With the blessing of Archbishop Makarios of Australia, Bishop Bartholomew of Brisbane travelled to Far North Queensland accompanied by the Parish Priest of the Church of Saint George Brisbane, Father Dimitri Tsakas.
The Bishop first visited the church of Saint John the Baptist in Cairns and conveyed the love and blessings of Archbishop Makarios of Australia to the Assistant Parish Priest Father Evangelos Aspiotis.
Furthermore, the Bishop had the opportunity to speak with Father Evangelos about the upcoming Apostolic Visit of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew as well as the upcoming State Youth Conference which will be held in Brisbane in December this year. In addition, pastoral and administrative matters were discussed.
Moreover, Bishop Bartholomew had the opportunity in brief to speak with the President of the Parish and senior member of the Archdiocesan Council, Theo Bacalakis.
Following Cairns, the Bishop travelled to Innisfail where he conducted a memorial service for the late Father Kyriakos Potiris who served for many decades in Far North Queensland and in particular the church of the Dormition of the Theotokos in Innisfail.
Bishop of Brisbane presided over the Divine Liturgy at the historic Church of the Dormition of the Theotokos in Innisfail
The Bishop led the Orthros and the Divine Liturgy at the historic Church of the Dormition of the Theotokos in Innisfail. At the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, a procession was held to honor the holy icon of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary.
Bartholomew expressed his gratitude to the faithful of the city for the warm welcome they extended to him and, most importantly, for their dedication to preserving the Orthodox faith, customs, and traditions in the greater Innisfail area.
He emphasized the importance of maintaining our faith, noting that by staying close to Christ through the Church, we will continue to receive God’s abundant blessings.
Additionally, the Bishop of Brisbane expressed his gratitude to Fr. Dimitrios Tsakas for his decades-long dedication to serving the pastoral and spiritual needs of the Innisfail community.
Following the service, a luncheon was held in honor of the Bishop in the hall adjacent to the Church. During the event, Fr. Dimitrios formally introduced the Bishop to the congregation.
Additionally, Ioannis Kotzas, President of the Parish-Community, and Maria Lemoni, President of the Philoptochos Brotherhood, welcomed the Bishop and expressed their gratitude for his presence.
Finally, Bishop Bartholomew conveyed the love and blessings of Archbishop Makarios of Australia to everyone present. He also shared that the Archbishop eagerly anticipates joining next year’s celebrations, marking the 90th anniversary of the founding of the Parish and Community of Innisfail.
