, also joined by Fr Georges El-Tahan of the Antiochian parish of Saint Elias.

The service was held at the new Archiepiscopal Church of St Sophia (Wisdom of God) in Bowden, and was presided by the Archiepiscopal Vicar for the District of Adelaide, His Grace Bishop Silouan of Sinope. His Grace was assisted by Father Panagiotis Photakis (from the Archiepiscopal offices) and Father John Saredakis (in his first official service as the newly-appointed parish priest of Saint Sophia).

His Grace addressed the people, outlaying the ecclesiastical history of the celebration of New Year, and also exhorting them in the new year to dedicate time to private prayer and the reading of the Scriptures and other spiritual literature. Proceedings were concluded with a short performance by the Saint Nectarios Youth Group, who performed some traditional Christmas/New Year’s Carols. It was pleasing to see our youth enthusiastically learning and participating in our Orthodox and Greek heritage.

As last year’s event marked the end of an era with the last celebration at the old Archiepiscopal offices at the Church of Saint Panteleimon (Glenelg North), this year’s event was the historic beginning of a new era – the first time (of many, God-willing) that the event was celebrated at the Church of Saint Sophia. The people of the District of Adelaide were blessed to witness this historic occasion and look forward to seeing it again in the years to come.