On Thursday, January 2, 2025, Archbishop Makarios of Australia presided over the traditional Vasilopita cutting ceremony of the Holy Archdiocese of Australia. The event was held at the packed Annunciation of the Theotokos Cathedral in Sydney and was attended by clergy, officials, and faithful.
In his address, Archbishop Makarios urged the faithful to embrace a simple yet meaningful habit for 2025:
“I cannot imagine a single day passing without the Greek Orthodox Christians of our flock making the sign of the cross. For the new year, I ask you all to begin each morning, before even picking up your phone, by making the sign of the cross. Let your day start with this humble, simple, and ecclesiastical act. If you adopt this habit, you will see a transformation in your day and your life. It is neither difficult, costly, nor time-consuming—only requiring a little thought and devotion.”
The Archbishop’s pastoral plea was accompanied by heartfelt wishes for love, peace, and health for all attendees, including hierarchs, clergy, and the faithful. Among those present were Metropolitan Seraphim of Sebasteia, Bishops Iakovos of Miletoupolis and Christodoulos of Magnesia, Archimandrite Christoforos Krikelis, Consul General of Greece in Sydney Ioannis Mallikourtis, and distinguished guest Athanasios Kehagioglou, Archon Dikaiophylax of the Ecumenical Patriarchate.
Before delivering his message, Archbishop Makarios blessed and cut the traditional Vasilopita, dedicating the first slices to significant entities, including the Ecumenical Patriarchate. He expressed deep gratitude for the recent visit of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew to Australia in October, noting:
“We were blessed to stand beside him, see him, touch him, receive his blessing, and truly feel the grace of the Holy Spirit. We are fortunate to have such a great Patriarch in our times. The Archdiocese of Australia owes immense gratitude to the Mother Church of Constantinople. Without the Ecumenical Patriarchate, I cannot imagine what the Church here in Australia would be like today.”
During the ceremony, greetings were also delivered by Metropolitan Seraphim, Bishops Iakovos and Christodoulos, and Consul General Ioannis Mallikourtis. The Vasilopita’s lucky coin was won by Father Dimitrios Kokkinos, the presiding priest of Saint John the Baptist Church in Parramatta, Sydney.
