On a sunny Saturday afternoon, July 12, 2025, the clergy and hundreds of parishioners and guests celebrated the patronal feast at the Saints Peter and Paul Cathedral in Sydney with Divine Liturgy and a festive meal.
This church on a cozy quiet street in the Sydney district of Strathfield, not far from the train station, was built with the funds and help of the Russian community of the city in 1953. The first primate of the Australian and New Zealand Diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia and the rector of the cathedral was Archbishop Feodor (Rafalsky). Until 1950, the main cathedral of the diocese was St. Nicholas Church in Brisbane, and after the completion of the construction of St. Peter and Paul Church, the episcopal see was moved to Sydney. Over seven decades, several bishops have replaced each other in the cathedral. For more than 25 years (from 1994 to 2022), the diocese was headed by Metropolitan Hilarion (Kapral). Currently, Archbishop George (Schafer) serves as the ruling bishop of the Australian and New Zealand Diocese.
Early in the morning, a water blessing ceremony was held near the cathedral. Then, Bishop Georgy led the festive service, assisted by two priests of the cathedral, Archpriest Georgy Lapardin and Priest Mikhail Storozhev, and assisted by Protodeacon of the cathedral Alexander Kotlyarov. Since the festive day fell on Saturday, many priests from other Russian churches in the city were able to come to the service. The service was decorated with the beautiful singing of the church choir (choirmaster Andrei Laptev). The church was beautifully decorated with flowers, and an icon of the supreme apostles Peter and Paul was installed on the lectern in the center. After the liturgy and communion, the bishop, priests, and lay people who came to the church walked in a religious procession around the church. In his sermon, Archbishop Georgy spoke about the lives of the holy apostles Peter and Paul and called on parishioners to follow their example of love for God.
The Holy Apostles Peter and Paul are among the most revered Christian saints, and their memory is celebrated on July 12 (June 29, old style). They were both disciples of Jesus Christ and made a significant contribution to the spread of Christianity. Both suffered for their faith.
After the service, Father Georgy, on behalf of the sisterhood, invited everyone to the church hall to take part in a festive meal. The friendly sisterhood of the cathedral, led by the new senior sister Irina Lapteva, prepared a delicious dinner for three hundred guests. The editor of "Unification" attended the service and asked parishioners of different generations to tell us what connects them with the Peter and Paul Cathedral. In these stories, one can trace the entire history of this very important place for the Russian community of the city.
Cathedral Warden Alexey Plyushch: — My parents helped build the cathedral, and I have been here since early childhood, so to speak. I used to come here as a small child with my grandmother, when the cathedral was still being built. A Russian grandmother lived on this plot of land when it was bought and construction began. Before that, the parish had a plot of land in Paddington, next to Victoria Barracks. It was sold so that a plot could be bought in Strathfield. I saw how the church was built. Then it was consecrated in 1953, and I began serving here as a teenager. When we first came here on Saturdays for services, there were very few parishioners. Then, when a lot of people from Harbin came in the late 50s and early 60s, the church filled up. I remember how after the service, my dad would drive the bishop home, and we would sit on the fence and wait for him to return and drive us home. When the bishop died in 1955, they decided to bury him next to the cathedral. He is the only one buried on the cathedral grounds. I was 10 years old, I remember that he was buried in a sealed copper coffin. Later, a Russian school moved here from the St. Vladimir Church to the cathedral territory. And the cathedral building is still the same, it has not changed much over the years. The older generation is leaving, but, thank God, young people are coming to the church. The priests Fr. Georgy and Fr. Mikhail warmly welcome new parishioners. For about twenty years I participated in the parish board and for the last 13 years I have been working as a warden. My whole life has been spent here.
Vera Lapteva, a long-time member of the church choir: — When did I first come to the cathedral? When I was baptized, a couple of months after I was born. My grandfather was a choirmaster at the cathedral, my parents came to services and helped in the church. My mother recently became an older sister. My sons have been serving in the altar since they were seven. I have been singing in the church choir since I was 12. Sometimes, when the choirmaster cannot be present, for example, at early services, I lead the choir. Now less, since my little son requires more attention.
Marina, a parishioner of the cathedral for the past three years: — We arrived not so long ago and started looking for an Orthodox parish on the Internet where we could go to services. It was important for us and for the children. We started going to church a few years before coming to Australia. When we came to the cathedral, we saw that there was such a friendly community here. We were greeted very warmly and immediately introduced to the sisterhood. We have felt at home here since the first day, so we continue to come here for Sunday services, although it is not close to our home. It takes an hour and a half by public transport, about an hour by car. But this does not stop us. The children have found an island here where they speak Russian, it was very important for them. The youngest daughter attends a Russian school at the church, and I was offered to be a teacher in the senior group of the kindergarten, and my eldest daughter helps me with this. We try to help the church whenever possible. We clean, cook, and for the patronal feast last night we baked two large pies. My husband serves in the church, he studied at the Pochayiv Seminary.
Agrippina Nikitenko, former senior sister of the cathedral: — I came to the cathedral in May 1963, that month we arrived in Australia. The cathedral became like a home for us. I arrived at the age of 20, now I am 82. All these years I came here, I had a lot of friends here. Unfortunately, there are not many old-timers left. In our sisterhood, I worked as a senior sister from 2004 to 2022, there was a lot of work, we held patronal feasts, birthdays, wedding anniversaries, funerals. Priests from other cities and countries came, we helped them. In the sisterhood, everyone is a volunteer, we do not receive money for our work, only gratitude. And all the funds that we collect go to decorate and maintain the church. We work for the glory of God. Liza Vasilevskaya, parishioner: — I came from New York not so long ago, six years ago. When I went to Australia, I knew that I had friends here. My dad studied at the seminary with Father George in Jordanville, he also knew Father Daniel. In general, when I come to an Orthodox church in any country, it is my home on earth. It is the same in France, Russia and Australia. I come to church on Saturdays and Sundays and on holidays. My husband, Yegor Vasilevsky, serves here. He has been here since he was six, since they arrived. I have three girls, Vasilisa, Akulina and Serafima. The weddings of my friends and my husband took place here in the cathedral. Our wedding was in America, and we spent the second day here. All my children were baptized in this cathedral. So we are closely connected to the cathedral and, I think, for a long time.
Fr. Mikhail Storozhev, parish priest: — The cathedral is our home parish, all the people here have become close to me. I have been fortunate to serve here for nine years. First as a deacon, and the last seven years as a priest. Over the years, children have been born in my family. I am always pleased to see how many young families there are here, the children are friends and find support and love. There are people of different generations in the parish. And when we were preparing the church for the holiday and doing a general cleaning, it was nice to see how many people came to help, both young people and older people. What is the future of our parish? In our Russian school at the cathedral, the largest classes are children. God willing, the cathedral has a good future.
*** We told about the patronal feast of only one of the churches of the Australian and New Zealand Diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia. There are more than 10 Russian Orthodox churches and monasteries in the state of NSW, and more than 30 in the diocese as a whole. Church parishes not only support the Orthodox faith among people with Russian roots, but also help preserve the Russian language and traditions in Australia.
Vladimir KOUZMIN
