July 21, 2014
Sydney, Australia: Bishop George of Mayfield leads Patronal Feast Day of Sts. Peter & Paul Cathedral

On Friday the 11th and Saturday the 12th of July, the feast day of the Holy Chief Apostles Peter & Paul, His Grace, Eastern American Diocesan Bishop George of Mayfield, who is paying an archpastoral visit to Australia, led the celebrations on the patronal feast day of Sydney’s principal Russian Orthodox church ‒  Sts. Peter & Paul Cathedral in Strathfield, NSW.

At the divine services, His Grace was co-served by clergy from the churches of Sydney and its environs, who came to concelebrate the feast with the cathedral’s clergy and parishioners: the cathedral’s senior priest Archpriest George Lapardin, Abbot Christopher (Vakhabov; rector of the Church of All Russian Saints in Croydon), cathedral Priest Simon Nekipelov, cathedral Protodeacons Alexander Kotlaroff and Boris Evstigneev, and Deacons Constantine Moshegov (cleric of All Russian Saints Church), Martin Naef (cleric of St. Panteleimon Church in West Gosford, and Edward Waters.

On Saturday, prior to the start of Divine Liturgy, a moleben and blessing of the waters was served. The triumphal greeting of His Grace too place at 9:00 AM. A multitude of the faithful prayed and communed of Christ’s Holy Mysteries at the service, while the cathedral choir sang piously and festally under the direction of their director, Nicholas Kulikov. Upon completion of the Divine Liturgy, the clergy and faithful performed a procession around the cathedral. A festal luncheon was served with heartfelt hospitality by the sisterhood of Sts. Peter & Paul Cathedral, complete with delicious hors d’oeuvres and desserts. The church hall could not fit all of the more than 350 guests, and many of them ate under a large tent set up outside. A lottery and bake sale were conducted to benefit the cathedral.

Last year, Sts. Peter & Paul Cathedral marked the 60th anniversary of its consecration. In the 1950s, it became the place where Russians, mostly those coming from Harbin to find a new home in Australia, would gather. They still remember when the bells were lifted into the belfry; in those days, more than 400 Russian Orthodox Christians would be in attendance.

The cathedral has plans to build additional wings on the hall, as well as fresco the church. New icons are already being written for the cathedral.

"We are overjoyed that Bishop George has returned to us and led the service," said Fr. George Laprardin. "The Hierarchal service is always richer and more full of prayer, and more people attend."

At the luncheon, New South Wales dean Archpriest Nikita Chemodakov spoke about the lives of Sts. Peter & Paul, and congratulated Bishop George, and the cathedral clergy and parishioners. Fr. George relayed these words of greeting to the cathedral’s rector, Metropolitan Hilarion, and thanked Bishop George for leading the service, as well as the parish choir, sisterhood, warden and all those who helped with the wonderful preparation for the feast.

Bishop George will be in Australia for two and a half months. He will serve in Sts. Peter & Paul Cathedral, participating in several patronal feast days, including at St. Vladimir Church in Centennial Park. On Transfiguration, His Grace will visit Transfiguration Monastery in Bombala.

Photos courtesy of the website of the Australian Diocese

Media Office of the Eastern American Diocese