To mark National Reconciliation Week 2026, Archbishop Makarios of Australia has delivered a message of love, unity, and mutual respect. In his message, the Archbishop emphasised the importance of reconciliation and meaningful coexistence.
Read below the message of Archbishop Makarios of Australia:
The face of the other, as an image of God, lies at the heart of life and witness in Christ.
‘Love one another’, ‘welcome one another’, ‘be hospitable to one another’… The language of Holy Scripture leaves no room for a journey that is separate from that of others. Consequently, for us Orthodox Christians, mutual respect, mutual understanding, and reciprocal acceptance constitute not merely social virtues but a fundamental expression and witness of our faith.
In this light, National Reconciliation Week, an institution born out of the need to bring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples closer to non-Indigenous Australians, touches our hearts deeply.
Over the past few decades, decisive steps have been taken towards redressing the injustices of the past, bringing previously separate paths closer together and removing barriers that divided and excluded. Milestones in this journey include the historic referendum of 27 May 1967, the Mabo decision of 3 June 1992, and the magnificent walk across Sydney’s Harbour Bridge in 2000.
However, the journey towards genuine reconciliation cannot afford complacency. For this reason, National Reconciliation Week calls upon us every year to renew our commitment to its noble aims and to move forward with greater determination. We must draw closer to one another — to every person with whom God has ordained that we live together, especially the First Peoples of this blessed land. We must open our hearts, listen attentively, engage in dialogue, and strive to see the stories of the past and hopes for the future through the eyes of others.
Our positive response to this call is not only a tangible expression of our faith, but also a fitting tribute to our Greek-Australian ancestors who, even in difficult times, refused to turn away from the cause of reconciliation within the Australian nation. Therefore, it is our generation’s duty to make our own small contribution, to continue building bridges where divisions still exist, and to pass on to future generations an Australia characterised by greater justice, unity and reconciliation.
I pray that this year’s National Reconciliation Week will be fruitful for everyone, providing an opportunity to develop a deeper understanding of others.
