On Monday, February 10, the feast of Saint Hieromartyr Charalambos was celebrated with ecclesiastical pomp under the leadership of Archbishop Makarios of Australia and with the participation of numerous parishioners and pilgrims in the church bearing his name in the village of Tuggerah, on the Central Coast of New South Wales.
At the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, the Archbishop spoke with great reverence about the honored Saint, reflecting on his life and virtues, with particular emphasis on his martyrdom. Among other things, he emphasized that St. Charalambos courageously stood before Lucian, the governor of Magnesia and a persecutor of Christians, and confessed his faith in Christ without fear of death. Noting that death is a natural and inevitable event for all people, he urged the faithful not only not to fear it, but also to prepare themselves spiritually for the transition to the next world, to eternal life. It is human to fear change,” he acknowledged, but he emphasized that the Church and her saints, including St. Charalambos, teach us that “we do not have a permanent city here, but we seek the one that is to come.
The Archbishop also mentioned Sts. Baptus and Porphyrius, who were among the soldiers who tortured St. Charalambos. “No matter how brutal a person’s feelings may be, he still has a conscience,” he remarked, adding: “Everyone has a conscience, but these two listened to what their conscience was telling them. Often we do not listen and continue to live in our own way. These two soldiers, however, heard the voice of their conscience telling them that this man was a saint. His face was radiant with joy. That was the message they received, and they believed in Christ and were also martyred”.
Continuing to focus on the radiance of the martyr Charalambos, the Archbishop emphasized: “He understood that the moment was approaching when he would go to meet the One he had loved all his life – Christ. That is why his face was radiant with joy, which made this his greatest homily. Without saying a word, he managed to convert two pagans into martyrs and saints of the Church. This shows us how powerful our life and example can be – what is conveyed by the mere presence of a person.
Archbishop Makarios concluded his address with festive and fatherly wishes to all the parishioners of St. Charalambos Church and the visiting pilgrims. He also praised the parish priest, Father Anastasios Kalogerakis, for his successful organization of the Holy Feast and, in general, for his diligent ministry.
Translated by Ioanna Georgakopoulou
