Archbishop Makarios of Australia paid a pastoral visit to the capital of South Australia on Friday, November 10.
He was accompanied by Bishop Bartholomew of Charioupolis and Archdeacon Athenagoras. Upon his arrival at Adelaide airport, the Archbishop was warmly welcomed by a large group of clergy and believers, led by Bishop Siluan of Sinope, Archdiocesan Vicar of Adelaide.
Afterwards, the Archbishop went to the Church of the Prophet Elijah, in the suburb of Norwood, where, after lighting a candle and praying, he attended a dinner hosted in his honor by the Central Philoptochos of the Archdiocesan District of Adelaide. Bishop Silouan and Bartholomew, the Clergy of the Archdiocesan District with their Presbyters, and Presidents, members of the Boards of Directors and representatives of the Parishes – Communities, the Organizations of the Holy Archdiocese in South Australia, the Welfare Institutions and the Schools of St. George and St. Spyridon also attended the dinner.
Archbishop Makarios addressed the young people present in his greeting at the beginning of the dinner. “We are proud of you,” he said, while urging the young men and women to remain close to the Church and to preserve the heritage of their ancestors.
The Archbishop also warmly greeted all those present at the event organized by the Central Philoptochos and thanked them for their dedication to the Holy Archdiocese and their contribution to the ecclesiastical, spiritual and social work of the local Church. He also thanked the ladies of Central Philoptochos, on the one hand for the initiative of organizing the dinner, on the other hand for their general contribution to the Church. He said that they set the example of Christian virtues and the Orthodox faith.
It is noted that during his current pastoral tour, the Archbishop will preside over the celebrations for the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Holy Monastery of Saint Nektarios, while he will ordain two new clergymen from Adelaide.
In a statement, he emphasized that these ordinations “underscore the commitment of our faithful and the Christ-centered family environment in which our young people are nurtured.” He conveyed his delight in the growing number of the Holy Clergy within the Archdiocese of Australia, seeing it as evidence of “the flourishing spiritual life within our Holy Archdiocese.”
