The Divine Liturgy of Saint James, which was written by Saint James the brother of our Lord and the first bishop of Jerusalem, was celebrated for the very first time in Perth at the Church of Saint Nektarios.
His Grace Bishop Elpidios of Kyaneon presided over the liturgy assisted by the clergy of Western Australia. The Archdiocese Choir of Perth chanted at the three and a half hour service and a large number of the faithful attended from all over Perth.
During the sermon, His Grace outlined the characteristics of the Liturgy of Saint James and reminded all that the basic core essence of all Liturgies is the changing of the bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ and the communing of the faithful.
The Liturgy of Saint James is celebrated twice a year: on the 23rd of October, which is the feast day of the saint, as well as on the first Sunday after Christmas.
The Liturgy of Saint James gave the opportunity to see how the faithful in the early church worshipped God and how the present Divine Liturgies of Saint John Chrysostom and Saint Basil the Great evolved.
