Archbishop of Australia: Hatred and malice prevent us from finding peace of soul

“Hatred and malice prevent us from finding peace of soul,” Archbishop Makarios of Australia declared from the packed Church of St. Paraskevi in St Albans, a suburb of Melbourne, within the Holy Diocese of Chora.

The Archbishop, who is currently making a pastoral visit to the Holy Diocese of Chora, visited the celebrating parish on Saturday, July 25, and presided over the Great Festal Vespers for the feast of St. Paraskevi the Great Martyr. Joining him in prayer were Metropolitan Ezekiel of Derbe, Bishop Evmenios of Chora, and Bishop Kyriakos of Melbourne.

Also participating in the service were the parish priest, Fr. Demosthenis Nikolaou, together with numerous clergy from the two Holy Dioceses of Victoria. A large number of faithful gathered to pay their respects to the holy icon and the sacred relic of the patron saint of the parish.

The Archbishop’s inspired sermon included references to the life of the honored saint, placing particular emphasis on the virtues of unconditional love, forgiveness, and freedom from resentment that characterized St. Paraskevi. Recounting the blinding of Emperor Antoninus during the tortures he inflicted upon the saint, Archbishop Makarios…