With the blessing of His Eminence Archbishop Makarios of Australia, His Grace Bishop Bartholomew of Brisbane visited the Greek Orthodox Church of Saint Anna on the Gold Coast in Queensland, in order to participate in the celebratory services for the Church’s Patron Saint, Saint Anna the Mother of the Virgin Mary, on the occasion of the recent commemoration of her dormition feast which was held on 25 July.
On Sunday, 28 July 2024, His Grace officiated during the Matins Service and presided over the Divine Liturgy commemorating the memory of Saint Irene of Chrysovalantou and the Holy Apostles of the Seventy and Deacons: Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, and Parmenas. Bishop Bartholomew was joined by the Parish Priest Father Romanos Stergiou and Father Stavros Karvelas, Assistant Priest of the Church of Saint George, Brisbane.
At the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy a procession of the holy icon of Saint Anna was conducted around the Church.
Moreover being the feast day of Saint Irene of Chrysovalantou, His Grace Bishop Bartholomew read a prayer for the blessing of the Apples of Saint Irene.
Immediately following the service His Grace attended the function centre adjacent to the church for a traditional Greek paniyiri.
Both Father Romanos Stergiou and the Parish-Community President Mrs. Sandra Voukelatos welcomed His Grace Bishop Bartholomew of Brisbane to the Parish-Community of Saint Anna and congratulated him on being the first elected Bishop of Brisbane.
In reply, His Grace thanked both Father Romanos and Mrs. Voukelatos for their kind words and conveyed to all the love and blessings of His Eminence Archbishop Makarios of Australia.
In addition, His Grace thanked Father Romanos, the Parish-Community President, the Council, the Ladies Auxiliary and all those who serve the blessed Parish-Community of Saint Anna for all that they do on the Gold Coast. Moreover, His Grace emphasised the importance of not forgetting those who have fallen asleep who were instrumental in establishing the Parish and Community.
In conclusion, His Grace spoke about the significant apostolic visit of our Ecumenical Patriarch to Australia in October and encouraged the beautiful people of the Gold Coast to travel to Sydney to see His All Holiness, to hear words of love and wisdom and to receive his blessing. Bishop Bartholomew stated that generations in the future will be talking about the Green Patriarch and all his efforts for peace and the safeguarding of our environment, and in closing his address, Bishop Bartholomew encouraged the congregations by stating: ” thus, let us take advantage and attend the various events honouring this significant and holy person of the Christian Church”.