The Feast Day of St Nektarios celebrated with splendour at the Diocese of Perth
The Feast day of St Nektarios the Wonderworker was celebrated with great splendour over three days in the homonymous church of our Holy Archdiocese in Perth.
The festivities commenced on the eve of the feast, Friday November 8, with the Vespers Service and continued the following day with the Matins and Hierarchical Divine Liturgy Officiated by His Grace Bishop Elpidios of Perth.
In his sermon, His Grace spoke about the early years of the life of St Nektarios and the inspiration that the Venerable Elder Pachomios, Abbot of the New Monastery of Chios, had on Saint Nektarios.
His Grace Bishop Elpidios, on behalf of His Eminence Archbishop Makarios of Australia, also warmly welcomed the new Greek Consul to Perth, Mrs Eleni Georgopoulou, who recently arrived in Australia with her husband and two daughters.
Present at the feast day celebrations were also the staff and students from St Andrew’s Grammar, The Greek Language and Culture Institute of Evangelismos, The Pontian Brotherhood of Saint George Dance Group, Sts Constantine and Helene Sunday School and Immaculate Heart College.
Following the Divine Liturgy a reception was held in the Diocese of Perth Function Centre to officially welcome the new Consul to Perth. His Grace presented the students of The Greek Language and Culture Institute of Evangelismos a small souvenir personally signed by His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew.
A representation of these students visited Melbourne in October this year and partook in the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia Parade in honour of His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew.
The official Saint Nektarios fundraising luncheon took place on Sunday, 10th November. During the luncheon, His Grace Bishop Elpidios showed the recent video produced by ‘Vema’ on the Apostolic visit of His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew to Australia.
The Feast Day of Saint Nektarios this year coincided with the celebrations for ‘OXI Day’. The reason for the delay was that the faithful of the Diocese of Perth were waiting for the arrival of the new Consul.
Overall, it was lovely to witness a large number of the faithful partake in the three-day celebrations of the Feast Day of Saint Nektarios in Perth.
