Rockdale, New South Wales, Australia, August 12, 2025
By Aleksandar Mladenovski
Saint Petka Macedonian Orthodox Church, Rockdale, Sydney
On August 8, the Macedonian Orthodox parish of St. Petka in the Rockdale suburb of Sydney, Australia, celebrated the feast of its patron saint, the Great Martyr Paraskeva of Rome.
Enriching the feast day was the presence of hierarchs and clergy from other Local Orthodox Churches. At the front of the Church, the faithful and clergy present solemnly greeted His Grace Bishop Mihail from the Romanian Orthodox Episcopate of Australia and New Zealand and His Grace Bishop Themistocles of Nicopolis from the Patriarchate of Alexandria.
The presence of the latter is especially significant as the Holy Synod of the Patriarchate of Alexandria has yet to make a formal statement of recognition of the Macedonian Orthodox Church-Ohrid Archbishopric, and although Bp. Themistocles did not serve, this is, as far as OrthoChristian is aware, the first indication of Alexandria’s recognition of the MOC.
With the blessing of His Beatitude Archbishop Stefan of Ohrid and Macedonia, Bp. Mihail presided over the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy for the feast, while Bp. Themistocles participated prayerfully in the altar. Serving with Bp. Mihail were Reverend Archimandrite Ephram Abbassi from the Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia, New Zealand and the Philippines, Reverend Fr. Dionysios Halim from the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, Very Reverend Fr. Miodrag Peric and Very Reverend Fr. Nikola Bilic from the Serbian Оrthodox Metropolitanate оf Australia and New Zealand, Reverend Fr. Nicu Dranca from the Romanian Orthodox Episcopate of Australia and New Zealand, and Very Reverend Fr. Aleksandar Ivanovski and Reverend Fr. Vlado Nedeski from the Macedonian Orthodox Diocese of Australia (Sydney).
Following the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy, a meal of love followed for all present. During the lunch, Bp. Themistocles, a renowned missionary from the Patriarchate of Alexandria that leads a growing Orthodox mission in Sierra Leone, delivered an inspiring talk to all present about the importance of mission in the Orthodox Church, referring to the Great Commission and the last commandment given by our Lord Jesus Christ to his Apostles.
Bp. Themistocles underscored even further the importance of mission and referred to poignant statistics; 100 years ago Orthodox Christians made up 14% of the global population, today that number has reduced to 4%. A video presentation of the Orthodox mission in Sierra Leone was shown, leaving a powerful imprint on all present.
With great love, the parish presented gifts befitting the occasion to the honored guests. A hand-painted icon of the Archangel Michael was presented to Bp. Mihail, while a hand-painted icon of St. Savva of Storozhev was presented to Bp. Themistocles. Gifts were also presented to the hierarchs by members of the Macedonian Orthodox Youth Committee of NSW.
It was another blessed feast day, celebrated together with our wider Orthodox family in Sydney, Australia. May the Great Martyr Paraskeva of Rome intercede for us all!
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