On Wednesday the 11th of May the parish of Sts Methodius and Cyril in Preston, Victoria, celebrated its Feast Day.
On the eve of the Feast, Bishop Evmenios of Kerasounta officiated at the Great Vespers accompanied by the District Clergy.
The Vespers service was attended by the Consul-General of Greece in Victoria, Emmanuel Kakavelakis, Tony Tsourdalakis, President of the Inter-communities council in Victoria, and Andrew Andrianopoulos, who is a great supporter of the parish. The Vespers service was also attended by members of the local youth groups who decided to attend the prayer service rather than their usual weekly gatherings at their parishes.
On the morning of the Feast, Bishop Evmenios of Kerasounta officiated during the Matins service and Presided over the Divine Liturgy. The morning services were attended by students and staff of St John’s College in Preston.
In His sermon, the Bishop referred to the Academic Excellence that the two Saints had achieved through learning and education but also to their dedication to Christ and His Church. Directing His reflections to the Youth in attendance at Vespers and to the students of St John’s College in the morning, He encouraged them to try to exhaust all avenues of education and academic achievement so that they increase in knowledge and achieve pathways in life that the love. However, the Bishop reminded everyone that we must always recognize and acknowledge that whatever we achieve in life is because God wanted it to happen, “It is because God wanted us to exceed in wisdom and knowledge that we must then offer ourselves and our knowledge back to His body, the Church, without any limitations and criteria.” Bishop Evmenios in conclusion added, “everything blows out in life, but only the Church goes on to breath and live into eternity.”
Bishop Evmenios at the end of the Divine Liturgy conducted a Memorial Service for the late Very Rev Methodius Livano, who served the parish in Preston for over 25 years.
Bishop Evmenios in concluding His remarks, conveyed to everyone the blessings and prayers of Archbishop Makarios of Australia and offered His appreciation to Fr Vasilios Kourtesis, the current parish priest, for his love and dedication to his ministry.
