Holy Diocese of Adelaide Central Youth celebrates its patronal feast
With the blessing of His Eminence Archbishop Makarios of Australia, the Saint Stephen’s Central Youth of the Holy Diocese of Adelaide celebrated its patronal feast on Friday, 27th of December 2024.
The celebration was held at the Archiepiscopal Church of St Sophia (Wisdom of God) in Bowden. As has been the custom in recent years the celebration began with the Vespers of Saint Stephen service at 6:00pm, officiated in Greek and English by several of the priests of the Diocese – the service being held “by economy” on the night of the feast (rather than the night before) in order to make allowance for people’s family commitments during the festal season.
At the conclusion of the service, before a full church, His Grace Bishop Silouan of Adelaide addressed the youth, speaking of how God grants special leniency to “the sins of our youth”, but at the same time stressing the importance of confession and repentance to put these sins behind us and set ourselves on the spiritual path towards God.
After the service the attendees made their way into the hall next door, which quickly filled to its 100+ seat capacity. By God’s providence the weather was perfect for a few dozen extra chairs and tables to be set up outside, and in spite of the larger-than-anticipated attendance there was still enough food to go around.
After everyone had eaten many of the youth made their way to the nearby parks in the area for some friendly games of basketball and soccer, or simply enjoying the play equipment for some of the younger participants – enjoying the extended daylight hours and the fine weather.
In all this was a highly successful and enjoyable event – one of the most well attended in the history of South Australia’s Central Youth. Perhaps most encouraging of all was the fact that the young people did not come for the food or the games only, but also first to participate in worship and experience their Orthodox Faith in communal prayer. May the prayers of the Holy Protomartyr and Archdeacon Stephen guide and keep them in the Faith always.
