The Holy Archdiocese of Australia welcomed on Saturday, October 4, the Minister of Culture of Greece, Lina Mendoni, as part of the festive session of its Holy Eparchial Synod. The Minister visited Australia to attend the anniversary event marking one year of operation of the “Our People, Their Stories” Museum and to officially present the project in Sydney.
Minister Mendoni was accompanied by her special advisor, Anna Panagiotarea, other associates, and the Consul General of Greece in Sydney, Georgios Skemperis.
During the session, Archbishop Makarios of Australia warmly addressed the distinguished guests.
“We always feel your closeness, care, and interest in the Hellenism of Australia,” he noted, addressing Minister Mendoni. He also asked her to convey his heartfelt wishes to the Prime Minister of Greece, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, who, as he pointed out, “always shows a special and multi-faceted interest in the issues that concern us—both institutionally, due to his position, and personally—and this moves us deeply and fills us with joy.”
The Archbishop went on to outline the synodical system of governance of the Orthodox Church, which was introduced to the Holy Archdiocese of Australia last year. He also explained the unique characteristics of the vast ecclesiastical province of Australia that necessitated the implementation of the synodical structure.
Concluding his remarks, Archbishop Makarios noted that the Minister found “a very different Australia” from the one she had encountered during her previous visit three years earlier. Beyond the institutional and administrative developments he described, he highlighted the expansion of the Church’s work—an example being the “living” museum “Our People, Their Stories,” which the Minister has placed under the auspices of the Greek Ministry of Culture.
The Archbishop expressed his gratitude to Minister Mendoni for her assistance and support, “stemming primarily from your deep personal sensitivity and character, your faith in our Holy Church, and your commitment to the ideals of Greek culture—not merely as a formal duty.”
He also referred to the Apostolic visit of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew to Australia in October 2024, recalling that it was the Patriarch who inaugurated and first introduced to the global digital community the “living” museum of the historical memory of the Greek Diaspora.
Archbishop Makarios described this act as one of great symbolism, noting that the Ecumenical Patriarch’s involvement gave the initiative a universal dimension. He added: “It is precisely this ecumenical and global dimension of Hellenism that your presence here embodies—as the head of the Greek Ministry of Culture, but also as a person who has dedicated her life to the study and promotion of Greek culture, both in academia and public service.
Living in a multicultural country such as Australia, we are blessed with a deeper understanding of the universality of Hellenism — its infinite dimensions and immeasurable vitality — understood as an educational, linguistic, and cultural ideal, rather than an ethno-racial or blood-based concept that diminishes and distorts its true essence.
He concluded by emphasizing that this vision of “open horizons, mutual understanding, high education, hard work, honesty, and devotion to the sacred values of the Nation” is what the Archdiocese seeks to highlight through its project “Our People, Their Stories.”
Following the Archbishop’s address, Minister Mendoni warmly responded and delivered her own presentation, accompanied by audiovisual material, outlining the Ministry of Culture’s development and restoration initiatives and the ongoing efforts in Greece to preserve Byzantine monuments.
Finally, commemorative gifts were exchanged to mark the visit and the festive occasion.
