The Vespers service was celebrated in the atmosphere of deep reverence on Sunday of Orthodoxy, at night, March 21, at St. Nicholas Church in Marrickville, Sydney.
Metropolitan Seraphim of Sebastia officiated the service, which was co-celebrated supported by priests of the Serbian, Romanian and Antiochian Churches. The Holy Clergy of the Holy Archdiocese of Australia from the city of Sydney also attended the service.
During the Sunday of Orthodoxy Vespers Service, the Orthodox faithful of Sydney jointly show their Orthodox faith and join the procession of the Holy Icons in commemoration of the important event of the Restoration of Holy Icons as reported by vema.com.au.
The procession of the Holy Icons took place inside the St Nicholas Church, due to the pandemic, and the relevant passage from the Synodikon of the Second Council of Nicaea was read in various languages spoken by the Orthodox.
At the end of Vespers Service, the Metropolitan addressed the congregation; He firstly conveyed the wishes of Archbishop Makarios of Australia, who is at the time being at the Phanar as a member of the Holy Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate.
He secondly referred to the great Feast of Sunday of Orthodoxy. He hoped the feast to be a milestone in the lives of all believers and urged them “to be proud of their Orthodox faith and to follow what the Fathers handed down to us and to pass it on to the younger generations.”
“Orthodoxy is not some theory, it is an experience and, therefore, one must experience it with their heart”, the Metropolitan pointed out in his homily. Finally, he wished everyone all the best and urged them to continue their spiritual struggle during the rest of Holy and Great Lent.
