On Monday, April 28, the Holy Archdiocese of Australia hosted a farewell dinner in honor of the outgoing Consul General of Greece in Sydney, Ioannis Mallikourtis, in the Grand Hall of St. Andrew’s Theological College.
In addition to the host, Archbishop Makarios of Australia, Mr. Mallikourtis—who attended the dinner with his wife, Christiana Stavrou—was honored by the presence of Bishop Bartholomew of Brisbane; Bishop Iakovos of Miletoupolis; Bishop Christodoulos of Magnesia, Secretary of the Holy Provincial Synod; the Chancellor; the Very Reverend Archimandrite of the Ecumenical Throne; Fr. Christoforos Krikelis, clergy from Sydney, the vice president of the archdiocesan council and archon of the ecumenical patriarchate, Mr. Theodosios Penklis, the secretary general of the archdiocesan council and archon, Mr. Nikolaos Papanastasiou, and representatives of parishes, communities, and organizations of the holy archdiocese of Australia.
The evening was marked by deep emotion as the departing Consul General had earned the affection and respect of all who came into contact with him during his nearly three-year diplomatic tenure in Sydney. The emotion reached its peak when Archbishop Makarios awarded Mallikourtis the Medal of the Order of the Friends of Christ, one of the Holy Archdiocese’s highest distinctions.
The Archbishop warmly addressed the Greek diplomat, praising his integrity, courtesy, strong sense of duty, and tireless work ethic. The Archbishop thanked Mr. Mallikourtis for his excellent cooperation with the Consulate General and the Holy Archdiocese of Australia. He also acknowledged Mr. Mallikourtis’s unwavering personal presence at all major events of the local Church, which is an expression of his deep piety and dedication to the ideals and traditions of our nation. The Archbishop also paid tribute to Mr. Mallikourtis’s late father, Ambassador Stylianos Mallikourtis, who served with distinction in Constantinople and worked in exemplary cooperation with the Sacred Center of Orthodoxy. In closing, the archbishop offered heartfelt wishes to the outgoing consul general for his future diplomatic career, assuring him that he would always be a beloved member of the Greek Orthodox family on the fifth continent.
Mr. Mallikourtis responded with equally warm words, first expressing his gratitude to the Archbishop for their harmonious and fruitful collaboration during his time in Sydney. Furthermore, he expressed admiration for the Archbishop’s character, dynamic pastoral leadership, and multifaceted work. He stated his firm belief that realizing the Archbishop’s noble vision will ensure a promising future for Orthodoxy and Hellenism in Australia.
Translated by Ioanna Georgakopoulou
