On the evening of October 23, with the blessing and permission of Archbishop Makarios of Australia, as reported by vema.com.au, the Divine Liturgy of St. James, which is the oldest complete form of the Eastern Christian liturgies, was performed for the first time in Perth.
During the Divine Liturgy, Bishop Elpidios of Kyanes officiated the Divine Liturgy, assisted by the priests of Western Australia, and chanted by the members of the youth choir of the Holy Archdiocese in Perth.
In his sermon after the reading of the Holy Gospel, the Bishop stressed that the common denominator of all Divine Liturgies throughout the centuries is the conversion of bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ and the distribution of Holy Communion to the faithful.
The Bishop of Kyanes also told the difference between the Divine Liturgy of St. James and the additions, such as the hymn: “Only-Begotten Son and Immortal Word of God” and the Nicene–Constantinopolitan Creed.
In the end, the fame of Archbishop Makarios of Australia was praised and the Bishop thanked the faithful for their participation, praising God for the spiritual opportunity he gave to all to understand how early Christians worshiped God and how Divine Liturgy evolved until today.
