“Who can help us the most, if not the Most Holy Theotokos?” Bishop Mykola in Wayville
On Sunday, 29 September, the Church of Our Lady of Protection in Wayville, Adelaide, gathered a large number of parishioners and guests to celebrate the parish feast day.
The celebration began with a Hierarchical Divine Liturgy led by Bishop Mykola Bychok, Eparch of Melbourne, in concelebration with Very Rev. Fr. Taras Gorpynyak, Administrator of the Church of Our Lady of Protection in Wayville, Very Rev. Fr. Zenon Racki, Administrator of the Church of Sts. Volodymyr and Olha in Woodville, and Rev. Deacon Wolodymyr Demchinsky.
Addressing the faithful during the homily, Bishop Mykola said, “Every day of the church year is dedicated to the memory of a saint. But we also have the feasts of the Mother of God, which are dedicated to the Mother of God, on which we glorify the Most Holy Theotokos in a special way, as the one who brought the Saviour, as the one who in her own way directly contributed to the salvation of the human race.” The bishop also spoke about the significance of the feast of the Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos for the Ukrainian people, recalling the historical events associated with this feast.
“If you look at our eparchy, in particular, in the early 1950s, when our people were looking for a better life, here in the distant lands of Oceania, Australia, and New Zealand, they also brought with them this love for the Mother of God in their hearts. That is why our eparchy has four churches dedicated to the Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos. For who can help us the most, if not the Most Holy Theotokos? That is why the feast of the Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos has always been, is, and will be an expression of great love and gratitude for the Most Holy Theotokos and a day of joyful glorification and praise of her protection and intercession,” concluded Bishop Mykola.
At the end of the Divine Liturgy, Fr. Taras Gorpynyak thanked Bishop Mykola, Father Zenon, and Deacon Wolodymyr, as well as all the parishioners and guests, for their presence and for their joint prayer. “Together today we offered a prayer to the Lord God. We prayed for all of us, for Ukraine, for its victory, and for the health and salvation of the parishioners and guests of our church. May the Lord bless you richly for your presence and for your love for the Lord God,” said Fr. Taras.
Afterwards, everyone gathered for a festive lunch in the parish hall, where they had the opportunity to share the joy of this parish feast.
Press office of the Melbourne Eparchy
