After extensive restoration and renovation, the historic Church of the Holy Trinity in Sydney— the oldest Greek Orthodox church in the Antipodes and the southern hemisphere—has regained its former glory. On Sunday, June 2, it reopened to welcome a throng of devout Christians, led by their Shepherd, Archbishop Makarios of Australia.
In an atmosphere of joy and intense emotion, the Archbishop performed the Service of the Inauguration, and then presided over the Divine Liturgy, co-presided over by Bishops Iakovos of Militopolis and Elpidios of Kyanes. Among the large congregation were the Consul General of Greece in Sydney, Ioannis Mallikourtis; the Secretary of the Archdiocesan Council and Secretary of the Consolidated Trust of the Holy Archdiocese, Nikolaos Papanastasiou; and the leadership of the Greek Orthodox Community of New South Wales, to which the Church of the Holy Trinity belongs, headed by its President, Charis Danalis.
With great emotion, reminiscent of when he first crossed the threshold of the Holy Trinity in June 2020, inaugurating a new era in the relations of the local Church with the Greek Orthodox Community of NSW, Archbishop Makarios of Australia gave a warm greeting at the end of the Divine Liturgy. He called on everyone to be vigilant in preserving unity within the Body of the Church and the Greek Diaspora.
“We praise God who made us worthy, after the renovation of this very historic church, to celebrate its reopening and to once again dedicate it to the worship and prayer of the people,” he noted, adding, “We praise God with much emotion, recalling the many historical moments associated with this sacred place, moments of both glory and splendor.” These moments prompt us to reflect and appreciate the unity we experience today—both the unity of Hellenism and the unity of the Church. I say this because the history of the Greeks has shown that we progress through unity and love.”
The Archbishop emphasized that history has also demonstrated that unity is not guaranteed. “It is an achievement for which we must continually strive,” he stressed. “Because the devil exists,” he continued, “and at any moment, selfishness, envy, and ambition can infiltrate the souls of people, disrupting the unity among them. So I praise God that today we celebrate the Divine Liturgy united and resolute. And thus, united and resolute, let us advance for the glory of Christ, our faith, and our nation.”
Moreover, providing a brief historical overview, the Archbishop explained that Greece does not incline towards quarrels and conflicts; rather, its primary pursuit over time has been the quest for truth. This need connected the journey of Hellenism with that of the Orthodox Church, which aims “to share the Gospel with people and guide them all towards Christ, taking them by the hand.”
In conclusion, Archbishop Makarios congratulated and thanked Haris Danalis, as well as his associates on the Board of Directors of the Greek Orthodox Community of NSW, for the care they demontrated for the renovation of the historic church of the Holy Trinity and the spirit of cooperation and unity. “In this spirit, let us all advance together,” he urged, “for neither you nor we are journeying alone. Together we are on the same path, which is the path of love and unity.”
In his response, Danalis spoke of a historic day for the Greek Orthodox Community of New South Wales, recalling, among other things, that the commencement of the reconstruction of the Church of the Holy Trinity in 1898 coincided with the establishment of the Community and the start of its historical journey. He also referred to the difficulties of the renovation project, and warmly thanked the Archbishop for the excellent, as he stressed, cooperation between them. “It is undeniable that since your arrival, Your Eminence, a deeper and more genuine relationship has flourished. “Our cooperation has been excellent, which is why we pray that God will grant you a long life on the throne of the Archdiocese of Australia, enabling you to continue leading the Church with a spirit of love and unity,” he said.
Finally, the Consul General of Australia, Mallikourtis, also addressed the audience, saying that he was happy for his presence in the historic church of the Holy Trinity, while praising the unifying spirit promoted by the Archbishop of Australia. “The words of His Eminence are a practical, tangible proof of the importance of unity and concord,” he underlined. He added: “The truth is that I am very lucky that my term goes hand in hand with this climate of unity and concord in the Greek Diaspora. I also thank the President of the Community for fostering unity and concord, because, as the Archbishop said, we cannot move forward, we cannot achieve anything without unity and harmony.” Mallikourtis concluded his greeting by extending congratulations to the Community and the Restoration Committee of the church for their diligent efforts in ensuring the success of the project.
An official banquet followed, during which Archbishop Makarios congratulated and thanked the Hierarchical Head of the Church, Father Thomas Giantzis, for his dedicated ministry and service.
Translated by Thanos Chrysanthopoulos
