The Feast Day of the Entrance of the Theotokos into the Temple was celebrated with due splendour in the Holy Diocese of Melbourne, with the focus of the feast day events taking place at the celebrating Church of the Entrance of Our Lady into the Temple in North Balwyn. The Divine Services held both on the eve and the main day of the Feast, 20 and 21 November, were presided over by Bishop Kyriakos of Melbourne.
At the Festal Vespers, His Grace was accompanied by numerous clergy from the Holy Diocese of Melbourne and the Holy Diocese of Chora, as well as Father Antipas and Father Theodosios from Mount Athos, who, with the blessing of His Eminence Archbishop Makarios of Australia, brought with them from Mount Athos the relics of Saint Anna, the mother of the Virgin Mary, for veneration by the faithful.
Many hundreds of faithful flocked to the celebrating Parish to honour the venerable person of the Virgin Mary, to venerate the holy relics and to pray together in light of their spiritual preparation for the feast of the Nativity of Christ. Among those present was Mr. Tony Tsourdalakis, President of the Intercommunities Council of Victoria.
During the Vespers Service, the Holy Sermon was preached by Fr. Antipas, who spoke about the significance of the feast and the holy relics.
On the next day, 21 November, His Grace Bishop Kyriakos of Melbourne officiated during the Matins and presided over the Feast Day Divine Liturgy, and was accompanied by Father Antipas, Father Theodosios, and the Parish Priest Father Nicholas Georgiou, as well as by Father Menelaos Hatzoglou and Father Elias Kentrotis.
After the Divine Liturgy, Father Nicholas Georgiou expressed his heartfelt thanks to His Grace and the Athonite Fathers for their presence at the Feast of the Church of the Entrance of Our Lady into the Temple.
As well, His Grace conveyed to all the faithful the paternal prayers and blessings of His Eminence Archbishop Makarios of Australia.
