On Thursday 11 July and Friday 12 July services were held to celebrate the patronal feast of the Diocesan Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul in Strathfield, NSW.  All-night Vigil with the blessing of wheat, wine, oil and five loaves was served on Thursday evening and the Hours and Divine Liturgy were served on Friday morning.  The services on Friday were preceded by the Lesser Blessing of Water and followed by a moleben to the Mother of God and the Holy Preёminent Apostles Peter and Paul with a cross procession around the cathedral.  All the services were held in presence of the wonderworking 'Kursk-Root' Icon of the Mother of God and led by Metropolitan Nicholas of Eastern America and New York, First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia (ROCOR).  This was Metropolitan Nicholas’ first visit to Australia as First Hierarch.  On Friday Metropolitan Nicholas, Bishop George and the clergy of the cathedral were joined by Metropolitan Siluan of the Serbian Orthodox Church, by clergymen accompanying Metropolitan Nicholas, and by Russian and Serbian Orthodox clergy from the Greater Sydney region - including our own parish clergy - and interstate.  A list of participating clergy is available here.  As the other Sydney parishes of our Diocese did not have services and it was during the winter school holidays, a great many people were present.  Following Divine Liturgy it was announced that Bishop George had been elevated to the rank of Archbishop by decision of the ROCOR Synod of Bishops, and a jubilee pectoral cross commemorating the centenary of the ROCOR was presented to cathedral Dean Archpriest George Lapardin in honour of his thirty-five years of service as a clergyman.  Congratulations and gifts were then exchanged.  Upon completion of the services on Friday there was a festive banquet in the church hall for approximately 400 people.

On Wednesday 24 July, His Eminence Metropolitan Nicholas (Olkhovsky) of Eastern America and New York, First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia, will give a talk to youth (ages 14-25) on the Wonderworking “Kursk-Root” Icon of the Mother of God.  The talk will be given at 7.00pm in the parish hall at Saints Peter and Paul Diocesan Cathedral, 3 Vernon Street, Strathfield, NSW.  There will be an opportunity to ask questions of Metropolitan Nicholas, and light refreshments will be provided.

On Thursday 11 July and Friday 12 July services in honour of the Holy, Glorious, and All-Praised Leaders of the Apostles, Peter and Paul will be held at the Diocesan Cathedral in Strathfield (Sydney), NSW.   All-night Vigil with the blessing of wheat, wine, oil and five loaves will be served at 6.00pm on Thursday and the Hours and Divine Liturgy will be served at 9.00am on Friday.  The revered “Kursk-Root” Icon of the Mother of God will be present and Metropolitan Nicholas (Olhovsky), First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia, will preside at the services.  At Bishop George’s request, all the clergy of the Greater Sydney region will gather in Strathfield for these festivities; no parish services are to be scheduled.