Archbishop Makarios of Australia: “Our Saints are the greatest witness that Christ and the Gospel are the Truth”
With ecclesiastical splendour, the Church of All Saints in the Sydney suburb of Belmore celebrated its feast day over the two days of Saturday and Sunday, 6 and 7 June 2026. The sacred celebrations were presided over by His Eminence Archbishop Makarios of Australia, who on the eve of the feast presided at the Great Vespers and delivered the homily, while on the feast day he presided over the Matins service and at the Feast Day Divine Liturgy.
Present in prayer at the Great Vespers was the visiting hierarch of the Patriarchate of Alexandria, His Grace Bishop Chrysostomos of Bukoba and Western Tanzania. During the Festal Divine Liturgy, Bishop Chrysostomos concelebrated with Archbishop Makarios and His Grace Bishop Iakovos of Miletoupolis, Abbot of the Holy Monastery of Saint George, Yellow Rock, and also delivered the sermon.
A large number of clergy from Sydney participated in the two-day celebration, including the Parish Priest of the celebrating parish, Fr Dimitrios Papaoikonomou, and his predecessor, the retired priest Fr Christos Triantafyllou, as well as Archimandrite Fr Irinaios Koikas, Parish Priest of the Parish of Panagia Kamariani in Red Hill, Melbourne. On both Saturday and Sunday, the church was filled to capacity with devout faithful, among whom were the President of the Belmore Parish–Community, Mr Ulysses Ntoumbos, and the Head of School of All Saints Grammar, Mrs Elfa Lillis, together with members of staff and students of the school.
In his sermon, Archbishop Makarios emphasised that “our Saints are the greatest witness that Christ and the Gospel are the truth.” He then presented and analysed four common characteristics shared by all the Saints: their love for Christ and His Church, participation in the sacramental life of the Church, devotion to prayer, and freedom from the passion of judging others. “Our relationship with Christ passes through love for our neighbour. And when I love my neighbour, I do not insult him, I do not judge him, I do not condemn him,” the Archbishop noted among other things. Concluding his address, he paternally encouraged the faithful to strive to imitate the Saints of our Church.
For his part, Bishop Chrysostomos of Bukoba and Western Tanzania conveyed the message that the Church is an “ark of holiness.” Presenting examples of people who had lived sinful lives but were transformed within the Church and led to holiness, His Grace remarked characteristically: “Here we enter as beasts and leave as sheep. We enter wild and leave as saints. This is the work of the Church, always and everywhere.” Emphasising that holiness is not merely a reality of the past but can also be attained today, he made special mention of the recently canonised missionary to Africa, Saint Chrysostomos (Papasarantopoulos), as well as Saint Paisios the Athonite, the patron and protector of Australia. Finally, he expressed his particular joy at the vibrant presence of Orthodoxy on the Fifth Continent and at the unity and progress of the local Church under the leadership of Archbishop Makarios of Australia.
Following the Divine Liturgy, an outdoor Greek Festival was held, attended by Archbishop Makarios, the Bishops, clergy, and a large number of Greek from Belmore and the wider Sydney region.
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