Pan-Orthodox Vespers celebrated on the Sunday of Orthodoxy in Melbourne
On the First Sunday of the Holy Fast, Orthodox Christians gathered in solemn prayer and unity for the Pan-Orthodox Vespers at the Archdiocesan Church of St. Eustathios, with the blessing of His Eminence Archbishop Makarios of Australia. His Grace Bishop Prodromos of Toliara and Southern Madagascar, from the Patriarchate of Alexandria, presided over the service, marking a powerful expression of Orthodox Christian unity.
In a deeply moving sermon, His Grace Bishop Kyriakos of Melbourne addressed the congregation, emphasising the profound significance of the gathering. “We are gathered tonight… to bear witness to the essential unity and integrity of what it means to be an Orthodox Christian,” he stated. “Yes, we differ in jurisdiction; we differ in ethnic background; we differ in native language; we differ in customs. But the Faith that we confess is in the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church!”
Bishop Kyriakos further reminded the faithful of the unshakeable bond that connects all Orthodox Christians worldwide. “We believe and we confess the same Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed,” he said. “We share in the Same Eucharistic Meal – the Mystical Supper of the Lord. And we all look forward to the Same Glorious Resurrection of our God in His Holy Pascha.” The message was a powerful reaffirmation of the fundamental unity of the Orthodox Church, transcending differences in culture, language, and tradition.
The service, which was attended by hundreds of Orthodox faithful from Melbourne and surrounding areas, was also graced by the presence of His Eminence Metropolitan Ezekiel of Dervis, clergy from various jurisdictions participated in the service, including Archimandrite Fr. Kyrillos Zisis, Fr. Dimitrios Catrinei, Fr. Chris Dimolianis, Fr. Kyprianos Nerouppos, Fr. George Adamakis, Fr. Kyriakos Tsapas, Fr. Stavros Kakavas, Fr. Efstathios Papadopoulos, Fr. Panagiotis Zoumboulis, Fr. Adamandios Kourabis, Fr. Emmanuel Ioannidis, and Fr. Panteleiomon Laskaris, whose combined prayers contributed to the solemnity of the evening. Also present was Ms. Dimitra Georgantzoglou, the Consul-General of the Hellenic Republic, who honored the event with her presence.
The evening concluded with the reading of the Encyclical of His Eminence Archbishop Makarios of Australia, sending His blessings and well wishes for the remainder of the Lenten season. The faithful received these blessings with great gratitude, further deepening the sense of spiritual communion that defines the Orthodox Church.
The Pan-Orthodox Vespers of Sunday of Orthodoxy in Melbourne was a remarkable demonstration of the unity, faith, and perseverance that marks the life of the Orthodox Church. As His Grace Bishop Kyriakos of Melbourne so eloquently reminded those present, despite the diversity of the faithful, “we are united in Christ, our Saviour, and in the Holy Orthodox Faith that unites us as one.”
