Canonical visit of Bishop Siluan to South Australia

In the previous year, restrictive measures, introduced due to the COVID-19 virus, made it impossible to travel from one federal state of Australia to another. Those measures were finally suspended, so the canonical visit of Bishop Siluan was finally made possible, which made all Orthodox Serbs living in South Australia very happy.

On Saturday, February 27, 2021, when the Church celebrates the Venerable Auxentius and St. Cyril the Slav, the Bishop visited the convent of the Nativity of the Most Holy Mother of God in Inglewood, where he served the Holy Hierarchal Liturgy.

Archimandrite Petar, hierarchal deputy, protopresbyter-staurophor Zoran Ivanic, servants of the convent and deacon Jovan Jovcic served together, with the service of subdeacons and readers.

Speaking to the people present, the Bishop referred to the difficulties of the modern life of every Christian. Thanking God on a wonderful day, the Bishop spoke about the messages of the Gospel, expressing joy because of the reunion after a long time.

After the Holy Liturgy, while serving the table of love, the Bishop stayed in conversation with the competent priest Zoran and the faithful people.

On the third day of the visit, on the Sunday of the Prodigal Son, February 28, 2021, on the feast of the Holy Apostle Onesimus and the Venerable Eusebius the Hermit, His Grace Bishop Mr. Siluan visited the parish and church community of Saint Sava of Serbia in the Adelaide settlement of Woodville Park.

Since they wished for the archpastoral blessing, meeting and prayer with their Bishop, which was not achievable in the last year due to restrictive measures, the faithful welcomed their Bishop in large numbers. The children especially stood out in that. Many of the youngest members of the Folklore Group "Oplenac", which operates in that parish, dressed in folk costumes from all over the homeland, were the first to greet the Bishop and receive a blessing from him.

During the Holy Hierarchal Liturgy, boys and girls in costumes stood by the Bishop's throne, thus showing the devotion of pure children's souls to their holy Church.

The Bishop was assisted by Archimandrite Petar (Radulovic), hierarchal deputy, archpriest-staurophor Zoran Ivanic, archpriest Jovan Serstobit, archpriest Strahinja Janjic, host parish priest and hierarchal deputy, as well as deacons Jovan Jovcic and Misel Miocinovic. Subdeacons Lazar Bogosavljevic and Slobodan Ikic also served, as well as readers Uros Janjic, Radovan Milutinovic, Marko Klisuric, Petar Karanovic and Metodije Jovcic.

Source: Metropolitanate of Australia and New Zealand