On Sunday, August 24, the Holy Archdiocese of Australia marked the 1700th anniversary of the First Ecumenical Council of Nicaea with a solemn Synodal Divine Liturgy at the Cathedral of the Annunciation in Sydney.
Archbishop Makarios of Australia, President of the Holy Eparchial Synod, presided over the service, concelebrating with Bishops Kyriakos of Melbourne, Elpidios of Perth, Silouan of Adelaide, Bartholomew of Brisbane, and Evmenios of Chora.
As part of the commemoration, the Encyclical of the Holy Eparchial Synod was proclaimed in both Greek and English. Archimandrite Irenaeus Trialonakis read the text in Greek, while Archimandrite Christoforos Krikelis of the Ecumenical Throne, Protosyncellus of the Holy Archdiocese of Australia and Hierarchical Head of the Cathedral, delivered the English translation.
The Synodal Encyclical emphasized that “the First Ecumenical Council of Nicaea, beyond its fundamental role in defining Church doctrine and affirming the consubstantiality of the Son and Word of God with the Father, holds a central place in history. Through its convocation and the participation of bishops from across the Empire, the Church for the first time gained a profound sense of its universality.
This signifies that partiality and locality are transcended in favor of wholeness, universality, and unity.
This profound experience of unity—despite later trials—remains alive and deeply embedded in the memory of the Church, and whenever the ecclesiastical body is threatened by division, the synodical system is called upon to safeguard its integrity.
Among those present at the service were Theodosios Penklis, Vice-President of the Archdiocesan Council and Archon of the Great Church of Christ; Professor Philippos Kariatlis, Deputy Dean of the Theological School of Apostle Andrew; and Orthodox clergyman and Professor of Theology at the University of Aberdeen, Fr. John Behr.
In his concluding address, Archbishop Makarios expressed heartfelt appreciation for Fr. Behr, commending his theological contributions and thanking him for his visit to Sydney and for his participation in the International Scientific Conference on the First Ecumenical Council, organized by the Theological School of Apostle Andrew on August 22–23.
“It is a great honor for us to have you with us,” the Archbishop declared emphatically, as he presented Fr. Behr with a pectoral cross in recognition of his enduring support for the Theological School of the Holy Archdiocese of Australia.
