With the blessing of Archbishop Makarios of Australia, Bishop Bartholomew of Charioupolis visited the city of Gold Coast, Queensland, to commemorate the 83rd anniversary of the Battle of Crete.
On the evening of last Saturday, the Bishop, accompanied by Fr. Nicholas Brown, attended a dinner to honor the 50th anniversary since the establishment of the Cretan Brotherhood of Queensland.
The Honorary Consul of Greece in Brisbane, George Mastrokostas, the President of the Cretan Federation of Australia and New Zealand, Emmanuel Mountakis, the Secretary of the Cretan Federation of Australia and New Zealand, Sofia Komarkovsky, the President of the Cretan Brotherhood of New South Wales, Emmanuel Vitetzakis, attended the event.
In his greeting, the Bishop congratulated the President of the Cretan Brotherhood of Queensland, Antonios Katsanevas, on the 50th anniversary since the establishment of the Brotherhood, while stressing the importance of preserving the customs and traditions of the homeland. In addition, he wished the members of the Brotherhood all the best in their future endeavors.
Bishop Bartholomew of Charioupolis then highlighted another significant milestone for the Greek Diaspora this year: the 100th anniversary of the establishment of the Holy Archdiocese of Australia. Speaking about the history of the local Church, he reminded that blessed Crete is the birthplace of two of its Primates, the late Archbishop Stylianos of Australia, and the current Shepherd, Archbishop Makarios.
In addition, the Bishop encouraged Cretans to actively participate in the celebrations for the 100th anniversary of the Holy Archdiocese, particularly in the official Doxology, the Divine Liturgy, and the official dinner in honor of the Ecumenical Patriarch’s visit to Sydney in October.
Finally, the Bishop conveyed to everyone the love and blessings of Archbishop Makarios of Australia, who is a proud Cretan.
The next day, Bishop Charioupolis presided over the Orthros and the Divine Liturgy at the Church of Saint Anne in Gold Coast. Following the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, the Bishop performed a memorial service for those who fought and fell during the Battle of Crete and laid a wreath on behalf of the Holy Archdiocese of Australia. In his message, he called on everyone not to forget the heroes who fought for freedom and justice, and to continue to pray for the repose of their souls.
