On Sunday, December 8, a Trisarchieratic Divine Liturgy was celebrated at the Church of Saint Paraskevi in the Taigum suburb of Brisbane. The service was presided over by Archbishop Makarios of Australia and concelebrated by Bishops Bartholomew of Brisbane and Silouan of Adelaide, joined by clergy from the city of Brisbane.
A large number of faithful believers attended the service, including the Honorary Consul of Greece in Brisbane, George Mastrokostas; the President of the Parish-Community of Saint Paraskevi, Konstantinos Stratikopoulos; and the young participants of the Youth Conference of the Holy Diocese of Brisbane.
During the Divine Liturgy, the Archbishop delivered an inspiring sermon on the Divine Word, focusing on the day’s Gospel reading, which recounts Christ’s healing of the infirm woman.
This is the miracle the Lord performed in the synagogue for a disabled woman who had been unable to straighten her body or recover for eighteen years.
“This seemingly simple miracle holds profound lessons for us,” the Archbishop remarked, drawing a connection between the woman’s physical condition and the spiritual state of modern humanity.
As he noted: “Her condition reflects the spiritual reality of many of us—bowed down by the cares of life and unable to walk upright in the freedom of God’s love. We may be weighed down by pride, anger, jealousy, or resentment—burdens that prevent us from fully lifting our hearts to God.
Like the woman in the Gospel, we may feel trapped under the weight of these sins, unable to straighten ourselves or move forward.”
However, “Christ is the one who can set us free,” the Archbishop promptly reminded. The key to overcoming our burdens, he added, is to approach Christ with humility and a willingness to admit that we need His help —something that requires repentance.
He then observed that the Holy Fathers, not by coincidence, designated this Gospel passage to be read in the midst of the spiritual preparation period for Christmas. The Archbishop emphasized that this serves as an invitation “to spiritually straighten ourselves, so that we can fully welcome Christ into our hearts.”
“Christmas,” he continued, “is not just a celebration of the birth of Christ 2,000 years ago. It is an invitation to encounter Him anew in our lives.
To do this, we must prepare ourselves through repentance, prayer, fasting, and acts of love. We must examine our hearts and ask: What are the burdens that keep us bowed down? What sins prevent us from standing upright in the presence of God? This period provides us with the opportunity to lay these burdens before the Lord, to hear His call, and to allow His healing touch to transform us.”
“Let us not waste this precious time, but use it to draw closer to Christ,” the Archbishop concluded, assuring that “if we do, we will have truly embraced the message of Christmas.”
Ordination of a new Spiritual-Confessor
At the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, the Archbishop ordained Fr. Evangelos Aspiotis as a Spiritual Father – Confessor. Fr. Aspiotis serves in the Parish-Community of St. John the Baptist in Cairns, North Queensland, within the Diocese of Brisbane.
He offered paternal advice to Fr. Evangelos, urging him to help relieve people of their burdens and guilt.
During his speech, he praised the local Bishop, Bartholomew of Brisbane, as well as Bishop Silouan of Adelaide, who was born and raised in Brisbane, and expressed his gratitude for their dedicated ministry in service to the local Church and the Greek community. He also extended his thanks to the Hierarchical Head of the Parish of Saint Paraskevi, Fr. Athanasios Athanasiadis, the Parish President, and the Honorary Consul of Greece in Brisbane, George Mastrokostas.
