annunciation_2015On 6-7 April, 2015, we were blessed to welcome His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion, our First Hierarch and Diocesan Bishop, to officiate at the celebration of the patronal (parish) feastday of the Holy Annunciation parish in Brisbane, which is the only full-time English language parish in the city of Brisbane.

On the eve of the feast, His Eminence celebrated the Great Vigil with Litia in the assistance of visiting clergy and lay people from all of the Russian Orthodox parishes of Brisbane.Continue Reading

kurskicon_stpatrickmission_6With the blessing of His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion, First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia, St Patrick Mission had the inestimable privilege of welcoming the wonder-working Kursk-Root Icon of the Mother of God “Of the Sign” for the All-Night Vigil of Palm Sunday.Around 60 of the faithful attended for all or part of the litya prior to the Vigil and for the Vigil itself. The Vigil was served by the rector: Priest Peter Hill, generously assisted by Hieromonk Tikhon, who accompanied the holy Icon. We were also pleased to welcome later Priest Jeremy Krieg, who came after the conclusion of the Vigil at St Nektarios Greek Orthodox Church.Continue Reading

lenten_concert_strathfiled_2015_1On March 22, the Sunday of St. John Climacus and the feast day of the 40 Martyrs of Sebaste, with the belssing of the cathedral dean, Archpriest George Lapardin, a lenten Choral Concert “Do Not Turn Thy Face Away” under the direction of Andrei Laptev was held at Sts Peter and Paul Cathedral, Strathfield. Choir members consisted of singers from parishes within the Australian and New Zealand Russian Orthodox Diocese.Continue Reading

melbourne_16On Sunday 22nd February, Forgiveness Sunday, His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the Holy Protection Cathedral in Melbourne in the presence of the Kursk-Root Icon of the Mother of God.

Concelebrating with Vladika were Archpriest Nicholas Karipoff (the rector of the cathedral), Archpriest Nicholas Dalinkewicz and Archpriest Peter Sheko with Protodeacon Alexander Abramoff .Continue Reading

sobor_5The Kursk-Root Icon of the Mother of God “of the Sign” has visited parishes of the Russian, Serbian and the Greek Orthodox Churches in Australia during the month of February and March.

 14/02/2015 – The Kurks-Root Icon visited St Alexander Nevsky Russian Orthodox School, Strathfield where the children venerated the Holy Icon. That evening the Holy Icon was brought to Sts. Peter and Paul Cathedral, Strathfield where the vigil for the great feast ‘The Meeting of the Lord’ was served.Continue Reading

kursk_iconWith the blessing of His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion, the First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad, the Kursk-Root Icon of the Mother of God “of the Sign” will be visiting the Australian and New Zealand Diocese from February to April 2015.

During this time, the icon will visit all the parishes and monasteries of the Diocese. Click here for the schedule.

По благословению Высокопреосвященнейшего митрополита Илариона, Первоиерарха РПЦЗ, в Австралийско-Новозеландскую епархию пребудет чудотворная икона Божией Матери ” Знамение” Курская-Коренная.

Икона будет посещать все приходы и монастыри епархии от праздника Сретения Господня и до Пасхи 2015 г. График пребывания иконы здесь.

nativity_2014Most Reverend fellow archpastors, most honorable fathers–concelebrants, reverent diaconate in Christ, beloved in the Lord monastics, laboring in our monasteries; brothers and sisters, faithful children of the Russian Church Abroad, spread as God’s grains of wheat across the face of the entire earth!

From the depth of my heart, filled with joy, I greet all of you with the Nativity of the God of peace and love, who became a live Human Being, one of us! Contemplating the manger of Christ, I offer the gift of fervent prayer for the establishment of a deep and inalienable peace in the hearts of all men, all peoples, in my heart and in your hearts—that compunctious peace which was brought to the city of Bethlehem by that great chorus of angels, which proclaimed: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.”

Today the Holy Church represents Bethlehem in each of Her temples. She desires that Continue Reading