A splendid Polyarchieratic Co-liturgy, presided over by Archbishop Makarios of Australia, was celebrated on Sunday, December 15, at the Holy Monastery of the Virgin Mary “Axion Esti” in Melbourne, the headquarters of the Holy Diocese of Chora. The liturgy, which drew a large congregation, was concelebrated by Metropolitans Myron of New Zealand and Prodromos of Rethymno, as well as Bishops Kyriakos of Melbourne and Chora, accompanied by clergy of the Holy Archdiocese of Australia.
Among the dignitaries present were Emmanuel Kakavelakis, Consul General of Greece in Melbourne; Antonios Tsourdalakis, President of the Intercommunities Council of Victoria; and Ioannis Chrysoulakis, former Secretary General for Greeks Abroad and Public Diplomacy of Greece.
A highlight of the liturgy was the emotional ceremony where Metropolitan Prodromos of Rethymno presented the reliquary containing fragments of the holy relics of the Four New Martyrs of Rethymno—Manuel, Angelis, George, and Nicholas. These relics will now be enshrined permanently at the Holy Monastery “Axion Esti,” fulfilling a long-standing sacred wish of Melbourne’s Cretan community. The Archbishop described the event as a profound moment for both the local faithful and the Holy Archdiocese.
“The most beautiful moment in the life of man and the life of the Church is the moment of God,” Archbishop Makarios stated during the reception of the relics, urging the faithful to place their trust in God’s will. He highlighted the historic significance of the ceremony, coinciding with the centenary of the Holy Archdiocese of Australia and the bicentennial of the martyrdom of the Four New Martyrs, calling it a divine orchestration: “If we humans wanted to plan a more beautiful and historic moment, we could not do it. But God did it!”
Metropolitan Prodromos praised the piety and spiritual depth of the Holy Archdiocese of Australia, affirming that “the holy relics will remain here forever, to become a source of blessing in a place where the name of God is truly glorified.” He also commended the Cretan Diaspora for their steadfast faith, stating they make their compatriots proud.
At the conclusion of the liturgy, Archbishop Makarios conferred the highest honorary distinction of the Holy Archdiocese of Australia, the Order of Philochristos, upon Consul General Emmanuel Kakavelakis. Acknowledging his exceptional four-year tenure in Melbourne, the Archbishop expressed gratitude for Kakavelakis’ exemplary service to the Greek Orthodox community and assured him of a lasting home within the Archdiocese, as he prepares for his new diplomatic mission in Syria.
The Polyarchieratic Co-liturgy and the reception of the holy relics were not just a spiritual celebration but a historic milestone, uniting faith, heritage, and community under the blessings of God and the saints.
