On Cheesefare Sunday, February 22, 2026, Metropolitan Arsenios of Austria presided over the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy at the Parish of Saint Demetrios in Salzburg.
Concelebrating with the Metropolitan was Bishop Maximos of Aristi, while the hierarchs were liturgically assisted by the parish priest, Protopresbyter Zafeirios Koutelieres, and the pastor of the Ukrainian-speaking Parish of the Resurrection of the Lord, Presbyter Konstantinos Shevchenko.
In his sermon, the Metropolitan referred to the Gospel reading of the day (Matthew 6:14–21), which, he noted, encapsulates the entire ascetical theology of the Church in three fundamental dimensions: forgiveness, fasting, and the accumulation of treasures in heaven.
Addressing the theme of forgiveness, he recalled the words of the Lord: “For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you; but if you do not forgive, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” He emphasized that forgiveness reveals the ecclesiological dimension of the human person, as a person exists fully only in communion. The refusal to forgive constitutes a “psychological closure, a denial of communion, a denial of existence in relation to God,” and, he noted, “he who does not forgive is incapable of partaking in the life of the Holy Trinity.”
Turning to the subject of fasting, he cited the Lord’s instruction: “When you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a gloomy countenance… but anoint your head and wash your face.” Fasting, he explained, restores human freedom; the fall of Adam was not merely a violation of a commandment, but a failure of trust in the will of God. When fasting is performed “in secret,” it heals self-centeredness and restores the human will to right alignment with God’s will. “We do not fast to prove anything,” he stressed, “but to confess that our life depends on God.”
He highlighted the Gospel exhortation: “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth… but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven; for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” The Church, he emphasized, does not demand renunciation of material things, but a transformation of one’s orientation. Humanity is called to live in the world, yet not be enslaved by it.
In conclusion, the Metropolitan described Great and Holy Lent as a journey of reclaiming paradise within our hearts. “The path to Pascha passes through forgiveness,” he remarked, “before ascetic effort comes reconciliation, before fasting comes love.”
The service was followed by the customary gathering in the parish hall, where a spiritual discussion took place. The Metropolitan had the opportunity to speak with the clergy and faithful about parish matters and contemporary issues. Together with Bishop Maximos, he extended wishes to all for a good and blessed Great and Holy Lent.
