Macedonian Orthodox Churches in Australia: State-by-State Guide
There are Macedonian Orthodox churches in every mainland state and the ACT, with the biggest clusters in Melbourne, Sydney and the Illawarra. Our directory lists about 25 parishes plus four monasteries. Below you’ll find them state by state, with the saint each church is named after, so you can find the one closest to you.
How Macedonian churches are organised in Australia
The Macedonian Orthodox churches in Australia belong to the Macedonian Orthodox Church – Ohrid Archbishopric, which is based in Skopje. Here its parishes are grouped under two dioceses: the Diocese of Australia and New Zealand, and the Diocese of Australia – Sydney. Both are dioceses of the same church. For everyday purposes this rarely matters. Services, feasts and customs are much the same.
Each church is named after a saint or a feast. The Macedonian name usually starts with Свети (Sveti, Saint, for a man) or Света (Sveta, for a woman). Пресвета Богородица (Presveta Bogorodica) means the Most Holy Mother of God.
All the churches below are in our community directory. You can also browse them on the churches page.
Victoria
Melbourne has the largest Macedonian community in Australia, and the most churches. Many are in the northern and western suburbs.
| Church (English) | Macedonian name | Suburb | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nativity of the Holy Mother of God Cathedral | Раѓање на Пресвета Богородица | Sydenham | Cathedral, Diocese of Australia and New Zealand |
| Dormition of the Holy Mother of God | Успение на Пресвета Богородица | Sydenham | Diocese of Australia – Sydney |
| St Prophet Elijah | Свети Пророк Илија | Seddon (Footscray) | |
| St Nicholas | Свети Никола | Preston | |
| St Petka | Света Петка | Mill Park | |
| St Demetrius of Thessaloniki | Свети Димитриј Солунски | Springvale | |
| St Zlata Meglenska | Света Злата Мегленска | Hoppers Crossing | Serves the Werribee area |
| St George and the Holy Mother of God | Свети Ѓорѓи и Пресвета Богородица | Epping | |
| St John the Baptist | Свети Јован Крстител | Batesford | Serves Geelong |
Victoria also has three monasteries. St Prohor of Pčinja (Свети Прохор Пчински) is at Donnybrook and St Naum of Ohrid (Свети Наум Охридски) is at Rocklyn. St Clement of Ohrid (Свети Климент Охридски) is at Kinglake West. Monasteries often host big crowds on their feast days.
A piece of history: St George in Fitzroy is recorded as the first Macedonian Orthodox church built outside Macedonia. We are not sure it still holds regular services, so please check before visiting.
New South Wales
Sydney’s churches are spread from the inner south to the south-west. Wollongong and Port Kembla have their own strong community.
| Church (English) | Macedonian name | Suburb | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sts Cyril and Methodius Cathedral | Свети Кирил и Методиј | Rosebery | |
| St Petka | Света Петка | Rockdale | |
| St Nicholas | Свети Никола | Cabramatta | |
| Holy Mother of God – Prechista | Света Богородица – Пречиста | Liverpool | |
| St Prophet Elijah | Свети Пророк Илија | Sylvania | |
| Holy Trinity | Света Троица | Sutherland | |
| St Clement of Ohrid | Свети Климент Охридски | Port Kembla | |
| St Demetrius of Thessaloniki | Свети Димитриј Солунски | Wollongong | |
| St Elijah | Свети Илија | Queanbeyan | Close to Canberra |
| St Mary (Holy Mother of God) | Света Богородица | Broadmeadow (Newcastle) | Established in 1970 |
The Monastery of St Petka (Манастир Света Петка) is at Kembla Grange, near Dapto.
ACT, Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia
| State | Church (English) | Macedonian name | Suburb |
|---|---|---|---|
| ACT | St Clement of Ohrid | Свети Климент Охридски | Narrabundah |
| QLD | Dormition of the Holy Mother of God | Успение на Пресвета Богородица | Brisbane |
| QLD | St Nedela | Света Недела | Gaven (Gold Coast) |
| SA | Synaxis of the Holy Mother of God | Собор на Пресвета Богородица | Woodville |
| SA | St Naum of Ohrid | Свети Наум Охридски | Findon |
| WA | St Nicholas | Свети Никола | North Perth |
In Perth, both dioceses list a St Nicholas parish. If you are new to the area, ask around or contact the diocese to find the right one for you. We have no Macedonian churches listed in Tasmania or the Northern Territory.
Feast days: the church’s big day
Every church celebrates its patron saint’s day. This is the crkoven praznik (црковен празник, church feast), and it is often the busiest day of the parish year. Expect a festive liturgy, sometimes a procession around the church, and food and dancing afterwards.
Dates follow the old (Julian) church calendar, which runs 13 days behind the civil calendar. Some examples:
| Saint or feast | Macedonian | Date each year |
|---|---|---|
| St George | Ѓурѓовден | 6 May |
| Sts Cyril and Methodius | Св. Кирил и Методиј | 24 May |
| St Elijah | Илинден | 2 August |
| Dormition of the Mother of God | Голема Богородица | 28 August |
| Nativity of the Mother of God | Мала Богородица | 21 September |
| St Petka | Петковден | 27 October |
| St Demetrius | Митровден | 8 November |
| St Clement of Ohrid | Св. Климент Охридски | 8 December |
| St Nicholas | Никулден | 19 December |
Look up any date on our church calendar. Feast-day picnics and dinners often appear on the events calendar too.
What to expect at a service
If you haven’t been since your grandmother took you as a child, here is a gentle refresher:
- Language. Services are mostly in Macedonian. Some parishes may add a little English for younger families.
- Standing. People mostly stand. There are usually seats for older people and anyone who needs one.
- Candles. On arrival, people buy thin beeswax candles and light them for the living and the dead.
- Icons. Many people cross themselves and kiss the icons near the entrance.
- Dress. Modest clothes. Customs on head coverings for women vary by parish and family. Watch what others do, and nobody will mind if you get it slightly wrong.
- Coming and going. The Sunday liturgy can run for a couple of hours. Arriving late or leaving early is common.
Service times change with the season and the priest’s schedule. Always check with the parish itself before you go.
How families in Australia use their church
For many families, the church hall is as important as the church. Weddings, christenings, memorial meals and language classes often happen there. Some parishes run a Macedonian school on weekends; see where to learn Macedonian.
Some families drive past three churches to reach “their” one, because it was built by people from their region. Others simply go to the closest. Both are normal.
Visiting Macedonia? Our guide to Macedonian monasteries and the heritage map show churches back home.
Is your parish listed correctly?
Parish committees and priests: if your details are missing or out of date, please update your listing in the directory. Service times, website and feast-day events help families find you. Readers can also tell us about a church we’ve missed.
Frequently asked questions
How many Macedonian Orthodox churches are there in Australia?
Our directory lists about 25 parishes and four monasteries, mostly in Victoria and New South Wales.
Where is the Macedonian church in Canberra?
St Clement of Ohrid is in Narrabundah, ACT. St Elijah in nearby Queanbeyan, NSW, also serves Canberra families.
Are Macedonian church services in English?
Services are mostly in Macedonian. Some parishes use a little English. Ask the parish before you go.
What is a crkoven praznik?
It is the church’s feast day, the day of the saint the church is named after. It is usually the parish’s biggest celebration of the year.
Do women need to cover their heads in a Macedonian church?
Customs vary between parishes and families. Modest dress is expected. Follow what other women at that church do.
Further reading: Diocese of Australia and New Zealand and Macedonian Orthodox Diocese of Australia – Sydney.
Прочитајте на македонски: Македонски православни цркви во Австралија по држави