On the Monday of the Holy Spirit, June 24, Archbishop Makarios of Australia presided over the Divine Liturgy at the Cathedral of God the Wisdom in Adelaide, accompanied by Bishops Siluan of Sinop and Bartholomew of Charioupolis and the Holy Clergy of the capital of South Australia. Among those in attendance were Stavros Venizelos, the Ambassador of Greece to Australia, accompanied by his spouse Larissa Tikaidis, along with Georgios Psiachas, the Consul General in Adelaide.
At the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, the Archbishop delivered a theological and inspiring discourse on the third hypostasis of the Holy Trinity, elucidating ecclesiological aspects that may not be widely understood among many Christians.
He pointed out that while most believers hold deep reverence for Christ, the Virgin Mary, and the Saints of our Church, they often do not experience the same devotion or show the same zeal during the feast of the Holy Spirit. However, the Holy Spirit, as the Archbishop explained in simple and understandable words, is behind every miracle of our Saints and in every aspect of the sacramental life of the Church.
“All the miracles performed by the Saints have been accomplished by the grace of the Holy Spirit,” he emphasized, among other points, illustrating how the Holy Spirit transforms the administration of the Sacraments such as the Divine Eucharist, Baptism, Confession, Unction, and others. He highlighted that the Holy Spirit dwells within every person following their baptism but remains “buried” until the Christian acknowledges and invokes it in their prayers.
Finally, urging the faithful to awaken and cultivate the presence of the Holy Spirit within them, he referenced the inspiring example of Saint Nektarios of Pentapolis, a revered saint of our Church known for his efforts to deepen the ecclesiological understanding of the faithful regarding the Holy Spirit. Saint Nektarios frequently addressed this topic in his sermons, encouraging Christians to earnestly pray to the Holy Spirit. With the same fervor, Archbishop Makarios concluded his speech, urging those present to incorporate into their daily lives the brief yet profound prayer: “Holy Trinity, God, have mercy on me, a sinner.”