Archbishop Makarios of Australia officiated the Great Vespers Service on the Feast of St. Stylianos at the Church of Saint Stylianos in the suburb of Gymea, in Sydney, on Wednesday afternoon the 25th of November.
Following the Vespers Service, the Archbishop performed the Trisagion for the repose of the soul of late Archbishop Stylianos. He also urged the faithful on the day after tomorrow, that is on his name day, to pass by the cemetery, where the late Archbishop is buried. Therefore, they will be able to light a candle, to pay their respects and to pray for the rest of his soul. In addition, Archbishop Makarios is scheduled to go to Rookwood Cemetery and to perform the Trisagion at 10.30 am on Thursday.
Referring to his predecessor, the Archbishop of Australia spoke of his great personality, which “inspired” not only the Greek Orthodox Church of Australia but also the whole Orthodox world. “I did not have the chance to know him personally but we engaged in an exchange of correspondence and we had mutual respect for each other,” he said. “I was aware of his reputation, although I did not serve and I never passed through Australia. This man was a prominent figure not only for the place he served but also for the whole Orthodox Church and all Orthodoxy. He served here for 44 years, that is, for almost half a century. If we put late Stylianos aside that means that half the history of the Archdiocese will be gone. He is identified with half the history of our Archdiocese.”
Moreover, Archbishop Makarios spoke to the congregation about Saint Stylianos. He spoke of his life and focused on some information according which he had always a smile on his face, even when he fell asleep in the Lord. It was a unique feature that people do not have nowadays. “We miss this smile of St. Stylianos,” he said.
Finally, he added that selfishness, passions and rash conclusions do not allow people, young and old, to find joy in life and prevent them from smiling. This joy is given only by Christ, he said and urged the faithful not to care about insignificant things but to seek beautiful smiles and to add joy in their lives by appreciating what they have and who they really are.