Australian and New Zealand Diocese (ROCOR)

On Tuesday, May 17, 2016, the anniversary of the reestablishment of unity within the Russian Orthodox Church (2007), the clergymen of the Diocese of Australia and New Zealand celebrated Divine Liturgy in Holy Virgin Protection Church in Cabramatta, having performed vigil and parastas in the presence of the coffin containing the body of the late Mitred Protopriest Michael Li, who died last week.

After Divine Liturgy, His Grace Bishop George of Canberra, Vicar of the Diocese, led the funeral service to a large gathering of worshipers who came to pray for the late pastor. During the eulogies read at the commemorative luncheon that followed the burial, the clergymen and laity stressed the decades of ascetic life of the priest, who endured a great deal of suffering for the sake of Orthodox Christianity, and his humble nature, humility, hard work and love for divine services. (more…)

On May 10, 2016, the feast of Radonitsa, His Eminence Metropolitan Hilaron, The First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad paid an archpastoral visit to Holy Trinity Monastery in Jordanville, NY USA.

During the reading of the Hours, Metropolitan Hilarion tonsured seminarian from the Australian and New Zealand Diocese Michael Storozhev a reader and ordained him a subdeacon. Following the Eucharistic Canon, subdeacon Michael was ordained to the diaconate.

Deacon Michael is assigned to Sts Peter and Paul Cathedral, Strathfield where he will fulfil his diaconate duties. (more…)

Christ is risen!

Every year, we are filled with spiritual joy and ecstasy when we hear these words and reverently participate in the exalted solemnity of the paschal divine services, which remind us of Christ’s glorious victory over sin, evil and death, for we celebrate “the demise of death, the destruction of Hades, the beginning of a new and everlasting life” (from the Paschal Canon). His Beatitude, Metropolitan Anthony (Khrapovitsky), who passed into eternity 80 years ago, penetratingly observed that every feast is a sacrament. And Pascha is the feast of feasts and triumph of triumphs. The gracious power of this mystical celebration fills with joy, comforts, strengthens for the bearing of life’s cross, restores one’s inner powers, and imbues one with the spiritual vigilance and undaunted courage to endure all the sorrows and sufferings that beset us in this life. (more…)

On Thursday 24 March and Friday 25 March 2016 the clergy of the Australian and New Zealand Diocese gathered in Sydney, NSW, for the customary Lenten Pastoral Retreat and Conference.  These dates had been chosen as Friday 25 March was a public holiday, making attendance easier for the many clergymen with secular work commitments.

On Thursday afternoon the clergy gathered for refreshments and fellowship in the hall of the Archbishop’s Chapel of All Saints of Russia in Croydon.  In the evening, the Rule of Preparation for Holy Communion was read and Lenten Matins was served.  The clergy formed the choir for the services, singing and reading in both Church Slavonic and English.  His Grace Bishop George of Canberra read the akathist during the Rule of Preparation for Holy Communion and the rector of the Croydon parish, Priest Simon Nekipelov, presided during Matins. (more…)

Holy Annunciation Orthodox Church, Brisbane, was pleased to welcome His Grace, Bishop George of Canberra, to preside at our patronal feastday.  On the eve of the feast, after a discussion with some of the youth of our parishes, His Grace arrived at Holy Annunciation.  He was greeted by the clergy of our parish, together with clergy from our Deanery, and the Great Vigil service was celebrated.

The next day, the Lenten Hours and Typika were served.  After this, Bp George was greeted on his arrival, was vested, and proceeded to celebrate the Hierarchal Vesperal Divine Liturgy of St John Chrysostom – the first Liturgy that His Grace had served at our parish – followed by a cross-procession. (more…)

A lecture prepared by Very Rev Dr Michael Protopopov on the “Life and Legacy of Archbishop Sava Raevsky” which was delivered to the Australian and New Zealand clergy at the Pastoral Retreat  on Friday 25 March 2016.

Archbishop Sava was born Theodore Feodorovich Raevsky on 10 February 1892 in the city of Efmenov in the Tula Province, just south of Moscow. Theodore Raevsky Snr was a public servant who managed a number of country estates for the local nobility, whilst his mother, Alexandra Troitsky, was the daughter and granddaughter of priests. Young Theodore was sent to study at the Tula Theological Seminary at his mother’s insistence, from which he graduated in 1911. He then enrolled in the history and philosophy section of the School of Jurisprudence, at the Warsaw University, which, in 1916, was evacuated to Rostov-on-Don because of the proximity of the German Front. (more…)

On Thursday 3 March 2016, His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion hosted meetings at his residence in Croydon, NSW, of the Spiritual Council, the Board of the Russian Orthodox Church (NSW) Property Trust, and the Diocesan Council.  (more…)

On Saturday 12 March 2016, His Holiness Patriarch Irinej of the Serbian Orthodox Church presided over the Divine Liturgy at St Luke the Apostle Serbian Orthodox Church Liverpool NSW. Co-celebrating with His Holiness were His Eminence Amphilochius, Archbishop of Cetinje and Metropolitan of Montenegro and the Littoral, His Grace Irenej, Bishop of Australia and New Zealand, Serbian Orthodox Church, His Grace Bishop George of Canberra, Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia and clergy from the Serbian and Russian Orthodox Churches. (more…)

On the evening of Thursday 10 March 2016, His Grace Bishop George of Canberra and Protodeacon Alexander Kotlaroff participated in the reception of His Holiness Serbian Patriarch Irinej hosted by the Consulate General of the Republic of Serbia, Sydney. (more…)