With due ecclesiastical splendour and grandeur, the Great Vespers for the Feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos was celebrated on Thursday evening, 14 August 2025, at the Church of Panagia Soumela in the suburb of Keilor East, Melbourne, presided over by His Eminence Archbishop Makarios of Australia.
Present and concelebrating in prayer were His Eminence Metropolitan Ezekiel of Dervis, the local Bishop His Grace Bishop Evmenios of Chora, His Grace Bishops Kyriakos of Melbourne and His Grace Bishop Themistocles of Nicopolis (of the Patriarchate of Alexandria), the Chancellor of the Holy Archdiocese of Australia, Archimandrite of the Ecumenical Throne Christoforos Krikelis, as well as clergy from the city of Melbourne.
Among the numerous faithful who filled the celebrating Holy Church — both parishioners of “Panagia of Pontus” and pilgrims from other areas of Melbourne and the wider region of Victoria — were the Consul General of Greece in Melbourne, Ms. Dimitra Georgantzoglou, and the Archons of the Great Church of Christ, Mr. Tony Tsourdalakis and Mr. Marios Kalogiannis.
At the conclusion of the feast day vespers service, His Eminence Archbishop Makarios offered heartfelt paternal greetings to the congregation and expressed his joy and emotion at the overwhelming participation of both clergy and laity in the festal gathering in honour of the Theotokos. His Eminence then addressed Bishop Themistocles of Nicopolis with words of praise, commending his missionary work in Africa and his theological depth, and invited him to preach the holy sermon.
His Grace Bishop Themistocles of Nicopolis offered a reflection on the mystery of death, which, he explained, is a consequence of the fall of humankind due to sin and signifies the separation of the soul from the body. He described the meaning of “dormition” and the hope of the common Resurrection at the Second Coming of Christ. Focusing on the event of the Dormition and Translation into Heaven of the Most Holy Theotokos, he emphasised that it affirms the reality of eternal life and offers hope to all people — that they too can enter the Kingdom of Heaven and live eternally near Christ. “If we live a life in Christ,” he concluded, “we will be with our Lord for all eternity.”
