The Patronal Feast Day of Archbishop Makarios of Australia

The memory of Saint Makarios the Great was celebrated with splendour and ecclesiastical grandeur on Sunday, 19 January 2025, at the Cathedral of the Annunciation of Our Lady, in Sydney. This joyful day, on which His Eminence Archbishop Makarios of Australia, celebrates his patronal feast day, was recorded among the historical events in the life of the local Church, as a Synodal Divine Liturgy was celebrated for the first time since the establishment, by the Ecumenical Patriarchate, of the Holy Eparchial Synod of the Holy Archdiocese of Australia last year.

With the celebrating Hierarch, His Eminence Archbishop Makarios, the feast day service was concelebrated by Their Eminences Metropolitan Seraphim of Sevasteia, and Metropolitan Iakovos of Ireland, His Grace Bishop Michael of the Romanian Orthodox Church in Australia, as well as Their Graces, Bishop Elpidios of Perth, Bishop Silouan of Adelaide, Bishop Kyriakos of Melbourne, Bishop Evmenios of Chora, Bishop Bartholomew of Brisbane, Bishop Iakovos of Miletoupolis and Bishop Christodoulos of Magnesia, Chief Secretary of the Holy Eparchial Synod.

Also participating in the Divine Liturgy were, the Chancellor of the Holy Archdiocese, Archimandrite of the Ecumenical Throne Christophoros Krikelis, a multitude of clergy from all over Australia, the Abbot of the Holy Monastery of Panagia Pantanassa in Mangrove, Archimandrite of the Ecumenical Throne Eusebios, and the Abbot of the Holy Monastery of Saint George Yellow Rock, Archimandrite of the Ecumenical Throne Ieronymos. Also present were a multitude of other clergymen, monks from the aforementioned Holy Monasteries, including the former Abbot of the Holy Monastery of Panagia Pantanassa, Archimandrite of the Ecumenical Throne Elder Stephanos, nuns from the Holy Monastery of the Holy Cross in Mangrove, lead by the Abbess, Gerontissa Philothei, the High Commissioner of the Republic of Cyprus in Australia, His Excellency Antonios Sammoutis, the Consul General of Greece in Sydney, Mr. Ioannis Mallikourtis, Archons of the Holy and Great Church of Christ, Presidents and representatives of Parishes – Communities, Organisations of the Holy Archdiocese and community organisations, and a multitude of devout believers, who, after the end of the Divine Liturgy, had the opportunity to personally and sincerely wish their Chief Shepherd well on his name day.

Earlier, shortly before the Dismissal, warm addresses were addressed to the Archbishop by His Grace Bishop Elpidios of Perth, on behalf of the members of the Holy Eparchial Synod, and the Chancellor, Archimandrite Christophoros, on behalf of the holy Clergy of the Holy Archdiocese. Both expressed the gratitude of the entire local Church for the sacrificial ministry and offering of His Eminence Archbishop Makarios, while they offered prayers for his health and longevity, and for his strengthening in the God-pleasing work that he is carrying out.

In response, the Archbishop, visibly moved, thanked the speakers from the bottom of his heart for their expressions of respect and appreciation towards him and for their warm wishes. He continued by expressing his gratitude to all those present, Bishops, clergy and faithful, acknowledging their decisive contribution to the progress of the local Church and expressing his pride for the collaborators and the flock that God has entrusted to him. “I praise God for directing my steps in this blessed eparchy,” he noted characteristically, assuring that he will continue to strive with all his might, so that the work and mission of the Holy Archdiocese of Australia may progress. In conclusion, he implored everyone to defend and enhance the spirit of harmony and unity within the Church, repeating a characteristic point from the address of the Chancellor, Archimandrite Christophoros, that “unity with the Archbishop means unity with the Church, unity with the Church means unity with Christ and unity with Christ means salvation.”