The Episcopal Assembly of Oceania solemnly marked the 1,700th Anniversary of the issuance of the Edict of Milan by the Roman Emperor St Constantine the Great in 313 AD with the Pan-Orthodox celebration of Great Vespers for Feast of Sts Constantine and Helen on Monday evening, 20 May 2013.

This special Inter-Orthodox commemoration was hosted by the Greek Orthodox Church of Sts Constantine and Helen in Newtown, New South Wales on the eve of their Patronal Feast. Presiding over the service of Great Vespers was His Eminence Metropolitan Paul of the Antiochian Orthodox Patriarchate, in the presence of Their Graces Bishop Seraphim of Apollonias and Iakovos of Miletoupolis of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, assisted by a multitude of priests and deacons from the various canonical Orthodox jurisdictions in Australia.

A magnificent array of Orthodox liturgical chant was sung in a variety of national traditions and languages with responses offered by the Orthodox choirs and chanters of the Greek, Antiochian, Russian and Serbian Orthodox Churches.

This year of the Lord’s goodness was given us a rare and true celebration: it has been given us to celebrate 1,700 years since the day when the Providence of God spoke through the Holy Emperor Constantine and freedom and empowerment were given to the Christian faith. This is truly a special year and a special jubilee. For the Holy Emperor Constantine was no ordinary Roman Emperor, like the others. His victory was not a victory like others. For his Edict was no ordinary imperial decree by which someone, through secular power, is forced to obey mere authority. On the contrary: it was all special and blessed, it was all so significant and great that even today we celebrate the light which shone forth with the Edict of Milan in 313 and with the great deed of the glorious Constantine, the convener of the First Ecumenical Council. For all Orthodox Christians, as well as all Christians and our friends from other faiths who grasp the significance of the Edict of Milan: may this spiritual joy and celebration multiply throughout the Oikoumene!

KEYNOTE ADDRESS OF HIS EMINENCE ARCHBISHOP STYLIANOS

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

In commencing the Proceedings of our 11^th Clergy-Laity Congress, we first of all offer a heartfelt doxology to God who is praised in Trinity, for enabling us all to meet together once again, in order to make a common evaluation and analysis of our Church matters in general. Following this, we greet and welcome the Representatives (both Clergy and Laity) of our Parish-Communities throughout Australia – and above all His Eminence, our Brother and Representative of the Ecumenical Patriarchate – together with the Official Guests at this Clergy-Laity Congress, while thanking all and wishing you a pleasant stay and participation in the Proceedings as well as in the related functions.

We should note that the delay of one year with which this Clergy-Laity Congress is being held is due to the known difficulties that faced the health of the speaker which, by God’s grace, have been overcome to the point that allows us fortunately to continue our blessed collaboration without hindrance.

Once again, a Biblical verse has been chosen as our theme, and this year’s one, from the Epistle to the Hebrews, was selected both as a ‘wake-up call’ to deal with the great responsibility and arduous work of the Congress, as well as a highly indicative expression of the means available to all of us, to conduct the sacred struggle that the Church undertakes at all times in the world to fulfill its divine purpose. For, as one can appreciate, holy enthusiasm to act is not enough. Rather, before and all else, is the realisation of the astounding fact that the task of the Church is always conducted with direct reference to God the Word Incarnate, Who not only inspires as “Author”, but also completes each task as “Perfecter”. This is the very reason for which the Fathers of the early Church did not hesitate to use the fitting description of the Church as “Christ prolonged throughout the ages” (Christus prolongatus).

We need however to observe straightaway that both “faith” and “endurance” are not mentioned here generally and vaguely, as two powers of the soul according to the current notion of the “inner psyche” of the secular person.

Faith in Jesus Christ, as the one who inspires and at the same time blesses the struggling person, equates to unceasing prayer. And we know that such faith is even able to “move mountains” (1 Cor. 13:2).

