On Saturday, January 16, on the eve of the feast of St. Anthony the Great, the Bishop of the Romanian Orthodox Church in Australia, Michael, presided over the Vespers service, accompanied by the Archiepiscopal Vicar of Northcote, Archimandrite Evmenius Vasilopoulos, and many priests of Melbourne, at the celebrating Church of St. Anthony the Great.
After the Vespers, as reported by vema.com.au, Fr. Evmenios welcomed the Bishop of the Romanian Orthodox Church and conveyed to him the wishes of Archbishop Makarios for the new year.
In his speech, Bishop Michael referred to the life of Saint Anthony and urged the faithful to imitate the saint’s virtuous life. In closing, he wished the attending fathers and faithful Happy New Year.
On the feast day, Sunday, January 17, Fr. Evmenios presided over the Orthros and the Divine Liturgy in the same church. In his sermon, he emphasized that “fasting, abstinence and prayer have the power to change our existence.”
Moreover, Fr. Evmenios conveyed Archbishop Makarios’s wishes and blessings to the priest in charge of the Church, Archimandrite Synesios Frangos, as well as to the faithful of the celebrating Parish.