On Saturday, 22 October 2022, the Archiepiscopal Vicar of the Archdiocesan District of Northcote, Bishop Evmenios of Kerasounta, representing Archbishop Makarios of Australia, conducted an Agiasmos for the naming of the Street “Kalamata Place”, which is located in the suburb of Thornbury of Melbourne, next to a building which belongs to the Panmessinian Brotherhood “O Papaflessas”, along with the President of the association, Stavros Gkotsis.
The initiative to name this particular street ‘Kalamata Place’ belongs to the Brotherhood “O Papaflessas” and was implemented in collaboration with the Papaflessas Association along with the municipal council of the City of Darebin.
Present at the ceremony were the Deputy Minister of National Defense of Greece, Nikolaos Hardalias, the Mayor of Darebin, Lina Messina, the Mayor of Kalamata, Athanasios Vassilopoulos, the Consul General of Greece in Melbourne, Emmanuel Kakavelakis, the President of the Intercommunity Council of Victoria Antonios Tsourdalakis and many more representatives of associations and organizations of the local Greek Orthodox Community.
Bishop Evmenios, in his short speech, referred to, amongst other things, the decision to name a street in honor of the City of Kalamata, pointing out that the ties of friendship that were created historically between Greece and Australia, through common struggles, as was the Second World War, still remain strong and powerful. He also thanked the Australian authorities who respect and love Greece and its people.
Bishop Evmenios officially welcomed the Mayor of Kalamata on Sunday, October 23, during the Divine Liturgy at the Holy Church of the Transfiguration of the Saviour, in Thomastown. The Bishop warmly welcomed Vassilopoulos, on behalf of Archbishop Makarios of Australia, while granting him the floor in order to address a short greeting to those present.
Among the congregation were the President of the Panmessinian Brotherhood “O Papaflessas”, Stavros Gkotsis, and the President of the Intercommunity Council of Victoria, Antonios Tsourdalakis.
