The Sunday of the Veneration of the Cross at the Archdiocesan Church of Our Lady ‘Axion Esti’ in Northcote

The Sunday of the Veneration of the Holy Cross was celebrated with due ecclesiastical splendour in the Archdiocesan District of Northcote, Victoria, at the Archdiocesan Church of Our Lady ‘Axion Esti’, where His Grace Bishop Evmenios of Kerasounta officiated during the Matins Service and presided over the Divine Liturgy.

At the end of the Divine Liturgy, the service of veneration of the Holy Cross took place, while His Grace Bishop Evmenios of Kerasounta, after conveying to the faithful the wishes and blessings of His Eminence Archbishop Makarios of Australia, spoke to the congregation about the meaning of the feast day.

His Grace explained that the Church places the Holy and Living Cross in the middle of Holy and Great Lent so that the faithful may receive strength and courage in the spiritual struggle they are waging. He pointed out that the Cross is also a reminder of the purpose of the present life, which is to sacrifice for our neighbour. “In other words, let us leave behind us the “I” and say instead “we”, so that we may live for our fellow human being”, emphasised His Grace and urged: “Let us therefore do this with our own will, because otherwise it has no benefit”.