St Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church Prahran

06/06/2026

THE SUNDAY OF ALL SAINTS

On this Sunday, which follows immediately after Holy Pentecost, the Divine Fathers ordained that we should celebrate the memory of all the Saints who have existed throughout the world, including in it Patriarchs, Prophets, Apostles, Martyrs, Hierarchs, Ascetics, and all the Righteous together, of every age and race.

The reason for the present Feast is, as our Lord Jesus Christ said, before His Suffering, “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto Me” (John 12:32), which was the whole purpose of His descending to earth, taking flesh, and becoming perfect Man, while Himself remaining perfect God, namely, to save human nature and exalt it to Heavenly blessedness.

He was raised up to the Heavens and through His Divine Ascension He sent the All-Holy Spirit to His Holy Apostles, so that they might go and preach the one Godhead to all the nations through His power, and gather the elect into the Kingdom of Heaven, which His good and faithful servants did with all zeal, with all their soul and heart, and unto the shedding of their blood. In this way, the world above, from which the apostate angels had fallen, was replenished. This is what we celebrate today, that is, the fruit of the Apostolic preaching.

It is said that there is another reason for this common Feast: that many, almost innumerable persons have become sanctified in different places and regions, whom, on account of their multitude and anonymity, it was not possible for us to honor individually. Therefore, in order to honor them appropriately and to gain their help and succor, our Mother, the Church, decreed that we should observe a common Feast of all the Saints in general, and that at the same time this Feast should be celebrated also for those who would hereafter either suffer martyrdom or in general be sanctified.

The most important reason for this Feast, as for any Saint that we celebrate, is to encourage ourselves, the living, to emulate those being celebrated. That is, we should compel ourselves to attain to the praiseworthy life of those blessed and renowned servants of our true God.

Guided by the teaching of the Divine Scriptures and the Apostolic Tradition, we, the Faithful, honor all the friends of God, the Saints, as keepers of God’s commandments, as shining examples of virtue, and as benefactors of the human race. We honor each of the known Saints specially on one particular day of the year, as is evident from the Menologion; but since many are unknown, as we said previously, and since their number has multiplied from time to time, is still multiplying, and will not cease increasing until the end of the world, for this reason our Mother, the Church, has ordained that we should hold, once a year, a general commemoration of all the Saints, which is the present Feast.

It should be known that we celebrate today all whom the Holy Spirit with great generosity has sanctified: that is, the most sublime and sanctifying Intelligences, namely the Nine Orders of Angels, the Forefathers and Patriarchs, the Prophets and the Holy Apostles; the Martyrs and the Hierarchs; the Hieromartyrs and monastic martyrs, the Ascetics and the Righteous, and all the choirs of holy women, and all of the other anonymous Saints, including those to come.

Above all and in all and with all, we celebrate the Saint of Saints, Her, who is Most Holy and beyond compare superior to the Angelic Orders, our Sovereign Lady the Theotokos, Mary the Ever-Virgin.

By the intercessions of Thine Immaculate Mother, O Christ God, and of all Thy Saints from all ages, have mercy on us and save us, as Thou alone art good and lovest mankind.
Amen.
(Readings taken from Synaxaria of the Pentecostarion).

✝️The world offers You, the author of all creation, as the first fruits of nature, the God bearing martyrs. O most merciful, by their intercessions, through the Theotokos, maintain Your church in perfect peace.

ΤΩΝ ΑΓΙΩΝ ΠΑΝΤΩΝ

✝️Ὡς ἀπαρχὰς τῆς φύσεως, τῷ φυτουργῷ τῆς κτίσεως, ἡ οἰκουμένη προσφέρει σοι Κύριε, τοὺς θεοφόρους Μάρτυρας, ταῖς αὐτῶν ἱκεσίαις, ἐν εἰρήνῃ βαθείᾳ, τὴν Ἐκκλησίαν σου, διὰ τῆς Θεοτόκου συντήρησον, πολυελεε.

Today’s Gospel Reading:
Matthew 10:32-33; 37-38; 19: 27-30

01/06/2026

30/05/2026

HOLY PENTECOST

✝️When the day of Pentecost had come, all the Apostles were together in one place. And suddenly a sound came from heaven like the rush of a mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them tongues as of fire, divided and resting on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues, as the Spirit gave them power of utterance . Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem devout Jews from every nation under heaven. And at this sound the multitude came together , and they were bewildered , because each one heard them speaking in their own language. And they were amazed and astonished, saying , ‘Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us in their own native language? Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia , Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians, we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.’
(Acts of the Apostles 2: 1-11)

A strange thing, transcending the law of nature, hath been heard of the disciples, for when they spoke with one voice through the grace of the Spirit, peoples, tribes and nations, each in its own way, learned of the mighty works of God, receiving the knowledge of the Trinity.
Rejoice , O Queen thou glory of mothers and virgins. For even the most skilful and divinely eloquent mouth is not able to hymn thee as is meet, and every mind is at a loss to understand thy birth giving. Wherefore, together we glorify thee.

