On Monday, 1 July 2024, Bishop Kyriakos of Sozopolis, Archiepiscopal Vicar of Melbourne, presided over the feast day Divine Liturgy on the occasion of the feast of the Holy Unmercenaries, Saints Cosmas and Damian, at the Church of Saints Anargiri in the suburb of Oakleigh, Melbourne, and was joined by the Parish Priest, Father Stavros Kakavas and other clergymen from the Archdiocesan District of Melbourne.
Crowds of devout worshipers flooded the celebrating Holy Church, as well as students and teachers of Oakleigh Grammar. During his homily, Bishop Kyriakos appropriately spoke to the congregation about the life of the Patron Saints of the Parish, Saints Cosmas and Damian, noting among other things that “their life acts as a beacon that radiates Christian love, selflessness and the miraculous power of faith”.
“The Saints pursued the noble profession of medicine not merely as a means of earning a living, but as an inclination to serve humanity, especially the poor and the afflicted, and they asked for nothing in return,” he pointed out. “As we commemorate the Holy Anargiri,” he continued, “let us strive to imitate their virtues in our own lives. Let us remember that every act of kindness, every gesture of love and every sacrifice made for the sake of others, is a reflection of the love of Christ within us. Let us also confidently ask for their intercessions, to be helped and guided in our own trials and tribulations.”
Concluding, Bishop Kyriakos pointed out that “the lives of Saints Cosmas and Damian remind us that true greatness is not found in wealth or power, but in our humble and selfless offering to others. Their steadfast faith and boundless charity light the path of Christian discipleship for all of us. May we, with their prayers and example, increase our love for God and our neighbour, and may their holy memory be eternal.”
At the end of the Divine Liturgy, Bishop Kyriakos of Sozopolis conveyed to the faithful the prayers, love and blessings of Archbishop Makarios of Australia.
