On Saturday, January 24, 2026, Metropolitan Arsenios of Austria presided over the Archieratical Divine Liturgy along with Bishop Maximos of Aristi at the Holy Monastery of Agia Skepi and Saint Paisios the Athonite in Sankt Andrä am Zicksee.
The hierarchs were liturgically assisted by Hieromonk Andreas Bolla, the monastery’s parish priest. After the Divine Liturgy, they went with a large group of pilgrims to nearby Lake Zicksee. There, the Metropolitan performed the Great Blessing of the Waters and cast the Cross into the lake, as tradition dictates. The Roman Catholic Bishop of Eisenstadt, Ägidius Zsifkovics, was also present at the service. Afterwards, the Metropolitan met with the pilgrims and gave the monastic brotherhood the opportunity to share their thoughts and spiritual reflections with him.
In his sermon, the Metropolitan discussed the symbolism of the Blessing of the Waters. He noted that “water is not merely a symbol; it is a real creation, a material element that becomes a vessel for sanctification. This means that salvation concerns not only human souls but also the entire universe.” He explained that, from an Orthodox perspective, ecology is not an ideology, but rather a fruit of the theology of the Incarnation. When human beings become estranged from God, they rupture their relationship with nature, and creation becomes an object of exploitation. However, when humanity returns to God, it rediscovers its rightful place in the world—not as a tyrant, but as a steward of creation. At Theophany, a different ethos is revealed: the ethos of thanksgiving and transformation. The Blessing of the Waters is a prophetic act that reveals the true destiny of nature—not destruction, but deification. Creation is destined to become a “new creation” and share in the glory of God, as the Apostle Paul declares. Creation groans and labors together, awaiting the restoration of humanity. Thus, for Christians, ecological responsibility is not merely a moral obligation but a liturgical way of life.
After the Divine Liturgy concluded, the Metropolitan, the Bishop, the monastery’s fathers, and the region’s faithful proceeded to Lake Zicksee, where the Blessing of the Waters took place. The Roman Catholic Bishop of Eisenstadt, Ägidius Zsifkovics, was also present at the ceremony. He extended New Year greetings to all and expressed his desire for continued fruitful cooperation with the Holy Metropolis of Austria and the Holy Monastery of the Protection and Saint Paisios the Athonite. The Metropolitan thanked the Bishop for his presence and fellowship and offered his blessings to all in attendance. Refreshments were then offered to everyone in attendance in a spirit of love and fellowship.
