The 29th Annual Opening of the Law Term for 2010

The Standing Conference of Canonical Orthodox Churches in Australia (SCCOCA) sponsored the 29th Annual Opening of the Law Term for 2010 with an Inter-Orthodox Prayer Service held at the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Sydney on Thursday evening, 11 February 2010. In the presence of several hundred participants, clergy and lay, especially legal professionals from the Inter-Orthodox community, and notable guests from the judiciary headed by the Honourable Chief Justice James Jacob Spigelman AC and the Honourable Attorney General John Hatzistergos.

His Eminence Archbishop Stylianos of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia and Chairman of SCCOCA led the Service of Prayer and delivered a soul-searching and thought-provoking homily on the Gospel passage from St. Luke 5:33-39, based on the question of fasting in the presence of the Bridegroom Christ, and on the concept of the newness of life in light of the experience of that which is old. Also present at the Prayer Service were His Grace Bishop Irinej of Australia and New Zealand from the Serbian Orthodox Church and His Grace Bishop Seraphim of Apollonias.

His Grace Bishop Irinej, in inviting many Serbian-Australian legal professionals and students of law anticipates that these gatherings will serve as a catalyst for his long-announced intention of initiating a Serbian-Australian Bar Association.