On Sunday of All Saints, June 7, 2026, Metropolitan Arsenios of Austria and Exarch of Hungary presided over a hierarchical Divine Liturgy at the Holy Monastery of the Holy Protection and Saint Paisios in Sankt Andrä am Zicksee.
After the liturgy, a gathering was held in the recently frescoed chapel of Saint Bartholomew the Apostle, followed by a spiritual address in the monastery’s reception hall (archontariki). The monastery fathers offered hospitality to the pilgrims, who had the opportunity to converse with the hierarchs.
In his sermon, the Metropolitan spoke about the Sunday of All Saints, emphasising that the Church places this feast immediately after Pentecost to teach the profound theological truth that holiness is the fruit of the descent of the Holy Spirit. Following the events of Pentecost, the presence of the All-Holy and Divine Spirit in the life of the Church is continual. Proceeding from the Father and sent through the Son, the Spirit renews the human person, healing their fallen nature and making them a partaker in divine grace. The saints of the Church prove that salvation is not just a theory, but a lived reality — an existential transformation of the human person who is not merely morally improved by observing God’s commandments.
In this context, the Metropolitan explained that holiness is not a human achievement based on self-sufficiency or moral discipline. Instead, it is the manifestation of divine life within human beings, because God became incarnate so that humanity might be deified through divine grace. The saints entrusted themselves to this grace, and their light shines in the life of the Church, illuminating the heavenly Kingdom. He further stated that ‘holiness is a universal calling for humanity. Especially in our times, the contemporary saints show us that holiness is possible in every era”. The Church calls on us to follow their example, because it is on this path that the future of humanity lies. There, the human person discovers their true identity and fulfils their ultimate calling.
After the Divine Liturgy, the monastery fathers offered a reception. During the gathering in the Archontariki, there was a talk on spiritual matters, and the brethren and pilgrims were able to ask the Metropolitan questions and converse with the hierarchs. Afterwards, they were given the opportunity to tour the Holy Monastery gardens.