The “endurance” of our Biblical passage cannot be considered as a kind of tolerance or passive stance vis-à-vis the harsh conditions of this life, but in fact as the complete opposite of this. “Endurance” literally means the unwavering decision of the struggler to continue to fight the good fight, under any conditions, remaining firm and unshakeable, and this because he or she knows that time works in one’s favour. The Monks of Mt Athos have recognised the intense dynamism of “endurance” in an entirely experiential way, stating for this reason that they need “many endurances” throughout all their efforts and spiritual struggles!

Yet, we must admit that the full meaning of the Biblical passage can only be properly understood if we take into consideration the previous half verse from chapter 12 of the Epistle to the Hebrews, where it states very characteristically:

“Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us…”

With this vital addition, it becomes clear that the faithful who struggle must realise that they are not alone, since they are accompanied by a cloud of Witnesses to the Faith. Being strengthened by them, the faithful are able to overcome every ‘hurdle’ and difficulty, thereby also avoiding sin, in which one can so easily be carried away.

Following these necessary points of clarification made by way of introduction, we shall now attempt to present a series of the most significant developments which ‘sealed’, so to speak, the image of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia from the time we held the 10^th Clergy-Laity Congress, namely from January 2008 until today.

*(A.) The most significant events over the past four years

In previous Keynote Addresses, we had presented, almost in chronological order, the establishment of new Churches, Schools and other Institutions of common benefit, as well as the expansion of older ones and their staffing with corresponding personnel.

However, from the 10^th Congress onwards, it was considered necessary – given that the above basic needs have now been met – for the Keynote Address of the Archbishop to draw the attention of the Delegates to the quality of the work that is undertaken. That is to say, to the functioning of the institutions in each locality. Accordingly, during the 10^th Clergy-Laity Congress, the Keynote Address presented an extensive analysis of the importance and inviolability of the Institutions of the Synod, without which it is impossible to even speak about the Church.

*At this 11^th Congress, the Keynote Address must mention above all the elimination of the schismatic divisions which had prevailed in our two biggest States, namely Victoria and New South Wales, bringing a ‘new wind’ to our community affairs as a result. For, while the numbers of persons involved with these schismatic groups was, in both cases, almost negligible in comparison to the vast multitude who follow the Canonical Church of the Archdiocese, the customary propaganda created, over several decades, misleading impressions in Australia, as well as in Greece and overseas generally.

In Melbourne, the Old Community, which had promised in writing to maintain all the conditions of their agreement to return to the Archdiocese during the days of the late Archbishop Ezekiel, did not unfortunately put any of this into practice. This was the case until, approximately one year ago, a new administration won the election, with solicitor Bill Papastergiadis as the new President wasting no time in restoring honourable collaboration with the Archdiocese, and this was welcomed by almost everyone.

A contributing factor to this favourite outcome must have been the preceding eradication of the schism of the Commnity of St George in Hobart, Tasmania, that had appeared for a brief time. To achieve this, its new President John Fiotakis, a member of the younger generation, worked honourably with the Archdiocese. With reconciliation, not only did the Community Church of St George return to the jurisdiction of the Archdiocese, but also the magnificent Anglican Church of Holy Trinity (which had to be sold by its Trustees, as often happens), was offered to us for sale on very friendly terms for a symbolic sum. In this way, we acquired a Parish Church in the most prominent point of Hobart. Father Timothy Evangelinidis was appointed accordingly to that church, while formerly schismatic Father Panagiotis Nikolakos was ordained and appointed to St George, and there is good cooperation between them.

Mention should be made here of the astute handling of the entire matter by the Archdiocese through His Grace Bishop Ezekiel of Dervis and Mr Kon Kontis, President of the Parishes/Communities of Victoria, who on his accord hastened to pay for this purchase in memory of his Parents.

The Old Greek Orthodox Community of Sydney and New South Wales, which had broken away in 1972, was a much more difficult case, as the discussions for reconciliation that had commenced some 20 years ago during the author’s term of office, proved fruitless. Fortunately, just over a year ago, through the praiseworthy initiative of the Administrative Committee chaired by solicitor Mr Harry Danalis, with the approval of 78.3% of the members at the General Meeting, together with the appropriate love and understanding of the Archdiocese (which was appreciated by all), the long-desired union was achieved.

