From Friday 5 July until Friday 26 July, His Eminence Metropolitan Nicholas (Olkhovsky) of Eastern America and New York will make his first visit to our Australian-New Zealand Diocese since his election as First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia.  Accompanying Metropolitan Nicholas will be the Wonderworking “Kursk-Root” Icon of the Mother of God, the Protectress of the Russian Diaspora.  As he will be in our Diocese for a relatively short period of time, Metropolitan Nicholas will only be able to visit parishes in New Zealand, the city of Sydney, and the state of Victoria.  In Sydney he will visit the Kentlyn Convent and the Strathfield, Croydon, Fairfield, Carlton, Centennial Park, and Cabramatta parishes.  A full schedule of planned visits, current as of 5 June 2024, is available here.  The icon will remain in Australia until Thursday 24 October 2024, during which time it is expected that it will visit all the parishes and monastic establishments of the Diocese.  An updated schedule of visits, current as of 24 June 2024, is available here.