With the blessing of Archbishop Makarios of Australia, the Diocese of Adelaide held its annual Diocese-wide Paraklesis service, held each year on the Sunday before the Feast of the Dormition. This year’s event took place on Sunday, 11 August 2024.
As in previous years, the service was conducted in the majestic Church of Ss Raphael, Nicholas and Irene in Athelstone, with its huge icon of the Mother of God “More Spacious than the Heavens” in the apse of the sanctuary – possibly the largest icon of Panagia in all of Australia.
The service was presided over by Bishop Silouan of Adelaide, accompanied by the Saint John of Damascus choir and priests of the Diocese, in both Greek and English. It was moving to see faithful of all ages present to participate in the supplication to Our Lady.
As has been his custom at this event, His Grace used the opportunity to address the faithful with a homily on the topic of Our All-Holy Lady. His Grace noted the exalted position to which she was raised – not merely surrounding our Lord, as do the Cherubim and the Seraphim, but actually sitting at His right hand. Yet in spite of all the superlative titles that have been attributed to her in the tradition and hymnology of the Church on account of this exalted position, they stand in contrast to the title that she attributed to herself in that simple statement: “I am God’s servant.” In conclusion, His Grace conveyed the deepest blessings, prayers and respects from our father and shepherd, Archbishop Makarios.
The service was followed by the obligatory light supper, prepared by the dedicated ladies of the Parish together with the Central Philoptochos and served with assistance from a significant contingent from St Stephen’s Central Youth. His Grace took the opportunity to share some of the exciting recent missionary developments in the Diocese, including a number of new adult catechumens coming to the Faith and preparing for baptism, and the ongoing thirst for the Faith in some of the lesser-travelled regions of the Diocese like Broken Hill.
It was a timely reminder of the exciting missionary working taking place in our Diocese – work that can only take place because of the ongoing prayers and support of the faithful. It was an uplifting end to a beautiful evening of prayer and fellowship. May the prayers of our Most Holy Mother be with us all as we prepare for the imminent feast of her Dormition.
