Christ is Risen!
Presided by His Eminence Metropolitan Basilios, St. George’s Cathedral in Victoria celebrated the 50-year anniversary of its foundation.
The festivities began with a vespers service for the feast day of St. George on the 22nd of April. Following this, a documentary about the history of our Church entitled ‘Priest and Parish,’ directed by George Salloum, premiered at the Cathedral in front of an eager audience of parishioners. The film was a beautiful tribute to the living tradition of our Church, spanning from its very foundation to present times as well as addressing the generations to come. It brought particular attention to the contributions of the very Reverend Father George Nasr who accompanied the Church since its foundation. Following the release of the film, the community enjoyed light refreshments.
On Sunday the 23rd of April, His Eminence celebrated the Divine Liturgy at St. George’s Cathedral which was followed by a performance from the Sunday School students. The entire Sunday School performed the Resurrection Hymn as well as the Troparion of St. George. This was followed by an enthusiastic performance portraying the life of St. George. After enjoying a wonderful play from the Sunday School, His Eminence stood with the long-standing parishioners of our Church to ceremoniously cut a cake.
To conclude the celebration of the Golden Jubilee of St. George’s Cathedral, a formal dinner was held later that evening which celebrated 50 years of development in Christ. In attendance were over 300 people including clergy, dignitaries, members of BOT and PT for our Archdiocese, as well as parishioners from across all our Churches in Victoria. Despite his absence in body, Rev. Fr. George Nasr was present with us in his prayers and achievements. The speeches given by His Eminence Metropolitan Basilios, Walid Hanna (President of the Parish Council), Carol Elcheikh (President of the Ladies Committee), Lynnette Freijah (Sunday School Coordinator) and James Hanna (President of the Youth Committee) all acknowledged the contributions that have made St. George’s Cathedral what it is today and expressed sincere hopes for the future. Following this, the original choir of St. George’s Cathedral, led by Galib Nasr, chanted some of the Resurrectional Hymns. In addition, Mazhar Ishak recited an original poem which was written in celebration of the Golden Jubilee. Then His Eminence invited long-serving members of our parish to join him in cutting the cake. A framed card with personal messages was presented by Rev. Fr. George Mattar and the Parish Council of St. Mary’s Church in Yarraville to the family of Rev. Fr. George Nasr in sincere appreciation of his support and guidance within the community of St. Mary’s Church. To conclude the evening, a certificate of appreciation was presented to the Director George Salloum for his hard work on the documentary ‘Priest and Parish.’ Available to the attendees was a special souvenir for the occasion, a commemorative gold coin.
We would like to thank all the families who have generously contributed to the growth of our church over the years. Through your undeniable support and faith, by the grace of God, St. George’s Cathedral has prospered.
“This Golden Jubilee is more than a milestone in the history of our beloved Church. It is tangible proof that the Christian spirit still thrives in our hearts.”
His Eminence, Metropolitan Basilios.
