On Sunday evening, His Eminence, Metropolitan Basilios along with the reverend clergy of NSW and the faithful from across all the parishes celebrated the ‘Vespers of Forgiveness’ at the church of the ‘Dormition of the Theotokos in Mount Pritchard’.
His Eminence encouraged all the faithful to embark on the journey of ‘Blessed and Great Lent’ reminding all of the importance of ‘Forgiveness’ in order to return back to God.
“On the Sunday of forgiveness, we commemorate the expulsion of Adam-and-Eve from paradise. It was through disobedience and pride that they were exiled and the only way for us to return to paradise is to do the opposite, through obedience to God’s commandments and fasting.
And we must forgive one another. For forgiveness has three dimensions, to forgive ourselves by knowing our weaknesses, to forgive others, and then we will automatically be forgiven by God. ‘For’, He said, “if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.”
We wish you a blessed and fruitful Paschal journey and may God forgive.