It is fitting to hymn the Maiden who produced Life, for in her womb she hid the Word Who concealeth ailing human nature, and Who, now sitting at the right hand of the Father, hath sent forth the grace of the Spirit.
The Holy Spirit has always existed, is and shall be, without beginning, never ceasing, but ever reckoned and counted with the Father and the Son, life and the Creator of life, light and the Bestower of light, Himself good and the Source of goodness, in Whom the Father is recognised and the Son glorified, and by all is the one power, the one order, the single worship of the Holy Trinity acknowledged by all.

The Holy Spirit is light and life , the noetic Source of life- the Spirit of wisdom, the Spirit of understanding , good , upright, noetic, possessing dominion, cleansing transgressions. God and deifying, Fire and transcending fire, speaking, acting, distributing gifts, by Whom all the prophets and the divine Apostles and Martyrs have been crowned. Strange is the report, strange the sight - fire distributed in the bestowal of gifts.
O Heavenly King, Comforter, Spirit of truth, Who are everywhere present and fillest all things, Treasury of good things and Bestower of life. Come and dwell in us , and cleanse us of all defilement, and save our souls, O Good One.
(Readings from a collection of prayers and passages taken from the Liturgical book the Pentecostarion)

✝️When the most High came down and confused the tongues, He divided the nations. But when he distributed the tongues of fire, He called all to unity. Therefore, with one voice , we glorify the All-holy Spirit.

ΠΕΝΤΗΚΟΣΤΗΣ

✝️Οτε καταβας τας γλώσσας συνεχεε, διεμεριζεν έθνη ο Ύψιστος οτε του πυρός τας γλώσσας διένειμεν, είς ενότητα πάντας εκαλεσε, και συμφώνως δοξαζομεν το παναγιον Πνεύμα.

30/05/2026

30/05/2026

30/05/2026
ΨΥΧΟΣΣΑΒΒΑΤΟ ΤΗΣ ΠΕΝΤΗΚΟΣΤΗΣ
Saturday of Souls
Εκεί που η γη συναντά τον ουρανό, καθε μνήμη και αγάπη για όσους έφυγαν γίνεται φως που δεν σβήνει ποτέ. Ο θάνατος δεν μπορεί να σβήσει την αγάπη. Σήμερα θυμόμαστε, προσευχόμαστε, τιμούμε.

Αιωνία η μνήμη! 🕊️🕯️🤍

26/05/2026

St John the Russian of Evia
( 1690 - 1730)

✝️Champion of Orthodoxy, teacher of purity and of true worship, the enlightener of the universe and the adornment of hierarchs. All-wise father John, your teachings have gleamed with light upon all things. Intercede before Christ God to save our souls.

✝️The holy memory, O righteous father, of thine illustrious contests hath come today gladdening the souls of those who venerate thee with reverence and faith, O John.

Ἰωάννης ὁ Ὁμολογητής Ρώσος

✝️Ἐκ γῆς ὁ καλέσας σε πρὸς οὐρανίους μονάς, τηρεῖ καὶ μετὰ θάνατον ἀδιαλώβητον τὸ σκῆνός σου ὅσιε. Σὺ γὰρ ἐν τῇ Ἀσία ὡς αἰχμάλωτος ἤχθης, ἔνθα καὶ ὠκειώθης τῷ Χριστῷ Ἰωάννη. Αὐτὸν οὖν ἱκέτευε, σωθῆναι τὰς ψυχὰς ἡμῶν.

ORTHODOX Church Life. Dwelling and Prayer Place of St. John the Russian https://youtu.be/EGl689Ho2MI?si=ditrYgtfvULGNwaO

23/05/2026

Commemoration of the Holy Fathers of the First Ecumenical Council

Todays Gospel Reading According to:
John 17: 1-13

✝️Jesus spoke these words, lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said: “Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You, as You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him. And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do. And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.

“I have manifested Your name to the men whom You have given Me out of the world. They were Yours, You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word. Now they have known that all things which You have given Me are from You. For I have given to them the words which You have given Me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came forth from You; and they have believed that You sent Me.

“I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for those whom You have given Me, for they are Yours. And all Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine, and I am glorified in them. Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are.

