On Monday afternoon, 11 December 2023 the Great Vespers of the feast of Saint Spyridon, Bishop of Trimythous, the wonderworker, took place with due ecclesiastical splendour at the celebrating Parish of Saint Spyridon in the suburb of Kingsford, Sydney.
With the blessing of His Eminence Archbishop Makarios of Australia, Metropolitan Seraphim of Sevasteia officiated during the Vespers Service, surrounded by a multitude of clergy from the city of Sydney, while Metropolitan Myron of New Zealand, also attended and joined in prayer.
At the conclusion of the Vespers Service, before the sermon, Metropolitan Seraphim of Sevasteia welcomed Metropolitan Myron of New Zealand with heartfelt fraternal words, emphasising the historically close ties that connect the Holy Archdiocese of Australia with the missionary Metropolis of Oceania.
Afterwards, Metropolitan Seraphim addressed the large congregation and, presenting aspects of the life and virtues of the venerated Saint, urged everyone to try to imitate him. In the introduction of his sermon, the Metropolitan emphasised that the countless miracles performed by Saint Spyridon were the result of his deep faith in God. “The miracle is not something magical, but rather comes forth from faith,” Metropolitan Seraphim pointed out and added: “Saint Spyridon was a man of faith. He firmly believed in God’s power and placed himself in God’s hands. Not when he became a clergyman and Bishop, but since he was a layman. He had a firm, steadfast, and immovable faith. Faith like that which Christ said could move mountains. That’s why he performed so many miracles.”
Metropolitan Seraphim also focused on the virtue of patience, for which Saint Spyridon was distinguished. Recalling that he had gone through many sorrows in his life and had lost his family, he pointed out that the Saint faced all this with patience, as “patience is cultivated by faith in God”. Finally, he referred to the virtues of simplicity, meekness, kindness, and humility, concluding that “we too are called to develop these virtues and become people of God, as Saint Spyridon was”.
