In Australia, seven people were baptized into the Orthodox Church

In the Australian city of Perth, there has been a noticeable increase in interest in Orthodox Christianity, as evidenced by the recent reception of seven new believers into the Church. The Sacrament of Baptism was performed by Bishop Elpidius of Perth at the Church of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Mother of God in West Perth. This was reported by Orthodoxia News Agency.

The ceremony took place on July 25, 2026, following the completion of a catechism course led by Protopresbyter Father Emmanuel Stamatio of the Ecumenical Patriarchate. The newly baptized, who took the names Theophanes, Spyridon, Prokopios, Zoe, Sarah, Michael, and Seraphim, have joined the ranks of believers who are showing an increasingly conscious interest in the Orthodox spiritual life.

According to the source, this is already the second mass baptismal liturgy this year, and a total of 46 people have embraced Orthodoxy in this parish since the beginning of 2025. Bishop Elpidius conveyed to the neophytes the blessing of Archbishop Makarios of Australia, emphasizing that “Christ is oxygen for the soul.”

To support the new converts, the parish holds Saturday services in English, which have become nearly as popular as the traditional Sunday services in Greek. Many new parishioners now attend both services, seeking to fully integrate into the communal life of the Church.