archbishop_savaA 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.Continue Reading

st_luke_soc_liverpool_032016_9On 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.Continue Reading

syezd1With the blessing of His Grace Bishop George, the 51st annual Orthodox Youth Conference – Syezd 2015 – was successfully held from 26-31 December 2015, at Camp Manyung, Mt Eliza, south-east of Melbourne, Victoria. As in previous years, Syezd 2015 provided attendees with the opportunity to learn more about their Orthodox faith as well as meeting many other Orthodox youth from all over Australia and overseas.Continue Reading

pastoral_conferenceFor many years it has been customary for the clergy of the Australian-New Zealand Diocese to gather together during Great Lent to discuss matters of pastoral concern and liturgical practice.  In recent years, it has become usual for such gatherings to be held in conjunction with the annual Diocesan youth activities during December.

In December 2015, clergy from all four deaneries convened in two locations.  The first gathering was at the Luther Heights Camp at Coolum Beach, Queensland, the site of the Diocesan Teen Retreat.  The second was at Camp Manyung in Mount Eliza, Victoria, the site of the over-18s Diocesan Youth Conference.Continue Reading

consecration_hpc_melbourne_stxenia_altar_(13)On Sunday 27 December 2015 Bishop George consecrated the side altar of the Holy Protection Cathedral in Melbourne to Saint Xenia of St. Petersburg.

Concelebrating with Bishop George were Archpriests Nicholas Karipoff (parish rector) , Nicholas Dalinkiewicz, Peter Sheko, Simon Kichakov, Gabriel Makarov, Boris Ignatievsky and Priests James Carles, Alexander Paramonov, a guest priest from overseas and Protodeacons Basil Kozulin, Alexander Abramoff and Deacon Mark Woloszyn.Continue Reading

nativity_2016

Eminent brother-archpastors, father-concelebrants, God-loving monastics,
 beloved in the Lord brothers and sisters, parishioners and worshipers
 of our churches, scattered throughout the world:

I extend to you my heartfelt greetings on this grace-filled feast day of the Nativity of Christ, when the Omnipotent God, Creator and Master of the heavens and the earth, became a living Person, One of us, born a helpless Infant in the small Judean village of Bethlehem!Continue Reading

teen_retreat_2015_33From 20-24 Dec, the Diocesan Teen Retreat was held on the Sunshine Coast in southeast Queensland, with the blessing of Metropolitan Hilarion and in the presence of Bishop George.

The organising committee, headed by Priest Gabriel Lapardin, had selected Luther Heights as the place for almost 60 teens, travelling from near and far, to draw closer to God and develop connections that will last a lifetime.Continue Reading