“Year of Patriarch Bartholomew” — 2026 in the Holy Archdiocese of Australia
The coming year has been proclaimed “Year of Patriarch Bartholomew” in the Holy Archdiocese of Australia, on the occasion of the 35th anniversary of the illustrious Patriarchate of the venerable Primate of Orthodoxy, His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew. Throughout 2026, a wide range of events will be organised across Australia in honour of the Ecumenical Patriarch, while in October a sacred pilgrimage to Constantinople will take place, during which a grand commemorative celebration will be held on the very day marking the anniversary of His All-Holiness’s election.
These plans were joyfully announced by His Eminence Archbishop Makarios of Australia during his address at the Vasilopita-cutting ceremony of the Holy Archdiocese, held on Friday, 2 January, at the Cathedral of the Annunciation of Our Lady in Sydney. His Eminence spoke with words of filial love for the Ecumenical Patriarch and expressed the profound gratitude of the local Church for the manifold benefactions of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, and in particular for the tangible pastoral care and support shown by His All-Holiness himself toward the Christ-loving faithful of Australia. He also recalled that Patriarch Bartholomew has become the longest-serving Primate of the Apostolic Throne of Constantinople, noting characteristically that “God has blessed His All-Holiness and wills that he remain there, for God is the One who ultimately decides.”
Concluding his remarks on the anniversary year, the Archbishop extended heartfelt thanks to the Greek Orthodox Christian Society for its pivotal role in the organisation of the event to be held in Constantinople, and issued an open invitation to all to participate either in the pilgrimage to the Sacred Centre of Orthodoxy or in the commemorative events to be held by the local dioceses throughout Australia.
Furthermore, during his address, His Eminence encouraged those present to set spiritual goals for 2026, and offered a brief review of the past year, referring, among other things, to the historic election, for the Holy Archdiocese of Australia, of the Their Graces, Bishop Athinagoras of Canberra and Bishop Christophoros of Kerasounta. “For the first time, the Holy Eparchial Synod compiled the list of three candidates by vote,” he observed, describing the event as historic and deeply moving.
After the cutting of the traditional Vasilopita, Archbishop Makarios distributed the portions and conveyed his paternal wishes to all, offering special congratulations to Mrs Antonia Fantakis, who was blessed to find the coin.
Present at the event were His Eminence Metropolitan Seraphim of Sevasteia, Their Graces the Chorespiskopi, Bishop Bartholomew of Brisbane and Bishop Athinagoras of Canberra, Their Graces Assistant Bishops, Bishop Iakovos of Miletoupolis, Abbot of the Holy Monastery of St George, Yellow Rock, Bishop Christodoulos of Magnesia, Chief Secretary of the Holy Eparchial Synod, and Bishop Christophoros of Kerasounta, Chancellor of the Holy Archdiocese, together with numerous clergy of Sydney and presidents and representatives of organisations and institutions of the local Church, among others.
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