Holy Diocese of Adelaide celebrates Holy Unction as part of the Pastoral Health Care Network
With the blessing of His Eminence Archbishop Makarios of Australia, the Holy Diocese of Adelaide celebrated its inaugural Holy Unction service in honour of Pastoral Health Care Network Australia. The Pastoral Health Care Network Australia (PHCNA) is an initiative of His Eminence aimed at engaging faithful Orthodox health professionals and encouraging them in their important work – to fulfil the Orthodox mission of caring for bodies and souls, the totality of the human person.
As an initiative of the PHCNA, February this year has been designated as a month to celebrate the Sacrament of Holy Unction nationally, in honour of this sacred mission. With the blessing of His Eminence, His Grace Bishop Silouan organised for this sacrament to be celebrated within the Diocese of Adelaide on Tuesday 18th of February 2025 at the Archiepiscopal Church of St Sophia (Holy Wisdom of God) in Bowden. His Grace presided over the service and was assisted by six other clergy of the Diocese (with a seventh supporting as a chanter), thus achieving the full canonically-stipulated quota of seven clergy – something which His Grace noted was extra special given its rarity. Among the clergy present were Fr Panagiotis Photakis, who is one of the leaders of the Adelaide branch of the PHCNA, and local priest of St Sophia Fr John Saredakis.
His Grace conveyed to those present the blessings of our Father and Archbishop, His Eminence Makarios of Australia, and addressed them on the significance of the Unction service. He noted that, as Orthodox Christians, we understand the significance of sin more than others, and that we consider ourselves to be the greatest of all sinners – but that we also have conviction that Christ is with us to offer us forgiveness and healing through His sacraments, such as Holy Unction.
After the Unction the faithful gathered in the parish hall for a light lunch, lovingly prepared by the ladies of the Central Philoptochos and the Philoptochos of St Sophia. Several-dozen faithful were present for the Sacrament and the luncheon, thus deeming the inaugural event as highly successful. We look forward to this event growing in size and significance in the years to come.
