With distinguished guests and the broad participation of the faithful of the Holy Archdiocese of Australia, the official Dinner celebrating the Name Day of Archbishop Makarios of Australia was held on Monday, 19 January, in Sydney.
The festive event, hosted at the Le Montage Reception Centre, was honoured by the presence of the Governor of New South Wales, Margaret Beazley AC KC, together with her husband, Dennis Wilson; Metropolitan Seraphim of Sevasteia, Metropolitan Myron of New Zealand, Metropolitan Iakovos of Ireland, and Metropolitan Irinaios of Florina, Prespai and Eordaia; Bishop Prodromos of Toliara and Southern Madagascar; The God-loving Regional Bishops – members of the Holy Eparchial Synod and the Assistant Bishops of the Holy Archdiocese; the Catholic Archbishop of Sydney, Archbishop Anthony Fisher; the State Minister Sophia Kotsis, representing the Premier of New South Wales, Chris Minns; other Ministers and Members of Parliament; the Ambassador of Greece to Australia, Stavros Venizelos; the High Commissioner of Cyprus to Australia, Antonios Sammoutis; the Mayor of Florina, Vasileios Giannakis; clergy; Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate; and Presidents and representatives of Parishes–Communities, organisations and institutions of the local Church, among many others.
Archbishop Makarios expressed his heartfelt gratitude to all those present for the honour of their attendance, and warmly welcomed the Governor of New South Wales and the Catholic Archbishop of Sydney. In particular, he thanked the Governor for her long-standing support and active interest in the life and mission of the Holy Archdiocese of Australia, as well as for her broader contribution to the wellbeing and cultural life of the Greek community in New South Wales. He also expressed his appreciation to Ms Beazley for her support and participation in the celebrations marking the centenary of the Holy Archdiocese in 2024, which culminated in the presence of the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew.
Addressing the Catholic Archbishop of Sydney, Archbishop Makarios noted that his presence at the celebratory Dinner “bears witness to a deep relationship of esteem, friendship and respect, both towards my humble person and towards the Holy Archdiocese of Australia as a whole; a relationship characterised by sincere dialogue, fruitful cooperation and a shared commitment to the spiritual and moral progress of our society.” “Your presence this evening,” he added, “affirms the bonds of unity, goodwill and Christian brotherhood, which continue to inspire and strengthen our common witness here in Australia, as heralds of peace and love.”
Furthermore, the Archbishop expressed his gratitude for God’s abundant blessings upon the Orthodox Church in Australia, offering a brief account of the period that had preceded, as well as references to works and initiatives currently underway or planned for the near future. Particular emphasis was placed on the renovation of the Holy Cathedral of the Annunciation of Our Lady in Sydney. Having stated that he would not accept personal gifts or monetary offerings for his name day, all proceeds from the celebratory event were allocated to the continuation of the iconography of the Cathedral.
Archbishop Makarios also made special mention of St Andrew’s Theological College, expressing his joy at the forthcoming commencement of renovations to its facilities, as well as at the strong enrolment of students and the enrichment of its academic programme. “We place enormous importance on theological education,” he emphasised, “and we are not prepared to make compromises.”
During the Dinner, the Archbishop honoured 27 members of the Greek community with the Medal of the Order of the Christ-loving in recognition of the decisive contribution of the Christ-loving faithful of the local Church to all the works and initiatives it undertakes.
Finally, Archbishop Makarios asked for the prayers of those present for the successful fulfilment of his ministry and mission, and for the God-pleasing progress of the Holy Archdiocese of Australia. “I am in great need of all your prayers,” he stated, “so that God may enlighten me to conduct myself according to His will and to labour for the glory of His Church and the salvation of people; to serve Australia with great paternal love and dedication, and for us all to move forward together into the future. For the future that lies before us is worth more than our past.”
It is noted that the celebratory Dinner included a cultural programme of traditional songs and ecclesiastical hymns, presented by the Australian Byzantine Choir.
