On Saturday, October 12, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew concluded the first phase of his Apostolic visit to Australia, departing from Sydney and traveling to Melbourne, the capital of Victoria.
His first stop upon arriving in Melbourne was the Parish-Community of Saints Archangels, located in the suburb of Mentone. He was warmly welcomed by numerous parishioners, led by their Hierarchical Head, Fr. Panagiotis Zoumpoulis. Present at the event were Metropolitan Myron of New Zealand, as well as the Consuls General of Greece in Melbourne, Emmanuel Kakavelakis, and in Adelaide, Alexandra Theodoropoulou.
The presence of compatriots was particularly strong, including the Ecumenical Patriarch’s brother, Nikolaos Archontonis, as many expatriates from Imbros reside in the Mentone area.
Filled with emotion, the Ecumenical Patriarch warmly greeted and blessed the devout faithful who had gathered to welcome him. He also expressed his admiration for the young children of the Parish-Community, who performed traditional Greek dances in his honor.
In his brief address, following the welcoming remarks of the Hierarchical Head, the Ecumenical Patriarch expressed his heartfelt gratitude for the visible and significant progress made by the Holy Archdiocese of Australia since his last visit to the country.
Referring to Archbishop Makarios of Australia, he praised him as a dynamic and active Shepherd, remarking that “within just a few years, he has succeeded in leaving his personal mark on the ecclesiastical affairs of this great Eparchy of the Ecumenical Throne.”
Congratulating Archbishop Makarios on his accomplishments thus far, the Ecumenical Patriarch remarked, “We expect much more from Archbishop Makarios in the years to come.” He also emphasized the importance of rallying the entire clergy and laity of the local Church to ensure its continued growth and progress.
The Ecumenical Patriarch then conveyed the deep love and pride of the Mother Church, as well as his personal affection, for the Orthodox faithful of the fifth continent. “Although you are geographically far from our sacred Center, you remain very close to our hearts. And you always give us opportunities to admire and be proud in the Lord,” he said.
After highlighting the Ecumenical Patriarchate’s role as the guardian of Orthodox faith and canonical order, and referencing his tireless efforts to maintain the unity of the Orthodox world in the face of ethnophyletism, the Ecumenical Patriarch concluded his speech by expressing gratitude to Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese for providing the prime ministerial aircraft for his and his entourage’s journey from Sydney to Melbourne.
It was a noble gesture that, as the Ecumenical Patriarch noted, further underscores the prestige and significance of the institution of the Ecumenical Patriarchate.
“The Australian authorities, and especially Prime Minister Albanese,” he emphasized, “demonstrate great respect for the institution of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, clearly recognizing from history its immense contributions, not only to Orthodoxy and the Christian faith, but to world culture as a whole.” Secondly, this gesture also reflects Prime Minister Albanese’s personal appreciation and friendship with Archbishop Makarios.
“For both reasons, we are proud and deeply grateful to the Prime Minister for extending this gesture to the Orthodox Church,” remarked Bartholomew, adding that similar sentiments of respect and appreciation were conveyed by all the political and state leaders he met in Sydney, including the Governor General of Australia and the Governor of New South Wales.
During his visit to the Parish-Community of Saints Archangels in Mentone, the Ecumenical Patriarch was accompanied by Archbishop Makarios, local Church Bishops, and members of his Patriarchal entourage. The entourage included Metropolitans Kyrillos of Imbros and Tenedos and Philotheos of Thessaloniki, Grand Protosyncellus Gregory, Grand Ecclesiarch Aetios, Director of the Private Patriarchal Office, Patriarchal Deacon Eulogios, Nun Iakovi, Abbess of the Holy Monastery of the Honorable Forerunner of Akritochori, Archon Teacher of the Nation Konstantinos Delikostantis, Director of the First Patriarchal Office, Archon Teacher of the Church Theodoros Giagkou, Professor of the Theological School of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, and Nikolaos-Georgios Papachristou, Director of the Patriarchal Press and Communication Office.
