Australian and New Zealand Diocese (ROCOR)

Day 6, 9 February 2008

Compared to the other days in Chile this day proved to be relatively easy-going. Breakfast and lunch were taken at the hotel.

In the morning the delegates were able to work on news articles, personal emails and reading. After lunch they left by plane to Santiago.

Representatives of the Arab Orthodox community came to farewell the bishop and his co-travellers, their eyes still obviously gleaming with the joy they had experienced from such and unusual and important meeting.

Having once again returned to Santiago, the bishop headed off to Ekaterina Jurlow’s house to rest prior to the evening service.

The vigil that night was in honour of the Holy New Martyrs and Confessors of Russia.

Fr. Alexei Aedo served in Spanish, whilst the choir replied and sang in three languages: Spanish, Slavonic and English. The bishop served the polieleos and with the help of his co-delegates triumphantly glorified the holy martyrs by singing the Magification.

Day 7, 10 February 2008

The next morning, with the help of a pious Chilean family – Juan and Carla and their baby son Uriel, the bishop arrived at the St. Nektarios church. Awaiting him there were a group of parishioners, who by nationality were mainly Chilean, together with the Jurlow sisters. This was the first time the epicopal Divine Liturgy was held in this church. This unusual nature of this event was underlined even more with the tonsure of two readers – Roberto Leon and Jorge Cortes Reyes, and the awarding of the Kamilavka to Fr. Alexei. In his sermon concerning the struggle of the New Martyrs of Russia, Vladyka quoted the memorable words of an ancient Church writer who said: “The blood of martyrs is the seed of faith” and called all to imitate their staunch faith and the self-sacrifice of the Russian martyrs.

After the service everyone proceeded to the neighbouring university hall, where lunch took place. During the luncheon the church warden (he being also the newly-tonsured reader) Roberto Leon, the secretary of the parish, Dr Elizabeth Jurlow and her sister Ekaterina, gave speeches in which they thanked, through Vladyka, His Eminence Metropolitan Laurus for sending them the delegation of ROCOR and that the uniqueness of this event would forever in their memory. Beginning with Vladyka Hilarion all of the delegates were given thank you gifts. The people remained in the hall for a long time, warmly enjoying the fellowship.

After several hours Vladyka, Fr Michael and Reader Dionisiy left for their apartment.

In the evening His Grace invited the main activists of the St Nectarios parish to an Italian restaurant, among whom were the newly-tonsured readers who, for the first time were appearing in public in their cassocks. After the meal the delegates were escorted to their apartment by Enrique Patzke and Nicholas Jurlow, the son of the parish secretary. They continued their discussions long into the early hours of the morning, viewing photographs diocesan life in Australia, asking many different questions and receiving from Vladyka and Fr Michael the pertinent answers.

Day 8, 11 February 2008

Even considering Chilean time, Monday began quite late. One has to understand that daily life begins quite late, around 10 to 11, but ends quite early – 1 to 2 a.m.!

At 12 noon Fr Alexei and several of his parishioners drove Vladyka and his party to the seaside cities of Valparaiso and Vina del Mar. These beautiful cities which are surrounded by picturesque landscapes – mountains, valleys and the ocean – are located about 1 and 1 ½ hours drive north of Santiago. A tour of the city of Valparaiso was organised for the delegates. Everywhere, just like in Santiago, the locals and foreign tourists stopped the unfamiliar Orthodox group, asking to be photographed with them and inquiring about Orthodoxy. The group indeed resembled a mobile missionary church which was comprised of an archbishop, an archpriest, priest, three readers and laity. On the way home Fr Michael and the readers sang a short vespers service.

Day 9, 12 February 2008

The last day in Chile. Early in the morning the Divine Liturgy in honour of the Three Hierarchs began about 8 a.m. It was celebrated mainly in Slavonic by Fr Michael. During the Sixth Hour Archbishop Hilarion tonsured Edgardo Oyarzo a Reader. Reader Edgardo, a talented woodcarver, travelled especially from the distant southern city of Valdivia to meet with Vladyka and take his first steps towards clerical for the good of the Holy Church.

In his sermon Fr Michael noted the triple characteristic nature of the lives of the great hierarchs, Sts Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian and John Chrysostom. Firstly, they were great ascetics; secondly, their struggles gave them the opportunity to become inspirational and authoritative Teachers and Fathers of the Church. Thirdly, through their deep devotion to Christ’s Church, they became her most zealous defenders, defending her against enemies both within and without. “Our bishops strive to imitate them. But those who neglect their lawful hierarchy ‘tread dangerously’,” Fr Michael concluded.

At the end of the service all who were present prayerfully congratulated His Eminence Metropolitan Laurus, the First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad and all the teachers and students of the Holy Trinity Seminary with the school’s patronal feastday. This feastday has always had and always will have, God willing, an important meaning for Vladyka and his co-travellers since they are all graduates of this theological school of the Church Abroad.

It was very difficult and teary to say good bye to the Chilean friends. They are people who live humbly, but are ready to give the shirt on their back to their guests. This surprised and humbled the delegates. Unfortunately, the separation was inevitable and at 2.30 pm that afternoon Vladyka and his helpers left for Brazil. At the airport in San Paulo they were met by Archpriest George Petrenko.

AMB