Inaugural Feast Day Celebration for the Holy Cross, Glenelg North 2024
The Feast Day of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross is a significant and great feast of the Church, and one that is always celebrated with a great deal of enthusiasm by the faithful. However, for the Holy Diocese of Adelaide this year’s celebration took on a special significance, with the inaugural celebration of the Feast held at the first time in the Church newly dedicated to its honour.
With the blessing of His Eminence Archbishop Makarios of Australia, the former Parish of St Panteleimon (Glenelg North SA) moved and established the new Church dedicated to the Feast of the Holy Cross, in the converted hall of the Flambouro Philanthropic Society of SA. The first liturgy was held in the new Church on Sunday 19th of November 2023. This year’s feast was thus the first opportunity for the parish to celebrate the Feast of its dedication – God willing, the first of many more to come.
The Parish celebrated Vespers on the evening of Friday, 13 September 2024, led by His Grace Bishop Silouan of Adelaide and accompanied by many of the priests of the Archdiocese from across Adelaide. His Grace addressed the congregation in a sermon (in both Greek and English) on the importance of the Cross and its celebration, and as a symbol of sacrifice that we are all called to both honour and emulate in our own lives. The Vespers was followed by a light supper that was well-attended by the dozens of faithful who had come for worship.
Matins was followed the next morning by the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy, again presided by His Grace Bishop Silouan of Adelaide and assisted by Rector Fr Panagiotis Photakis and two other priests from neighbouring parishes (Fr Amando Manafis from St Andrews Christie Downs and Fr Jeremy Krieg from St Panteleimon).
His Grace again delivered a sermon on the importance of the Cross in the life of the faithful. The Liturgy was followed by a festal luncheon, lovingly prepared by the ladies of the Parish Philoptochos. The Liturgy and subsequent luncheon were extremely well attended (especially as most parishes were celebrating their own liturgy that day), with well over 150 people in attendance.
This strong attendance was a tribute to the decision to move to the new Church, as the old location would not have been able to cater for so many people. We look forward to celebrating the Feast of the Exaltation of the Precious Cross at the new parish for many more years to come.
