With due ecclesiastical splendour and grandeur, the Great Hierarchical Vespers for the feast of Saint Eleftherios the Hieromartyr was celebrated on Saturday evening, 14 December 2024, at the Church of Saint Eleftherios in the Brunswick suburb of Melbourne, in the Holy Diocese of Chora.
The Service was officiated by His Eminence Archbishop Makarios of Australia, whose presence marked a historical milestone for the Greek Orthodox Church of Saint Eleftherios: For the first time since its founding in 1968, the Primate of the local Church crossed its threshold.
The Archbishop was welcomed in a atmosphere of deep emotion and with expressions of love and respect from the pious parishioners. At the entrance of the Church, His Eminence was greeted by the youth of the Parish, who offered him a bouquet of flowers, while he was welcomed with heartfelt words by the Parish Priest, Fr. Kyriakos Peripetsakis, and Mr. Bill Papastergiadis, President of the Greek Community of Melbourne, to which the Church belongs. Both of them emphasised the historic nature of the visit of His Eminence and the officiating of the Archbishop at this year’s Great Vespers of Saint Eleftherios.
With great emotion and a equally heartfelt response, Archbishop Makarios, emphasising the value of unity and togetherness for the further progress of Orthodoxy and Hellenism, wished everyone abundant blessings from God in their lives and families, through the intercessions of the patron saint of their Parish, Saint Eleftherios the Hieromartyr.
The Great Vespers were attended by Their Eminences, Metropolitan Ezekiel of Dervis, Metropolitan Myron of New Zealand and Metropolitan Prodromos of Rethymno and Avlopotamos, who preached the Holy Sermon at the request of the Archbishop, as well as Their Graces, Bishop Kyriakos of Melbourne and Bishop Evmenios of Chora, and those accompanying the Metropolitan of Rethymno, Archimandrite Vasilios Papadakis, Abbot of the Holy Monastery of St. Anastasia of Rome in Rethymno, and Archimandrite Theologos Papalevyzakis, Spiritual Councillor of the Holy Patriarchal and Stavropegic Monastery of Arkadi.
Also, among the faithful who flocked to the church was Mr. Ioannis Chrysoulakis, former Secretary General of Hellenism Abroad and Public Diplomacy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Greece.