In this way, everyone rejoiced at seeing the joint celebrations of the national Anniversaries of 28^th October and 25^th March.

It must be mentioned here also that the six-member Committee that conducted the discussions, under the chairmanship of His Grace Bishop Seraphim of Appollonias, worked with the utmost care and wisdom (the Committee was served, on behalf of the Community, by President Mr H. Danalis, Secretary Mr M. Tsilimos and Mr C. Belerhas, while on the part of the Archdiocese were His Grace Bishop Seraphim and Legal Advisers Mr Michael Diamond and Mr Nicholas Pappas).

*The next topic is the festive celebration, in 2011, of the 25^th Anniversary since the establishment of St Andrew’s Theological College and, with that blessed occasion, the Election and Ordination of the first Australian-born Bishop, His Grace Iakovos (Tsigounis) of Miletoupolis. We should note, in addition, that approximately 10 Clergymen have been ordained and appropriately appointed in the past 4 years.

With regard to the program of studies in our Theological College, we should say that efforts have been made to always maintain the traditional four-year cycle of purely theological studies. However, in addition to this, various other courses of intensive study specialising in practical theology have been introduced, together with distance education via the internet.

Special mention must be made of the annual Patristic Symposia of the Theological College held in September, whereby the life and theological contribution of some of the greatest Fathers of the early Church are examined individually each year.

Until now, the three great Cappadocian Fathers (Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian and Gregory of Nyssa) have each been presented, while last September the theme of the Symposium was Athanasios the Great. It needs to be underlined that the speakers at the Symposium were not limited to the academic staff of our College, but that they also included researchers of international repute from other countries and universities, both men and women. In this way, it became possible to increase our annual theological journal PHRONEMA to two volumes per year, as the second one now includes papers from the Patristic Symposia.

A further successful expansion of the work of our Theological College is the grant we received, quite unexpectedly, from the Federal Government for $1.9 million. This came following our presentation to Mr Anthony Albanese, Minister for Infrastructure, of our plan from years ago to construct facilities at Bribie Island – close to Brisbane, and next to the already erected Chapel of the Mother of God – for special Youth Conferences and recreational camps, but also for popular lessons in Orthodox spirituality. The relevant grant was announced, on behalf of our Prime Minister Julia Gillard, during the celebrations for Greek Independence Day of 25^th March, by the mentioned Minister Albanese.

A grant of similar magnitude ($2 million) was announced personally several days earlier by Ms Gillard at the Greek ANTIPODES Festival of the Old Community in Melbourne.

*A new leap forwards is expected for our St Basil’s Homes in Sydney as, in the near future, an enormous complex will be constructed in the area of Randwick in order to meet the great demand that has grown for some years now. More important, however, is the fact that the new CEO Fr Nicholas Stavropoulos, who succeeded the ‘veteran’ and already retired Protopresbyter Fr John Kapetas, very soon became worthy of our expectations and needs, with the brotherly assistance of Fr J. Kapetas, especially in tasks such as confession and Public Relations.

With similar admiration and pride in the Lord we have also observed for years now the highly innovative work that is developing, under the wise leadership of Mr Theo Bacalakis and his team, based in Cairns, North Queensland. Under the name ‘St John’s Community Care’ every need and deprivation of today’s fellow citizens are dealt with in a highly philanthropic way, by our blessed Parish of St John the Baptist, despite the fact that there are no more than 200 Greek Orthodox families in the region. Let it be noted that the new community care centres are continually being added in cities throughout north Queensland, always with the strong funding of the State and Federal Governments, who monitor the observance of all Regulations with great vigilance.

Just a few months ago, after Easter, we officially opened the newest such centre in the city of Innisfail

*In Inter-Orthodox relations, we saw the introduction three years ago of the so-called ‘Episcopal Assembly’, following a proposal of the 4^th Pan-Orthodox Pre-Synodical Meeting to the Ecumenical Patriarchate.

