From Friday 26 until Sunday 28 July 2024, the memory of Saint Panteleimon the Great Martyr and Healer was celebrated with due ecclesiastical splendour and particular reverence at the Greek Orthodox Church of Saint Panteleimon in the regional town of Goulburn in New South Wales. In the small but beautiful Church of Saint Panteleimon, there was a large and moving attendance of believers and pilgrims, who with love and reverence for the honoured Saint flocked to the feast day services.
His Grace Bishop Iakovos of Miletoupolis presided over the Feast Day Services, representing His Eminence Archbishop Makarios of Australia, and was joined by the Parish Priest of the celebrating Church of Saint Panteleimon in Goulburn, Father Kyriakos Theologou, and also by Father Iakovos Syriotis, from the Church of Saint Demetrios in Queanbeyan, Father George Liangas, from the Church of Saint Nectarios in Burwood, Father Asterios Zouriakas, from the Church of Saints Raphael, Nicholas and Irene in Liverpool, and Father Dimitrios Kokkinos, from the Church of Saint Ioannis in Parramatta
The celebrations were graced by the presence of the Ambassador of Greece to Australia, His Excellency Mr. Stavros Venizelos, and Colonel Ioannis Fasianos, Military Attaché of Greece in Canberra, both present with their spouses.
The Feast Day celebrations began on Friday evening with the Great Vespers Service, culminated on Saturday with the Feast Day Divine Liturgy and concluded with the Sunday Divine Liturgy.
The Greek Orthodox community of Goulburn and the church committee express deep gratitude for the participation and spiritual zeal of the faithful who were present, the invitees and visitors, emphasising the love and unity represented by their Church’s Patron Saint, Saint Panteleimon. “The blessed presence and dedication of all who attended,” they pointed out, “contributed to the success of the Feast Day celebrations and continue to inspire the community to preserve and strengthen the traditions of Orthodoxy and our Greek heritage.”
