On the Sunday, June 16, the devout Christians of Cairns, North Queensland, welcomed their Shepherd, Archbishop Makarios of Australia, with immense joy and emotion. The event took place at the heart of the Greek Orthodox community’s social and spiritual life, the Church of St. John the Baptist.
In a church filled to capacity, Archbishop Makarios led the Orthros and presided over the Divine Liturgy, accompanied by Bishop Bartholomew of Charioupolis, Archiepiscopal Vicar of Brisbane, Fr. Ioannis Kapetas, and the Parish’s Hierarchical Head, Fr. Sotirios Papafilopoulos. Among the congregation were Theodoros Bakalakis, President of the Community, authorities of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, and the Board of Directors.
The highlight of the service came when Archbishop Makarios ordained the Parish Deacon, Fr. Evangelos Aspiotis, as a Presbyter. Before inviting the new presbyter to ascend the steps of the beautiful gate to receive the second degree of priesthood, the Archbishop offered paternal guidance and spiritual exhortations. He emphasized that “the first and fundamental thing in the life of a Christian, and certainly of a priest, is healthy and correct faith.” He further noted, “This is even more crucial for a priest, who becomes a teacher and guide in the faith, a steward of real and true life.”
The Archbishop urged the new presbyter to diligently care for the Christians entrusted to him by the Church, guiding them on behalf of his Archbishop. “You should teach them the true faith,” he advised, “because in every age there are ‘savage wolves’ and ‘twisted speakers,’ people who seek followers at the expense of souls. Unfortunately, our Archdiocese has faced challenges from such individuals, who, under the guise of piety and zeal, preach alien teachings and rebel against the Church and the Bishop, causing problems, divisions, and disputes.”
Archbishop Makarios praised Fr. Evangelos for his piety, humility, and obedience. He encouraged him to protect the faithful from false teachings and to keep them within the safety of the Church and its truth. “Faith in a false god, that is, heresy and separation from the Church and the truth, leads to spiritual death,” he warned, while expressing confidence that the new Presbyter, as an exemplary husband and father, would also become a devoted shepherd for his spiritual children.
Translated by: Konstantinos Menyktas
