The 14th Synaxis of Bishops of the Holy Archdiocese of Australia, presided over by Archbishop Makarios of Australia, was held in Sydney June 7-8.
Topics of discussion included the celebration of the memory of Saint Bartholomew and the celebration of the name of the Ecumenical Patriarch throughout Australia.
It is known that on the feast day, there will be a Trisarchieratic Divine Liturgy, presided over by Archbishop Makarios of Australia, at Holy Trinity Church in Hobart, Tasmania.
Additionally, during the Synaxis, a new date was determined for the holding of the Pan-Australian Holy Synaxis, which had been postponed due to the pandemic.
In addition, it has been decided that all the faithful belonging to the Holy Archdiocese of Ohrid are now accepted for the mystery of marriage as well as to become godparents, without any prior condition of anointing, as was the case until today.
Finally, the Archbishop and Bishops express their gratitude to Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and the Synod Hierarchs for the recent decision of the Holy Synod to include Orthodox Christians of Ukrainian descent living in Australia within the jurisdiction of the Holy Archdiocese.
Read the press release below:
The 14th Synaxis of Bishops of the Holy Archdiocese of Australia, presided over by Archbishop Makarios of Australia, was held in Sydney June 7-8.
The Archbishop conveyed the warm wishes and blessings of His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew to the Hierarchs and updated them on current issues and initiatives of the Mother Church and the Holy Archdiocese.
Then all the items on the agenda were discussed and the following is announced to the noble clergy and the Christian people of Australia:
1. In memory of Saint Apostle Bartholomew, on the day on which our Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew celebrates his feast day, a Trisarchieratic Divine Liturgy will take place, presided over by our Archbishop at Holy Trinity Church, Hobart, as part of his Pastoral Visit to Tasmania . On the same day, the memory of Saint Bartholomew and the celebrations of our Ecumenical Patriarch will be solemnly celebrated:
- At Sydney Cathedral of the Annunciation, celebrated by Bishop Elpidios of Kyanea.
- At St. Nicholas Church in Canberra, presided over by Bishop Iakovos of Miletoupolis.
- At the Church of Saint-Eustache in Melbourne, presided over by Metropolitan Ezekiel of Dervis.
- At St. Panteleimon’s Church in Adelaide, presided over by Bishop Silouane of Sinope.
- At the Church of Saint Paraskevi in Brisbane, presided over by Bishop Emilianos de Meloa.
- At the Church of Panagia “Axion Estin” in Northcote, presided over by Bishop Eumenios of Kerasounta.
2. The pan-Australian meeting of the priesthood, postponed due to the pandemic, will take place in Sydney from 17 to 19 October 2022, with the general theme: “The priesthood: from secularism to ecclesiastical morality”
3. After the decision of the Mother of Christ, the Great Church, to restore ecclesiastical communion with the Holy Archdiocese of Ohrid, all the faithful who belong to the restored Archdiocese are now accepted for the mystery of marriage as well as to become godfathers and godmothers, without the prerequisite of the anointing, as was the case until today.
4. Finally, the Archbishop and Bishops express their gratitude to the Ecumenical Patriarch and Synodal Hierarchs for the recent decision of the Holy Synod to include Orthodox Christians of Ukrainian descent residing in Australia within the jurisdiction of the Holy Archdiocese, correcting with this decision a chronic non-canonical situation of multijudicial status.
All the hierarchs of the ecumenical throne in Australia, presided over by His Eminence the Archbishop, are ready to serve the mystery of the salvation of the Ukrainian brothers with love and sensitivity, respecting their needs and their customs, so that they preserve the language and the rich culture of their homeland.
