DIOCESE OF AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND: 5 June 2024
The Hawaiian Iveron Icon of the Mother of God visits Queensland on the feast day of St Nicholas

On Wednesday, May 22, 2024, St Nicholas Cathedral in Brisbane, Australia, celebrated its patronal feast. Divine Liturgy on this day was led by the Rector of the parish, Archpriest Gabriel Makarov, co-served by clergymen who came from various states of Australia and New Zealand.

By Divine providence, the miraculous myrrh-streaming Iveron Icon of the Mother of God arrived from Hawaii on this day. The icon is visiting Australia for the first time, for a period of 10 days, brought by its guardian, Deacon Nektarios Youngson, in whose home in Kailua, Hawaii, the icon first streamed myrrh in 2007. At that time, he was a reader in an Orthodox church in Honolulu.

During Divine Liturgy in St Nicholas Cathedral and during the preceding all-night vigil, the fragrant myrrh exuded a floral aroma, revealing its grace and the love of the Intercessor of the Mother of God to her Orthodox children. Each of those present received a lithographic icon and healing, fragrant myrrh as a blessing. The miraculous icon of the Iveron Mother of God gave a special celebration to the patronal feast day in Brisbane. The choir sang beautifully, the faces of the faithful shone with happiness, of which there were a lot of them from different places.

Fr Gabriel delivered a sermon, followed by an address by Fr Nektarios.

After the solemn Liturgy, Fr Gabriel invited all those present to the parish hall, where a festal luncheon was held. The parish sisterhood prepared a lunch of many delicious, varied dishes. The tea table held abundance of cakes, pastries, and confections.

During the luncheon, Fr Gabriel thanked Deacon Nektarios for his visit. In this difficult time, the Lord shows that He is always near, showing the whole world testimonies of the triumph of Orthodoxy.