Pan-Orthodox Lenten Vespers in the Holy Diocese of Adelaide
With the blessing of His Eminence Archbishop Makarios, the Holy Diocese of Adelaide celebrated the pan-Orthodox Lenten Vespers at the Archiepiscopal Church of St Sophia (Holy Wisdom of God), Bowden, on Sunday evening, the 9th of March 2025.
As per recent custom in the Diocese of Adelaide, the Lenten Vespers are celebrated at one Church, allowing all of the faithful and clergy to share in the Lenten journey together. It was well attended, led by His Grace Bishop Silouan of Adelaide, together with a dozen clergy and over a hundred faithful present, and a chanting choir that incorporated many youth of the Diocese. The pan-Orthodox flavour of the event was also on display with Fr Eugene Kvasniuk again attending from the Ukrainian church, and Fr Georges El Tahan from the local Antiochian church together with visiting Deacon Fr Elias Abdul-Karim from Brisbane.
This Sunday’s vespers included an extended celebration for the Sunday of Orthodoxy with a procession of Icons, the associated litany and the recitation of the Synodikon. The pan-Orthodox flavour of the service was underscored with the chanting of the Great Prokeimenon in Greek, English and Arabic – a fact that His Grace highlighted in his sermon. He also conveyed the blessings of His Eminence Archbishop Makarios and spoke about building a deeper relationship with God: fear of God is not wrong, but it should only be the start of something greater, i.e. the love of God, and for us to reach a state where holiness and its associated miracles are the rule and not the exception.
The evening was rounded out by the obligatory refreshments offered by the wonderful ladies of the St Sophia Philoptochos.
