Australian and New Zealand Diocese (ROCOR)

On Saturday the 13th and Sunday the 14th of August 2016, His Grace Bishop George served the All-Night Vigil and Divine Liturgy for the feast of the Procession of the Honourable Wood of the Life-Giving Cross of the Lord at Sts. Peter and Paul Cathedral Strathfield NSW.

Following the Divine Liturgy, His Grace performed the Lesser Blessing of the Waters as it is practiced in the Russian Orthodox Church. Because of the Blessing of Waters, this first Feast of the Savior in August is sometimes called ‘Savior of the Water’. New gathered honey may also be blessed on this day, which is why the Feast is also called ‘Savior of the Honey’. (more…)

On Friday 5 August and Saturday 6 August we had festive services in anticipation of the feast of our patron saint, the Great Martyr and Healer Panteleimon, on 9 August.  Prior to the services, our small church was beautifully decorated with flowers by Ekaterina Waters.

On Friday evening All-night Vigil with the blessing of wheat, wine, oil and five loaves was served by the rector of the Archbishop’s Chapel of All Saints of Russia (Croydon, NSW), Priest Simon Nekipelov, and by our parish deacon, Father Martin Naef.  Joining them for the litia and the polyeleos were our parish rector, Priest James Carles, and Priest Dionysios Halim of Saint John the Baptist Skete (Kentlyn, NSW). (more…)

On Monday the 11th and Tuesday 12th July 2016, the feast day of Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, divine services were held in the Diocesan Cathedral, Strathfield NSW in honour of the parish’s feast day.

The All-Night Vigil was led by His Grace Bishop George of Canberra joined by Archpriest George Lapardin Dean, Saints Peter and Paul Diocesan Cathedral (Strathfield, NSW), Archpriest Nikolai Cleric, Serbian Orthodox Church, Priest James Carles Rector, Saint Panteleimon Church (Gosford, NSW), Priest Dionisy Halim Cleric, Saint John the Baptist Skete (Kentlyn, NSW), Hieromonk Philip (Balingit), together with Saints Peter and Paul Diocesan Cathedral deacons, Alexander Kotlaroff, Constantine Moshegov and Michael Storozhev. (more…)

Saint John the Baptist Cathedral in Canberra celebrated its parish feast day on Sunday 10 July 2016. The Cathedral rector, His Grace Bishop George accompanied by Protodeacon Alexander Kotlaroff and 2 sub-deacons arrived in Canberra from Sydney on Saturday, 9 July 2016.

The All-night vigil was served at 5pm by His Grace along with the Cathedral dean Archpriest Alexander Morozow, Abbot Sergei from Holy Transfiguration Monastery, Bombala, Protodeacon Alexander Kotlaroff and Deacon Michael Storozhev clerics of Saints Peter and Paul Cathedral, Strathfield.

On Sunday morning, Fr Alexander Morozow served the molelen with the lesser blessing of the waters and at 9am the clergy greeted the Cathedral rector. During the reading of the 6th hour, Bishop George tonsured Stephen David into a reader then the Divine Liturgy was celebrated. (more…)

On Tuesday, July 19, 2016, the Korenny Pilgrim Center near the Kursk-Root Hermitage in Russia hosted the opening of the 9th International Concord of Orthodox Youth. The main focus of this conference is the celebration of the 1000th anniversary of the Russian presence on Mt Athos, Greece. A group of Australian and New Zealand youth from the Diocese flew to Kursk under the guidance of Protodeacon Alexander Abramoff cleric of the Holy Protection Cathedral, Melbourne to participate in the conference. Please click here for more information.

On Thursday 23 June 2016 meetings of the Board of the Russian Orthodox Church (NSW) Property Trust and the Diocesan Council were held at the Diocesan House in Croydon, NSW.  Participating in this full day of meetings were Diocesan Administrator Bishop George, Diocesan Chancellor Mitred Archpriest Michael Protopopov, and Diocesan Council members Archpriest George Lapardin, Priest James Carles, Protodeacon Alexander Abramoff, Nicholas Nedachin, Alexander Bialocerkowski, Lubov Cowall and Nicholas Wirubov. Metropolitan Hilarion participated in the meeting of the Property Trust by telephone. (more…)

Beloved in the Lord Brothers and Sisters:

I send my heartfelt greetings on the feast of All Saints, and the Day of Orthodox Youth celebrated on this day, which was established by the Russian Church Abroad seven years ago.
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On Saturday, 2 July 2016 the Australian and New Zealand Diocese will be commemorating the 50 year anniversary of the repose of St John of Shanghai and San Francisco.

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On Thursday, May 19, 2016, the feast day of Prophet Job the Much-Suffering, His Grace Bishop George of Canberra, Vicar of the Diocese of Australia and New Zealand, celebrated Divine Liturgy at the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God Church in Rocklea after which he officiated at the funeral of the late Mitred Protopriest Michael Klebansky. He was joined by 15 priests, three deacons and a large gathering of worshipers, among whom were relatives and the many followers of the late priest. (more…)