Archbishop Makarios of Australia received warm and heartfelt wishes from Hierarchs, clergy, and faithful from the city of Melbourne and, more broadly, from across the State of Victoria, during the official dinner held in honor of his Name Day. The event took place on Saturday, January 17, in the Banquet Hall of the Pullman Melbourne Albert Park Hotel.
Despite the presence of hundreds of guests, including representatives of Australia’s political life, the evening retained the atmosphere of a warm and familial gathering, characterized by a strong spirit of brotherhood and unity.
It is noteworthy that, at the Archbishop’s request, the proceeds from the celebratory dinner will be allocated to support the needs of St John’s College in Preston. In his address, Archbishop Makarios highlighted the continuous efforts of the Holy Archdiocese of Australia to strengthen and advance both Greek education and theological formation throughout the country.
“Our schools are our most precious treasure,” he stressed, “for it is there that the future of the Greek Orthodox Diaspora is built, where our language is cultivated, along with our customs and traditions, and the heritage of our forefathers is preserved.”
Earlier, visibly moved, His Eminence expressed his heartfelt gratitude to all those present, while offering praise to God for the many gifts and blessings bestowed upon the Holy Archdiocese of Australia. “The glorification of God, in both word and deed, constitutes the very essence of our life within the Church; it is the foundation of our spiritual existence,” he noted.
He then observed that God acts through people and, in this light, urged all to remain attentive and open: “May our hearts and our entire being always remain open and receptive to the presence of our neighbor.”
Referring briefly to the most recent divine gifts granted to the Holy Archdiocese of Australia, he expressed particular gratitude for the ministry of the Bishops of Melbourne, Kyriakos, and of Chora, Eumenios. As he remarked, the two Hierarchs “are truly a gift and a blessing from God for the State of Victoria, and indeed for all of Australia.”
The Archbishop also highlighted the vital role of the clergy and, in particular, the laity, who willingly sacrifice part of their valuable time to support the local Church on a voluntary basis. As an expression of the Holy Archdiocese’s gratitude, he proceeded with the conferral of the Medal of the Order of the Philochristoi upon 39 individuals who have distinguished themselves through their dedicated service.
Archbishop Makarios further referred to both the projects currently underway and those planned for the future by the local Church. Concluding his address, he conveyed to all the Patriarchal wishes and blessing of the Ecumenical Patriarch, Bartholomew.
“It has now become evident to all of us,” he remarked, “that everything taking place within the Holy Archdiocese of Australia bears the blessing of our Patriarch—his seal, one might say. For this reason, we move forward with confidence and firm steps toward the future, knowing that we are sheltered under his protective care. We owe him everything and will remain eternally grateful.”
One of the most moving moments of the evening followed, when the Bishop of Toliara and Southern Madagascar, Prodromos, offered a warm and fraternal greeting to Archbishop Makarios. With the assistance of audiovisual material, he presented the missionary work being carried out in his diocese, made possible through the decisive support of the Orthodox Church in Australia.
As a sign of appreciation, His Grace bestowed upon the Archbishop the highest decoration of the Holy Diocese of Toliara and Southern Madagascar, and presented him with an icon of the Holy and Glorious Equal-to-the-Apostles Constantine and Helen.
The festive event was further enriched by hymns, songs, and traditional dances from Macedonia, performed by a student choir, the choir of the School of Byzantine Music, and the Florina Dance Ensemble “Aristotelis.”
Among those in attendance at the official dinner held in honor of the Name Day of Archbishop Makarios of Australia were Metropolitan Ezekiel of Derkoi, the aforementioned Bishops, the High Commissioner of the Republic of Cyprus to Australia, Antonios Sammoutis, and the Consul General of Greece in Melbourne, Dimitra Georgantzoglou. Also present were Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, as well as State MP David Davis, Shadow Minister for Energy and Resources and Shadow Minister for Government Transparency and Fiscal Reconstruction, who represented Jess Wilson, Leader of the Opposition in the Parliament of Victoria.
Also in attendance was the brother of the Ecumenical Patriarch, Nikolaos Archontonis, accompanied by his wife, Aikaterini.
