On the Sunday of the Holy Fathers of the Fourth Ecumenical Synod, July 14, Archbishop Makarios of Australia presided over the Divine Liturgy at the Church of Saints Constantine and Helen in Northbridge, Perth. With great emotion, the Archbishop crossed the threshold of the first Greek Orthodox Church in Western Australia, exactly one hundred years after its foundation. He was warmly welcomed by the Administration and the members of the Parish. The Hierarchical Head, Fr. Eleftherios Gerovasilis, commemorated this significant day by offering a symbolic gift to the Archbishop and the accompanying Bishops of Kyanea, Elpidios, and of Kerasounta, Evmenios.
At the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, Archbishop Makarios expressed his gratitude to Fr. Eleftherios and Pavlos Afkos, President of the Greek Community of Western Australia. He shared reflections on the important anniversary celebrated by the Parish of Saints Constantine and Helen, recalling the historic laying of the foundation stone by the first Metropolitan of Australia, Christoforos. This event marked the first ecclesiastical act of the newly arrived Hierarch in Australia, just months after the founding of the local Church by the Ecumenical Patriarchate. Thus, the history of the Parish is closely intertwined with the centennial celebration of the Holy Archdiocese of Australia.
The Archbishop praised and thanked Bishop Elpidios for his dedicated and fruitful ministry in Western Australia and acknowledged Bishop Evmenios for his inspiring sermon. He also commended the Choir of the Christian Union of Sydney for their diligent performance of the hymns of the Divine Liturgy.
An official festive meal held at a hotel in Perth provided an opportunity to delve deeper into the historical event of the Church’s foundation. In his address, Archbishop Makarios paid tribute to the pioneers of the Greek Orthodox parish and recognized the significant contributions of the Castellorizo Union and the Greek Community of Western Australia. He expressed heartfelt thanks to these organizations for their longstanding dedication to the Holy Archdiocese and honored the memory of all the pioneering ancestors who had deep faith in God.
In his message to the current members of the Parish and the Greek Orthodox community of Western Australia, the Archbishop urged them to maintain unity and a spirit of love, staying close to Christ and His Church. “Only if we are united,” he stressed, “can we prosper and positively impact those around us, bearing witness to Christ. Only if we are united can we shine as individuals and as a collective community.”
Translated by: Konstantinos Menyktas
