Archbishop Makarios of Australia made a holy pilgrimage to the “Garden of the Virgin Mary” at the invitation of the Abbot of the Patriarchal and Stavropegial Monastery of Vatopedi, Elder Ephraim, on the Feast of the Annunciation of the Theotokos (according to the Julian calendar).
On Friday, April 5, the Archbishop arrived at the secluded and historic Monastery of Mount Athos, where he was solemnly received at the entrance by Abbot Ephraim and the Brotherhood. An official doxology was held in the Catholicon of the Monastery, at the end of which Archimandrite Ephraim warmly welcomed the Archbishop of Australia, praising his personality, virtues, and pastoral care in the fifth continent. He then briefly described their acquaintance and the subsequent deepening spiritual bond, focusing on the multifaceted work of the Orthodox Church in Australia under the leadership of Archbishop Makarios. He prayed that God would grant him the strength to continue to witness to Christ on the fifth continent and to lead the Christ-bearing fullness of the local Church to spiritual progress. Finally, Arch. Ephraim expressed the joy of the Athonite monks at the recent proclamation of St. Paisios as the Patron Saint of the Holy Archdiocese of Australia and of all of Australia. As a sign of this great spiritual joy, the Apolytikion of St. Paisios of Mount Athos was sung during the Archbishop’s reception.
I am happy to hear the chanting of his apolytikion here on Mount Athos, where St. Paisios lived and practiced asceticism, a hymn that seeks to connect the Holy Mountain and the Holy Archdiocese of Australia,” Archbishop Makarios responded. “We wish to spiritually connect our people with this unique ecclesiastical and spiritual center that is Mount Athos,” he emphasized at another point in his speech.
In addition, the Archbishop of Australia expressed his sincere gratitude to the Abbot and the entire community of the Monastery for the honorable and dignified reception that they accorded him. “I am grateful and indebted for your love and your words of honor toward me,” he said, “which I accept with much constraint and humility, not because I am worthy of these expressions of heartfelt love, but because they all have their reference and conclusion in our common Nurturer and Mother of all, the Holy and Great Church of Christ, and our common Father and Master of all, His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew.
On the eve of the feast, according to the monastic and Athonite tradition, a vigil was held in the Catholicon of the Holy Monastery of Vatopedi, dedicated to the event of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos, in a deeply reverent atmosphere. Archbishop Makarios was accompanied by the Abbot of the Holy Monastery of Hilandar, Elder Methodios, the Abbot of the celebrating Monastery, Elder Ephraim, and representatives of the monasteries of the Athonite State. During the Vigil, the Archbishop performed the service of the blessing of water at the fountain of the Monastery, followed by the procession of the Holy Icon of Panagia Vimatarissa around the Monastery. The Holy Vigil culminated in the solemn Divine Liturgy presided over by the Archbishop.
The hymns of the Divine Liturgy of the feast were solemnly sung by Archimandrite Fr. Cherubim Tsinoglou, Preacher of the Holy Monastery of Edessa, Pella, and Almopia, accompanied by his choir, and by the Fathers of Vatopedi with music teacher Dr. George Konstantinou. Among the numerous pilgrims present was the former civil governor of Mount Athos, Athanasios Martinos.
The Holy Feast concluded on Sunday afternoon with the celebration of the Post-Feast Vespers and the Founder’s Memorial Service for the repose of the Blessed Founder of the Holy Monastery of Vatopedi. Present at the service, presided over by Archbishop Makarios of Australia, were Archbishop Metropolitan Ioustinos of Nea Krini and Kalamaria and the Abbots of the Holy Monasteries of Xenophontos, Elder Alexios, Stavronikita, Elder Tychon and Pantocrator, Elder Gabriel, along with other Athonite Fathers.
It is worth noting that during his stay on Mount Athos, the Archbishop of Australia successively visited the Holy Monasteries of Iviron and Stavronikita, as well as the Holy Community.
At the Holy Monastery of Iviron, he was warmly received by the Abbot, Elder Nathanael, and the Brotherhood, as well as by the Prior, Elder Vasileios Gontikakis, with whom he discussed, in an atmosphere of warmth and emotion, his past visits to the Fifth Continent, especially his blessed visit in 1977, together with Saint Paisios. In addition, the Archbishop reverently venerated the miraculous icon of Panagia Portaitissa, which is kept in the Holy Monastery of Iviron.
Similarly, in the Holy Monastery of Stavronikita, the Archbishop received an equally warm welcome from the Abbot, Elder Tychon, and the Brotherhood. After venerating the miraculous icon of St. Nicholas and the other sacred treasures of the monastery, he had a warm discussion with the Hegumenos and the Fathers. Their emotion was evident at the canonization of the founder of the Monastery, St. Jeremiah, by the Holy Great Church of Christ.
Equally touching was the Archbishop’s visit to the Administrative Center of the Athonite State, where he was warmly received by Elder Stefanos of Hilandar, and Elders Nikodemos and Paisios of the Holy Monasteries of St. Paul and St. Gregory. After greeting the Hierarch of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, they presented him with an icon, a copy of the Virgin “Axion Estin”.
Archbishop Makarios left the “Garden of the Virgin” filled with emotion, having first thanked with all his heart the brotherhood of the Holy Monastery of Vatopedi, and especially the Abbot, Ephraim the Elder, for the gracious hospitality they offered him. Before leaving, he had a special meeting with monks from the fifth continent, to whom he gave his blessing and asked for their prayers for the beloved people of the Holy Archdiocese of Australia. It is noteworthy that 14 Australian monks reside in the Holy Monastery of Vatopedi.
As he left Mount Athos, the Archbishop implored the Virgin Mary to support the Australian people and to grant peace and unity to the Greeks of the Fifth Continent. He also lit a candle for the entire Archdiocese of Australia at each pilgrimage site he visited.
Translated by Ioanna Georgakopoulou