While I was with them in the world, I kept them in Your name. Those whom You gave Me I have kept; and none of them is lost except the son of perdition, that the Scripture might be fulfilled.

But now I come to You, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have My joy fulfilled in themselves.

✝️The Church was strengthened into one faith through the preaching of the Apostles and the doctrines of the Fathers. The Church is robed in truth woven of the word of God from above. It teaches truth, and glorifies the great mystery of faith.

✝️The Apostles’ preaching and the Fathers’ doctrines have established one faith for the Church. Adorned with the robe of truth, woven from heavenly theology, it defines and glorifies the great mystery of Orthodoxy!

Ἐκ τοῦ Κατὰ Ἰωάννην 17:1-13 Εὐαγγελίου τὸ Ἀνάγνωσμα

✝️Τῷ καιρῷ ἐκείνῳ, ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς, καὶ ἐπῆρε τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς αὐτοῦ εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ εἶπε· πάτερ, ἐλήλυθεν ἡ ὥρα· δόξασόν σου τὸν υἱόν, ἵνα καὶ ὁ υἱός σου δοξάσῃ σε, καθὼς ἔδωκας αὐτῷ ἐξουσίαν πάσης σαρκός, ἵνα πᾶν ὃ δέδωκας αὐτῷ δώσῃ αὐτοῖς ζωὴν αἰώνιον. αὕτη δέ ἐστιν ἡ αἰώνιος ζωή, ἵνα γινώσκωσί σε τὸν μόνον ἀληθινὸν Θεὸν καὶ ὃν ἀπέστειλας ᾿Ιησοῦν Χριστόν. ἐγώ σε ἐδόξασα ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, τὸ ἔργον ἐτελείωσα ὃ δέδωκάς μοι ἵνα ποιήσω· καὶ νῦν δόξασόν με σύ, πάτερ, παρὰ σεαυτῷ τῇ δόξῃ ᾗ εἶχον πρὸ τοῦ τὸν κόσμον εἶναι παρὰ σοί. ᾿Εφανέρωσά σου τὸ ὄνομα τοῖς ἀνθρώποις οὓς δέδωκάς μοι ἐκ τοῦ κόσμου. σοὶ ἦσαν καὶ ἐμοὶ αὐτοὺς δέδωκας, καὶ τὸν λόγον σου τετηρήκασι. νῦν ἔγνωκαν ὅτι πάντα ὅσα δέδωκάς μοι παρὰ σοῦ ἐστιν· ὅτι τὰ ῥήματα ἃ δέδωκάς μοι δέδωκα αὐτοῖς, καὶ αὐτοὶ ἔλαβον, καὶ ἔγνωσαν ἀληθῶς ὅτι παρὰ σοῦ ἐξῆλθον, καὶ ἐπίστευσαν ὅτι σύ με ἀπέστειλας. ᾿Εγὼ περὶ αὐτῶν ἐρωτῶ· οὐ περὶ τοῦ κόσμου ἐρωτῶ, ἀλλὰ περὶ ὧν δέδωκάς μοι, ὅτι σοί εἰσι, καὶ τὰ ἐμὰ πάντα σά ἐστι καὶ τὰ σὰ ἐμά, καὶ δεδόξασμαι ἐν αὐτοῖς. καὶ οὐκέτι εἰμὶ ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ, καὶ οὗτοι ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ εἰσί, καὶ ἐγὼ πρὸς σὲ ἔρχομαι. πάτερ ἅγιε, τήρησον αὐτοὺς ἐν τῷ ὀνόματί σου ᾧ δέδωκάς μοι, ἵνα ὦσιν ἓν καθὼς ἡμεῖς. ὅτε ἤμην μετ᾽ αὐτῶν ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ, ἐγὼ ἐτήρουν αὐτοὺς ἐν τῷ ὀνόματί σου· οὓς δέδωκάς μοι ἐφύλαξα, καὶ οὐδεὶς ἐξ αὐτῶν ἀπώλετο εἰ μὴ ὁ υἱὸς τῆς ἀπωλείας, ἵνα ἡ γραφὴ πληρωθῇ. νῦν δὲ πρὸς σὲ ἔρχομαι, καὶ ταῦτα λαλῶ ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ ἵνα ἔχωσι τὴν χαρὰν τὴν ἐμὴν πεπληρωμένην ἐν αὐτοῖς.

✝️Ὑπερδεδοξασμένος εἶ, Χριστὲ ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν, ὁ φωστῆρας ἐπὶ γῆς τοὺς Πατέρας ἡμῶν θεμελιώσας, καὶ δι' αὐτῶν πρὸς τὴν ἀληθινὴν πίστιν, πάντας ἡμᾶς ὁδηγήσας· πολυεύσπλαγχνε, δόξα σοι.

