Holy Diocese of Adelaide Statewide Christmas Concert 2024
With the blessing of His Eminence Archbishop Makarios of Australia, the Holy Diocese of Adelaide held its fifth annual Nativity Concert on the evening of Sunday 22nd of December 2024.
The event was hosted in the wonderful Sports and Performing Arts Centre of St George College, who once again graciously offered the facility in a show of true fraternal love and solidarity.
The event was comprised of return performances by the Diocese’ Women’s Choir, students of the Adelaide campus of the School of Byzantine Music (including the young “Psaltakia” class), the St Nectarios Youth Group and Greek School, and choirs from the two Greek Orthodox Colleges of St Spyridon and St George. Also debuting this year was a combined performance by the Sunday Schools of Adelaide’s two English-speaking parishes of St Sophrony of Essex and St Panteleimon, as well as an outstanding vocal/keyboard duet by two young sisters.
The groups sung a mix of songs inspired by the Feast of the Nativity of our Lord – including Orthodox hymns from the divine services of the Nativity, traditional carols from Greece and Asia Minor, and a handful of English-language Christmas carols. The standard of performances from all the groups has been improving from year-to-year, and this year’s continued that trend – with the high standard from our many younger performers being inspiring many of those present and highlighting the bright future for the event and our Faith in general.
The carols commenced with prayer by His Grace Bishop Silouan of Adelaide. In attendance were the Consul General of Greece in Adelaide Dr Alexandra Theodoropoulou, and many of the reverend clergy of the Holy Diocese of Adelaide. Up to 300 people were in attendance, who warmly applauded the efforts of the performers.
The festive atmosphere was bolstered by the serving of food and drinks – chips, calamari, frappe and loukoumades – prepared by the tireless ladies of the Central Philoptochos. The Central Philoptochos also had a selection of books and devotional items from their wonderful bookstore. These were served both before and after the performances, as well as during the intermission.
After the performances were capped off by a combined performance of Αρχιμηνιά κι αρχιχρονιά, His Grace Bishop Silouan of Adelaide addressed the attendees, conveying the blessings of His Eminence and delivering a brief Christmas message. He thanked the performers, the audience, the College and the Central Philoptochos for their wonderful witness.
The evening was highly successful and the event that continues to grow from strength to strength – a strong witness of our unity within the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia. May God continue to bless this event into the future.
