On Sunday the 9th of July, the Ukrainian Orthodox parish community of the Intercession of the Holy Virgin, Strathfield Sydney, Australia, welcomed our dear Hierarchs: Metropolitan Antony and Archbishop Daniel to celebrate the Divine Liturgy for the 5th Sunday following Pentecost.

With a blue sky and sun shining, the Church met their Eminences at the door of the Church Pavla Zelinska , head off the parish Sisterhood and Bohdan Wolodymyriw, President of the Church council along with Nazar and Volodymyr who gave greetings on behalf of the altar services.

With Covid and all the other obstacles that have challenged our communities and wider society in general it was with spirit of joy that we came together to worship the Triune God with our hierarchs who lifted the hearts and spirits of the faithful of Sydney.

During the Divine Liturgy which was prayerfully sung by the Church choir under the direction of Harrison Taranec, we were spiritually edified by the sermon given by Archbishop Daniel which highlighted how we should always fight the temptations of the world by growing into the image God through connecting with one another in the spirit of love. His Eminence highlighted that it is the work we do outside the Church doors which determines how we grow in Christ.

As we mark the 500th day of the illegal invasion of Ukraine, our prayers for our long suffering homeland were strengthened by our shepherds with their Australian flock.

With the blessing of Metropolitan Antony citations (Hramoty) were bestowed on some of our hard working parishioners of our Holy Intercession parish in Strathfield, along with parishioners of St Athanasius UOC Granville and St Nicholas Turner, ACT.

Following the Liturgy, the sisterhood offered a beautiful lunch, where all present relaxed and listened with great interest to Archbishop Daniel who filled the faithful in on Church life and the relief effort for our brothers and sisters in Ukraine.

With hearts filled with joy the day ended as it started, in prayer, wishing our hierarchs Many Blessed Years and good health for their important ministry, shepherding the Holy Church.