Bishop Bartholomew of Brisbane presided over the Great Festal Vespers for the feast of the Holy Glorious Great Martyr Paraskevi at the parish dedicated to the saint in North Brisbane.
In his homily, he reflected on the importance of the saints in the life of the Orthodox Church, emphasizing that they are living examples of the Gospel, our intercessors before God, and models of holiness who inspire the faithful to grow in Christ and strive to enter the Kingdom of Heaven.
On the feast day itself, Bishop Bartholomew presided over Matins and the festal Divine Liturgy at the same church. Concelebrating with him were the parish priest, Fr. Theophylaktos Loizou, together with Deacons Timotheos Mavromatis and Porphyrios Angelis.
During his sermon, Bishop Bartholomew reflected on the life and witness of St. Paraskevi, stressing that the supreme purpose of her life was complete union with Christ. Even before offering her life through martyrdom, she had already offered her heart entirely to God.
The Bishop noted that although Christians in Australia are blessed to live without persecution and are free to practice their faith, the Gospel continues to call every believer to the same total commitment. While Christians today may not be asked to shed their blood for Christ, they are all called to surrender their hearts to Him, allowing Him to dwell within them and transform every aspect of their lives.
At the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, Bishop Bartholomew conveyed the paternal love and blessings of Archbishop Makarios of Australia to the Parish President, Konstantinos Stratikopoulos, the Parish Council, the Philoptochos Brotherhood, and the many volunteers whose dedicated service supports the life and ministry of the parish.
He also extended his heartfelt best wishes to the newly appointed parish priest, Fr. Theophylaktos Loizou, praying that St. Paraskevi would strengthen and guide him in his priestly ministry.
Following the Divine Liturgy, a procession with the holy relic and icon of St. Paraskevi took place.
A festive luncheon was then held in the parish hall. During the gathering, Bishop Bartholomew, on behalf of Archbishop Makarios, expressed his sincere gratitude to the numerous volunteers who have faithfully served the parish throughout its forty-year history.
He paid special tribute to the late Dr. Peter Marendy, honoring his many years of tireless and devoted service as Parish President and his significant contribution to the growth and stability of the parish.
The Bishop also expressed his appreciation to the current Parish President, Konstantinos Stratikopoulos, thanking him for his leadership, dedication, and contribution to the continued development of the parish’s ministries and initiatives.
In response, Stratikopoulos thanked Bishop Bartholomew for his presence at the parish feast and expressed the community’s heartfelt gratitude for the Bishop’s unwavering love, guidance, and pastoral care over the past year, during which he faithfully ministered to the parish while it was without a priest.
As a token of appreciation, Stratikopoulos, on behalf of the Parish Council and the faithful, presented Bishop Bartholomew with a commemorative gift.
