Archbishop Makarios of Australia met the Greek Orthodox flock of Canberra on Sunday, the 5th of July.
This visit is of historical importance because the Archbishop of Australia officiated for the first time at the Church of Saint Nicholas along with the faithful, who for 24 years had been deprived of the opportunity to have their Shepherd by their side.
“If I had known, I would have come from the first Sunday I was here in Australia,” he said. “Now that I have found out what is happening, I immediately rushed here,” he added. Addressing the Greek diaspora in Australia, he stressed: “Please continue with the same zeal and dedication to bear witness to our nation and our faith in the beautiful society that God has offered us.”
In addition, he pointed out, “If we want to move forward, both as an Archdiocese and as a Community, as a Church and as Greeks, we must love each other and remain united.” “I do not want the Greeks to fight each other,” he said, “and I do not want us to be separated within the Church either.” “I know that there are schisms in Australia and it is something that hurts me a lot,” he added. Finally, he highlighted that he wanted to reach out to everyone, who belongs in the Greek diaspora and seek to end the schism. “The blessed day of God will come and we will all be together, united, by the side of the Archdiocese, Christ and the Church,” the Archbishop concluded.