On Thursday, February 22, Archbishop Makarios of Australia received the Ambassador of Greece to Canberra, Georgios Papakostas, at the headquarters of the Holy Archdiocese of Sydney.
The Ambassador was accompanied by the Consul General of Greece in Sydney, Ioannis Mallikourtis, the Permanent Military Attaché of the Greek Embassy, Colonel Ioannis Fasianos, and his spouse, Gohar Badalyan. Also, present at his meeting with the Archbishop of Australia were Bishops Elpidios of Kyanea and Bartholomew of Charioupolis, Archdiocesan Commissioners of Perth and Canberra respectively.
The meeting was farewell, as after four years of service at the Embassy in Canberra, Papakostas will soon be leaving Australia.
In recognition of the valuable services he has rendered to Greek Homogeneity, as well as the close cooperation he has developed with the Orthodox Church in Australia, Archbishop Makarios honored the Greek diplomat by awarding him the Star of the Grand Cross of the Order of the Philochristos.
After the award ceremony, the Archbishop warmly wished the outgoing Ambassador good health and strength for the successful fulfillment of the new duties that the Greek State will entrust to him. He concluded by asking him never to forget the Hellenism of Australia, with the assurance that the embrace of the Greek community, as well as that of the Holy Archdiocese of Australia, will always be open to him.
Papakostas responded appropriately, wishing the Archbishop health and longevity to continue his beloved pastoral ministry for the good of the Orthodox Church and Hellenism.
Translated by Ioanna Georgakopoulou