✝️Τῶν Ἀποστόλων τὸ κήρυγμα, καὶ τῶν Πατέρων τὰ δόγματα, τῇ Ἐκκλησίᾳ μίαν τὴν πίστιν ἐκράτυνεν· ἢ καὶ χιτῶνα φοροῦσα τῆς ἀληθείας, τὸν ὑφαντὸν ἐκ τῆς ἄνω θεολογίας, ὀρθοτομεῖ καὶ δοξάζει, τῆς εὐσεβείας τὸ μέγα μυστήριον.

20/05/2026

CONSTANTINE AND HELEN

Equal-to-the Apostles.

Saint Constantine was the first Christian Roman Emperor and was instrumental in liberating Christians, allowing them to practice openly and live as they pleased without fear of persecution. In 313 AD he issued ‘The Edict of Milan’ which guaranteed religious tolerance for Christians, this was a defining moment for Christianity.
His mother, Saint Helen, was also a significant figure in Christianity, having discovered the True Cross and Nails of Jesus Christ.
Saint Constantine succeeded his father in 306 and became emperor of Gaul and Britain. His destiny would see him rise to greatness. In 312 he marched against the rebellion raised against him by the tyrants Maximian Galerius and Maxentius who co ruled in the west and who despised and persecuted Christians. It was during this series of battles that he saw in the sky after midday the ‘Sign of the Cross’ and bearing the inscription “By this symbol you will conquer”.

That night Christ appeared to him in a dream, explained to him the power and significance of the Cross and to raise a Victory Banner in the sign of the Cross with the inscription of the name Jesus Christ.
We was victorious in battle destroying the tyrants rule and seizing West Rome. His brother in law Licinius ruled the East and Constantine the West.
Lucinius however persecuted the Christians ,and as a result, Constantine successfully raised an army against him and ultimately became the Great Emperor Constantine of Rome in 324.
Christianity triumphed.

In the year 325 he gathered the ‘First Nicean Council’ , among the clergy was Saint Nicholas of Myra and the great St Spyridon.
It was this official meeting where the heretic Arius was exposed and ultimately condemned, and the Creed was created - ‘The Symbol of Faith’.
He made possible by all means at her disposal for his mother, Saint Helen to go forth and find the Holy Cross and nails, which she did in 326 in Jerusalem.
She erected Churches throughout all the Holy sites, including the site of the Crucifixion and Resurrection, in Bethlehem where Jesus was born, the Mount of Olives and many more. She declared that all places connected with the Lord and His All-Pure Mother be rid of all forms of paganism and that churches be raised in their place.
She was an Empress but she was also a Christian feeding the needy and giving alms to all those in need. She was so loved , she was given the title ‘Augusta’, which in those days meant someone who was exulted and greatly revered, her image also appeared on coins.

On May 11th the year 330 , Saint Constantine declared the ancient city of Byzantium be renamed after himself, Constantinople .
According to the historian and friend of his at the time, the Bishop of Caesarea of Palestine, he did a great deal to prosper Christianity and improve the lives of his people. ‘He outlawed many things including abuse of slaves and peasants and also declared that Sunday be officially a day of rest. He freed Christians and clergy who had been banished. He also built churches and greatly respected the clergy.
Saint Helen is believed to have reposed in the year 328.
Saint Constantine received Divine Baptism on his deathbed. He reposed in the year 337 on the day of Pentecost .

✝️Today, Constantine with his mother Helen present the Cross, the most precious Wood. It shames unbelievers. It is a weapon of faithful kings against their adversaries. A great sign has come forth for us which is awesome in battle.

ΚΩΝΣΤΑΝΤΙΝΟΣ ΚΑΙ ΕΛΕΝΗ ΙΣΑΠΟΣΤΟΛΟΥ

✝️Κωσταντίνος σημερον, συν τη μητρι τη Ελένη, τον Σταύρον εμφαινουσι, το πανσεβασμιον ξύλον, πάντων μεν των Ιουδαίων αισχύνην όντα, οπλον δε πιστών, Ανακτών κατ´εναντιων, δί´ημας γαρ ανεδείχθη, σημειον μέγα, και έν πολέμιος φρικτόν.

17/05/2026

17/5/2026
St Demetrios Easter Fundraiser Luncheon
A heartwarming celebration of community spirit, bringing people together to create a joyful afternoon.
Many thanks to the tireless efforts of our dedicated organisers & volunteers.