And again the bright holiday of Easter came to Orthodox people around the world. The resurrection of Jesus Christ instills new hope in millions of hearts, gives people faith that life will definitely conquer death, that light will overcome darkness.
On the night of Sunday, May 5, festive liturgies were held in more than thirty Russian Orthodox churches in Australia and New Zealand. On this night, especially many people gather in the church. The editors attended a service at the Peter and Paul Cathedral in Sydney's Strathfield district.
This year, nature, as if knowing about the big holiday in May, delayed the arrival of cold weather. Saturday evening was calm and windless, with a light drizzle that had drizzled all day stopping by midnight as hundreds of people gathered at the entrance to the cathedral on street Vernon.
They hold unlit candles in their hands. On this night, parishioners and clergy of churches have a special, joyful mood. Close to midnight, a bell can be heard ringing in the quiet streets. A burning candle is taken out of the cathedral, the second one lights up from it, the third and fourth ones from the first two, and soon the entire space around the temple is illuminated by hundreds of candles. The cross, banners and icons are taken out of the temple, the priests and the bishop come out and begin their religious procession around the cathedral building, hundreds of people line up behind them.
On the bell tower of the cathedral and in the temple above the iconostasis, large letters “ХВ” light up, glorifying the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. After the procession, the bishop blesses the people and greets everyone with the words: “Christ is Risen!” Then he enters the temple and the festive Divine Liturgy begins.
The service is conducted by the rector of the cathedral, Bishop George of Sydney and Australia and New Zealand; he was concelebrated that night by Archpriest George Lapardin, Priest Mikhail Storozhev, cathedral protodeacons Alexander Kotlyarov, Martin Neff and fifteen altar servers.
The parish council and sisterhood spent several days preparing for the holiday, cleaning, putting in order, and decorating the temple with flowers.
The temple on this day is filled with worshipers, the face of Bishop George and the priests of the cathedral glows with joy, they pass through all the parts of the temple proclaiming “Christ is Risen” in Russian, English, Greek, and hundreds of people answer them “Truly He is Risen.”
The excellent mood is maintained by the cathedral choir, choir director Andrei Laptev. On this night, chants are heard not only from the choir; together with the worshipers, the chants are sung in strong, harmonious voices by members of the Orthodox Men's Choir, director Nektary Kotlyarov.
We know many of those who came to the church for the holiday; we meet at services in the cathedral and other Russian churches in Sydney, as well as at Russian Club events. After several years of sanitary restrictions related to Covid, people celebrate Christ by kissing - this is a manifestation of tradition, showing that there is a spiritual kinship between people, unity of faith and there should be no hostility and conflicts.
Many young families came to the temple with small children. Some families came four generations. Many of the praying people are elderly. Some sit on the bench, but not all. I approached an elderly lady standing against the wall with a stick, this is our old friend Kira Tatarinova.
— Kira Dmitrievna, how long have you been going to the Peter and Paul Cathedral?
“We took part in its construction in the 50s, brought bricks and helped as much as we could.
— Did your wedding with your husband Pyotr Sergeevich also take place here?
— No, our daughter got married here, and we got married in a Russian church in Blacktown, Petya’s parents helped build that church in the west of Sydney.
Thanks to the enormous work of Russian emigrants who arrived in Australia in the 40-50s, more than 30 churches, monasteries and Orthodox parishes were created in Australia.
The editor received messages about holiday services in other Sydney churches, as well as in Melbourne, Brisbane and other cities. In the Church of the Intercession in Cabramatta and some other sisterhoods prepared dinner and after the completion of the service, parishioners are invited to break their fast after Lent.
Easter is celebrated every day throughout the first week, it is called Bright Week. These days, services in the main churches are held every day. The holidays end forty days after Easter on the day of the Ascension of the Lord.
Congratulations to our readers on Easter. Christ is Risen!
Vladimir KOUZMIN
