The 14th Synaxis of the Bishops of the Holy Archdiocese of Australia was held in Sydney on June 7-8, under the chairmanship of Archbishop Makarios of Australia.
The topics which were covered include the celebration of the memory of Saint Bartholomew the Apostle and the name day of the Ecumenical Patriarch throughout Australia.
It is made known that on the day of the feast, a Hierarchical Divine Liturgy will be performed, presided over by Archbishop Makarios of Australia, at the Holy Trinity Church in Hobart, Tasmania.
In addition, during the Synaxis, a new date was set for the Pan-Australian Clergy Synaxis, which had been postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
It was also decided that all the faithful belonging to the Holy Archdiocese of Ohrid are now accepted for the sacrament of marriage and sponsorship for baptisms (God-parents), without the requirement of anointing, as has been the case until today.
Finally, Archbishop Makarios and the Bishops express their gratitude to the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and the Synodal Hierarchs for the recent decision of the Holy Synod, to bring Orthodox Christians of Ukrainian descent living in Australia under the jurisdiction of the Holy Archdiocese of Australia.
Read below the Communiqué:
The 14th Synaxis of the Bishops of the Holy Archdiocese of Australia took place on 7 and 8 June in Sydney, under the chairmanship of His Eminence Archbishop Makarios of Australia.
During which, His Eminence Archbishop Makarios conveyed the warm wishes and blessings of His All-Holiness our Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew to the Reverend Bishops of the Holy Archdiocese of Australia, and informed them about current issues and initiatives of the Mother Church and the Holy Archdiocese. Then, all the items on the agenda were studied and the following are announced to the auspicious clergy and the Christ-loving faithful of Australia:
1. In memory of the glorious Saint Bartholomew the Apostle, a day on which our Most Holy Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew celebrates His name-day, a Hierarchical Divine Liturgy will be officiated by His Eminence Archbishop Makarios at the Church of the Holy Trinity in Hobart, during his pastoral visit to Tasmania.
On the same day, the memory of Saint Bartholomew the Apostle and name-day of our Ecumenical Patriarch will be solemnly celebrated:
Α. at the Holy Cathedral of the Annunciation of the Theotokos, Sydney, officiated by His Grace Bishop Elpidios of Kyanea.
Β. at the Church of Saint Nicholas, Canberra, officiated by His Grace Bishop Iakovos of Miletoupolis.
C. at the Church of Saint Eustathios, Melbourne, officiated by His Eminence Metropolitan Ezekiel of Dervis.
D. at the Church of Saint Panteleimon, Adelaide, officiated by His Grace Silouan of Sinope.
Ε. at the Church of Saint Paraskevi, Brisbane, officiated by His Grace Bishop Emilianos of Meloa.
F. at the Church of Axion Esti, Northcote, officiated by His Grace Bishop Evmenios of Kerasounta.
2. Due to the pandemic, the pan-Australian Clergy Synaxis will be held in Sydney from October 17 to 19, 2022, with a general theme: “Priesthood: From secularisation to the ecclesiastical mind”.
3. After the decision of the Holy and Great, Mother Church of Christ on the restoration of ecclesiastical communion with the Holy Archdiocese of Ohrid, all the faithful belonging to the restored Archdiocese are now accepted for the sacrament of marriage and sponsorship for baptisms (God-parents), without the requirement of anointing (Chrism), as has been the case to date.
Finally, both His Eminence Archbishop Makarios and the Most Reverend Bishops, express their gratitude to His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and the Synodical Hierarchs about the recent decision of the Holy Synod, to bring Orthodox Christians of Ukrainian descent living in Australia under the jurisdiction of the Holy Archdiocese of Australia, correcting with this decision a chronic anticanonical condition of a multi-jurisdictional status. All the Hierarchs of the Ecumenical Throne in Australia, under the chairmanship of His Eminence Archbishop Makarios of Australia, are ready to serve the mystery of the salvation of the Ukrainian brothers and sisters with love and sensitivity, respecting their needs, customs, and traditions, in order for them to maintain and preserve the language and rich culture of their motherland of Ukraine.
