Australian and New Zealand Diocese (ROCOR)

English Liturgy at Archbishop’s chapel, Croydon: Sunday 12/7/09 at 8am

On Monday the 22nd of June, His Eminence, Metropolitan Hilarion departed from Sydney’s Kingsford Smith Airport to begin an eight day visitation of the parishes in South Korea and Indonesia that are under the canonical protection of the Australian & New Zealand Diocese.

His first destination was Seoul, capital of South Korea where he was met by Deacon Father Paul Kang, who drove the Metropolitan to Holy Trinity Skete in the rural seaside village of Yonghwa.

On Tuesday the 23rd of June, His Eminence served the Divine Liturgy in the Skete’s Church of St Anna. The Head of the Korean Orthodox Mission, Father Justin Kang and his wife Matushka Helen, have both felt for a long time the call to the monastic life. Thus, during the Liturgy Father Justin Kang was tonsured to the small schema with the new name of John – Johan in Korean – in honour of St John of Kronstadt and will be based at Holy Trinity Skete. Matushka Helen Kang was tonsured into the small schema with the new name of Elizabeth in honour of the New Martyr Grand Duchess Elizabeth of Russia. Mother Elizabeth is attached to St Helen’s Chapel in the village of Chanjho. (more…)

A Talk by Priestmonk Kosmas, Elders vs. Religious Intellectuals: Whom to Follow?  will be held in the hall of the parish of  St George Church, Carlton, at 6pm. A Vesper Service for the Synaxis of the Twelve Apostles will be served in English beforehand at 4.45pm. (more…)

On Saturday the 4th of July 2009, His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion travelled 2 and half hours from Sydney to the township of Gunning. Here, in the home of Father Seraphim and Matushka Helen Slade he served the Divine Liturgy in English and blessed a chapel in honour of St John of Shanghai and San Francisco. Ordained priest only a year ago and of aboriginal heritage, Father Seraphim’s work with aboriginal media organisations obliges him to travel widely around Australia to many indigenous communities. This provides him with many excellent opportunities to introduce Orthodox Christianity to indigenous Australians in many different locations. The blessing of the home chapel provides Father Seraphim with a base where the Divine Liturgy can be regularly served for a small but growing number of converts to the Orthodox faith in Gunning and surrounding areas. (more…)

4 июля 2009 г. в Австралийско-Новозеландской епархии РПЦЗ прошли торжества, посвященные 15-летию со дня прославления святителя Иоанна Шанхайского и Сан-Францисского, чудотворца.

День памяти святителя – 2 июля, но торжественное богослужение в епархии по традиции переносится на ближайшую субботу для того, чтобы дать возможность большему числу прихожан участвовать в Божественной литургии.

4 июля Первоиерах РПЦЗ, митрополит Восточно-Американский и Нью-Йоркский, архиепископ Сиднейский и Австралийско-Новозеландский, Высокопреосвященнейший Иларион освятил новый храм во имя свт. Иоанна Шанхайского, предназначенный специально для православных австралийских аборигенов. (more…)

On July 2, 1966 (new calendar) the great hierarch, of universal significance, St. John (Maximovich) passed away. This year marks the 15th anniversary of his glorification by the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad (ROCOR). In almost all the churches of ROCOR (and now also in the churches of the Moscow Patriarchate) prayful services were conducted on the occasion of this remarkable date. (more…)

2-го  июля 1966 по новому стилю скончался великий иерарарх, вселенского значения, святитель Иоанн (Максимович). В этом году праздновалось 15-ти летие прославления святого Русской Православной Церковью Зарубежом (РПЦЗ). Почти во всех храмах РПЦЗ (и ныне во храмах Московского Патриархата) совершались службы по случаю этой знаменательной даты. (more…)

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4th Sunday after Pentecost – the Roman Centurion

Homily From “The One Thing Needful,” Sermons of Archbishop Andrei (Rymarenko)

“Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness” (Mt. 6:33). This is what last Sunday’s Gospel left with us.

On the day of Pentecost the Lord sent down upon His Church the Holy Spirit. Just as all of nature which, after it had been warmed up by the sun, began to grow flowers, plants, and fruits  —  so the Holy Church, upon receiving the Holy Spirit, the Giver of Life, began to grow spiritual flowers  —  her wonderful Saints.

All the Gospel readings since the coming down of the Holy Spirit have been telling us what we must do to obtain the Kingdom of Heaven; what all the Saints did, how they sought and how they found “the Kingdom of God and His righteousness.” We were given the command-ments of the Lord. But today we are not given commandments, or a teaching. No, but rather life itself, a living example. And as an example for us, the Gospel reading gives us a Roman centu-rion, a pagan. This is an example of the most profound humility. This example shows us how a master, out of love for his neighbor, becomes a slave. After all, according to his civic position, this Centurion was master not only over the hundred soldiers which he commanded, but also over all Jews, which meant even over Christ; because the Jews were enslaved by the Romans. (more…)

4th Sunday after Pentecost

MATINS (IV)

Luke 24:1-12

1 Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them. 2 And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre. 3 And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus. 4 And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments: 5 And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead? 6 He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee, 7 Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again. 8 And they remembered his words, 9 And returned from the sepulchre, and told all these things unto the eleven, and to all the rest. 10 It was Mary Magdalene and Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, and other women that were with them, which told these things unto the apostles. 11 And their words seemed to them as idle tales, and they believed them not. 12 Then arose Peter, and ran unto the sepulchre; and stooping down, he beheld the linen clothes laid by themselves, and departed, wondering in himself at that which was come to pass. (more…)