St Savvas of Kalymnos Orthodox Church Sydney - KP

St Savvas of Kalymnos, is a new Orthodox Church & Community recently established in Sydney under the Exarchate of Greece- Patriarchate of Kyiv (Kiev).

Our Church & Community was officially and legally registered in 2014, although permission was granted initially- ecclesiastically by the Holy Synod (OC) in Greece in 2010 at Fathers request and his members. Church Services initially took place at a temporary premises in Kogarah Bay, until the church was able to find a permanent existing church to purchase or land to buy & build in the area. Through Gods Grace a major miracle took place on 31st August 2016 by our Beloved St Savvas and within two years of being established against all odds against those who were trying to shut us down & had attacked our Saint & community, we were given the opportunity to purchase an existing Church on a large block of land and a large hall with a smaller one with many other facilities, within the St George area and on the main Hwy. Not only was this former Protestant Church established in 1890, it was a landmark of Banksia and the wider St George Area. The first Agiasmo- blessing of the Church & premises took place on Wednesday 16th November 2016 & the First Historic Divine Liturgy with the blessings of our Patriarchate was served on Sunday the 20th November 2016. St Savvas Orthodox Church, although it serves prodominatley in Greek & English- is an Eastern Orthodox Church and welcomes all Orthodox, having Parishoners who are Ukranian, Serbian, Greek and many more.

Our Church & Community of St Savvas the New of Kalymnos is one of the first Churches named solely after the Saint in all the world, apart from his Church on the Island of Kalymnos- were his Miraculous Holy Relic (Full Body) is found. Fr Savvas has also been blessed to Be Given one of St Savvas Stoles from his monastery- which emanates a divine heavenly Fragrance and also from Aigina one of St Savvas own icons he painted with his own hands while in Aigina in 1919, one year before his spiritual Brother St Nektarios Fell asleep. These priceless treasures have been placed within his church for all devout to venerate & receive blessings.
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Within the main Church we also have a Chapel in Honour of Panagia Hrisoleontissa (Historical Monastery & Miraculous icon in Aigina) in which an exact copy of her Miraculous Icon was given to our Church by the Abbess of the Monastery who is Fr Savas & Presvyteras Styliani's Aunty and is now housed in her Chapel with a side altar to St Euphemia as well. Panagia Hrisoleontissa had a special place in the hearts as we know of both St Nektarios & St Savvas of Kalymnos as they not only both at one point lived within her monastery - while fixing Holy Trinity but also would go and spend hours in front of her miraculous icon and pray with tears in front of her. St Nektarios himself before leaving Aigina to be entered into hospital before he fell asleep, he went up to the Monastery of Hrisoleontissa and prayed for the last time hours before her icon as he knew he was departing within days from this world. Both Saints loved Panagia Hrisoleontissa. Hanging from our icon is also an engolpio of our late bishop & exarch who dedicated it to Panagia but sadly did not get to see it be housed in her chapel here.

On the 19th January 2014, St Savvas Church & Community Sydney along with Fr Savas Pizanias was accepted canonically under the Patriarchate of Kiev with the Blessings of his Beatitude Patriarch Philaret & his Exarch in Greece. A Patriarchate with close to 30 million faithful under it.

APOLYTIKIO
Let us faithful praise Holy Savas, the glory and protector of Kalymnos,
and peer of the Holy Ascetics of old;
for he has been glorified resplendently as a servant of Christ,
with the gift of working miracles,
and he bestows upon all God's grace and mercy.