Honouring our patron saint - Hori Tapu; The Great Martyr Saint George.


Today we honour our patron saint - Hori Tapu; The Great Martyr Saint George.  We fly his flag, which England colonised, to honour his story. In the Eastern Orthodox tradition he is named among the great martyrs for his courage and death standing against the Imperial order to both sacrifices to the emperor and to execute all those who refused to do so. There is a Muslim saying applied to George that says “The righteous act is to confront the tyrant”. George continues today to be an inspiration for Christians under persecution, especially Palestinian Christians who claim George as one of their own.

Today we will tell some of the stories of our life as a parish since 1962. As we listen to these stories and tell our own stories, we are invited to reflect on how we continue to stand with George confronting the tyrant. As we look to the challenges facing our communities today and as we stand in the tradition of St. George, what is ours to do?

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