Australian and New Zealand Diocese (ROCOR)

(more…)

The Saint Patrick Orthodox Mission celebrated its first feast day on Saturday 2 April (n.s.) at Saint Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church, Wayville.

It was with a spirit of great joy and thanksgiving that worshippers gathered for Matins on the Friday evening, and again to celebrate the Holy Mysteries at the Divine Liturgy on the Saturday morning.

The Divine Liturgy was concelebrated by the Vicar General of the Australian and New Zealand Diocese, the Very Rev. Mitred Archpriest Michael Protopopov, together with: Archpriest Vladimir Deduhin, Rector of Saint Nicholas Church; Abbot Benjamin and Hieromonk Nicholas from the Prophet Elias Monastery, Monarto; Archimandrite Silouan from the Greek Orthodox Monastery of Saint Nektarios, Croydon; Father Nicolas Haddad from Saint Elias Antiochian Orthodox Church; Hieromonk Kyril and Deacon Emil Mishriky from Holy Ascension Orthodox Mission, East Brunswick, Victoria; Father Barnabas Jellings and Deacon Daniel Jellings from Saint Elizabeth the New Martyr Mission, O’Halloran Hill; and Father Peter Hill, Rector of Saint Patrick Mission. (more…)

On the 29 and 30 March 2011 a seminar was held at the Diocesan Offices for parish wardens (starostas) and treasurers. At the Diocesan Assembly last December, a number of serious problems were identified in the administration and finances of parishes and needing redress. The Diocesan Council, having studied the situation decided to introduce a series of seminar to address the problems and prepare parish officials for their duties.

Contemporary life dictates new approaches to parish life and governments have also set regulations which affect the lives of public organisations. Consequently, parishes have to be well ordered and their officials need to be properly prepared for their responsibilities.

The aim of these seminars is to raise the standard of professionalism of parish committees and it is planned that during the year further seminars will address the needs of parish Sisterhoods and schools. (more…)

I greet you, fellow archpastors, and dear in Christ fathers, brothers, and sisters, with the luminous, universal, and eternal triumph of Holy Pascha. Along with you, I cry out with all my heart: Truly Christ is Risen!

How much bright joy these words contain! They destroy all sorrows, disappointments, hardships, and privations, while bestowing consolation and blessings.

Christ is Risen! If Christ be not raised, your faith is vain, says the Apostle Paul; our hope in Christ would be to no purpose. But Christ is risen, thereby demonstrating that He is truly God, that the doctrine preached by Him is true, and that our faith is true.  He promised His Apostles that He would suffer, die, and rise again on the third day – and His word was fulfilled.  He arose in our human flesh, which means, according to His veritable promise, that we too will be resurrected at the time determined by Him. He is “the first-born from the dead,” as He is called in the Divine Liturgy of St. Basil the Great that is served on Sundays during Great Lent. And we who believe in Him will also arise and be with Him. (more…)

His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion, First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia officiated at the celebration of the patronal feast day of the parish of the Holy Annunciation in Brisbane. This event marked a number of historic firsts – firstly, it was the first time that a bishop has served at the parish in 22 years. More importantly, it was also the first time that Metropolitan Hilarion has visited the parish since it was canonically received into the Australian and New Zealand Diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia from the Orthodox Church of America approximately two years ago. Most importantly, it was also the first time that any bishop of the ROCOR has ever visited or served the parish since its founding in 1974. (more…)

Click the picture below to see the third issue of the newsletter:

Click the picture below to see the second issue of the newsletter:

Click the picture below to see the first issue of the newsletter:

Recordings of the Divine Liturgy and the Rite of Orthodoxy from the Sunday of Orthodoxy celebrated at Saints Peter and Paul Cathedral by His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion and cathedral clergy are available below. (more…)