The Vespers of Love at the Church of Saint Eustathios in Melbourne
On the glorious day of Great and Holy Feast of Pascha, Sunday, April 20, 2025, faithful Orthodox Christians from across the Holy Diocese of Melbourne gathered in unity and spiritual joy for the traditional Diocesan Pan-Orthodox Vespers of Love, celebrated at the Archdiocesan Church of St. Eustathios in South Melbourne. His Grace Bishop Kyriakos of Melbourne presided over the solemn service, surrounded by a number of clergy from across the Diocesan, manifesting the unity of the Church in the Risen Christ.
Also known as the Agape Vespers, this radiant service is held on Pascha Sunday and expresses the universal love and peace bestowed through the Resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. In contrast to the sombreness of Holy Week, the Vespers of Love is marked by light, joy, and a spirit of reconciliation. Central to the service is the reading of the Holy Gospel in multiple languages, symbolising the universal proclamation of the Resurrection to all peoples and nations, and the oneness of all Orthodox Christians in the Body of Christ.
In a moving moment that exemplified the universality of the Gospel, the Resurrection narrative from the Gospel according to St. John (20:19–25) was read in English, Greek, Latin, French, German, Italian, Romanian, and Turkish. The multilingual proclamation was a powerful reminder that the message of Christ’s Resurrection transcends all barriers—linguistic, cultural, and geographical—offering light and life to all humanity.
During the service, His Grace Bishop Kyriakos conveyed the paternal love and Paschal blessings of His Eminence Archbishop Makarios of Australia, extending His Eminence’s warmest greetings and well-wishes for a holy, joyful, and blessed Pascha to all present. His Grace expressed the importance of maintaining the unity of the Orthodox faithful, especially in a world in need of healing, hope, and the light of the Risen Christ: “Today, in the joy of the Resurrection, we are reminded that love is the true mark of the Christian life. Let us carry the peace of this day with us always, proclaiming with one voice and one heart that Christ is Risen,” His Grace exhorted the faithful.
As bells rang and hymns of Pascha continued to echo throughout the church, the Diocesan Vespers of Love concluded in an atmosphere of deep reverence and unshakable joy—affirming the victory of Christ over death and the eternal unity of His Church.
