The Maronite Eparchy welcomed the first class relics of the Australian and Maronite Saints, celebrating the occasion with the Divine Liturgy at Our Lady of Lebanon Co-Cathedral, Sydney on 7 May.

Parishioners and guests formed a guard of honour on the Co-Cathedral forecourt to welcome the relics of Saints Maroun, Charbel, Rafqa, Nehmetallah and Mary of the Cross Mackillop in a specially designed reliquary.

The Mass and procession were attended by His Excellency Archbishop Charles Balvo, Apostolic Nuncio for the Holy See and more than 30 Australian Catholic Bishops, for the procession and mass.

The Divine Liturgy was concelebrated by His Excellency Archbishop Balvo, and Most Reverend Archbishop Timothy Costelloe, President, The Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, Archbishop of Perth, Most Reverend Archbishop Robert Rabbat, Melkite Catholic Eparchy of Australia and New Zealand, and all the bishops and the priests.

Bishop Antoine-Charbel Tarabay emphasised the importance of the Jubilee Year saying, “Celebrating the Golden Jubilee this year is a source of hope and countless blessings for our community. It is also a time of grace which we are living today, in our parishes first and foremost, because of the presence of the relics of saints in our midst.”

The relics will tour Maronite Parishes across the country until the end of the year.