This is a Synaxis of Bishops, called once a year in various geographic regions of the world by each Representative of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, is understood to be concerned with the problems of the ‘Orthodox Diaspora’, in order for the task of the forthcoming Holy and Great Pan-Orthodox Synod to be prepared for appropriately, and so that it can meet as soon as possible.

Yet, a Synaxis of Bishops, which is not named and not considered a ‘Synod’, is for Orthodox Ecclesiology a completely incomprehensible institution. Consequently, the writer presented to the Ecumenical Patriarchate without hesitation, not only his reservations and concrete fears arising from the formation of this unprecedented body, but also the various forms of harm that the Representative of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, as ex officio co-ordinator and chairman of the Episcopal Assembly, would primarily be exposed to.

At any rate, the ‘Episcopal Assembly’ is clearly a direct borrowing from the Roman Catholic church, after Vatican II, wherein there is a harmonious collaboration of Bishops and general disciplined behaviour towards one another is assured by the very nature of papal primacy. In our context, however, there is complete immunity and chaos among the Orthodox Diaspora.

Not withstanding this, and despite the problems that could arise from the annual ‘Episcopal Assembly’, we considered that it would not be prudent to avoid it, and so the Episcopal Assembly of ‘Canonical Orthodox Bishops of Oceania’ has already been convened three times, in 2010, 2011 and 2012 respectively. It should be added that neither the members of the Assembly, nor the ‘canonicity’ of each, could be evaluated with precision from the outset, without the existence of a common criterion that is accepted by all. Consequently, we should acknowledge that the value of the mentioned Body is mainly limited to mutual acquaintance in person and to the sharing of information between the various jurisdictions. In so doing, they will be in a better position to offer their respective surroundings the witness of a unified Orthodox presence.

*(B.) Acknowledgements and Thanksgiving

Following this brief presentation of the developments in the life of our Archdiocese that have taken place between January 2008 and the present, I consider it my duty to thank and warmly congratulate my honourable and God-pleasing co-workers in the overall task of our Archdiocese. I would also like to wish each person every blessing from God, for the continuation of our joint effort to the glory of God and the service towards His people.

First of all, then, I express my grateful thanks to the venerable Centre in Phanar, Constantinople, particularly His All Holiness our Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, for the brotherly understanding and assistance given by all means and at all times. Next I would like to thank my four Assistant Bishops, Their Graces Ezekiel of Dervis, Seraphim of Apollonias, Niandros of Dorylaion and Iakovos of Miletoupolis, together with my Personal Secretary the Very Reverend Archimandrite Kyrillos Zissis, and all who serve in the central offices of our Archdiocese and our Theological College, men and women, clergy and lay people.

I especially thank the members of the Archdiocesan Council, and our Legal Advisers, with whom collaboration has become so necessary on a daily basis.

It is self-evident that sincere acknowledgement and related gratitude of the humble speaker, as your spiritual Shepherd, is owed to all our Clergy and lay people serving around Australia (whether in Parish-Communities and Holy Monasteries or various charitable institutions and other ecclesiastical organisations).

I would like to especially thank our Official Guests: the Patriarchal Representative His Eminence Metropolitan Nicholas of Detroit, His Eminence Metropolitan Evgenios of Rethymnon, Professor Nicholas Xexaks, diplomatic representatives of Greece headed by the Ambassador to Australia Mr Haralambos Dafaranos, the representative of our State Government and Minister for Tourism the Hon. George Souris, other representatives of Australian authorities and organisations, as well as all our institutional colleagues in the daily struggle for Truth and Justice, together with the representatives of the media and youth in the Antipodes.

Finally, I would like to thank most warmly the Organising Committee of this Clergy-Laity Congress under the tireless Chairmanship of the Vicar-General His Grace Bishop Seraphim of Apollonias, and the Parish-Community of St Spyridon for hosting all of us once again, together with all our Parishes and Communities who collaborated so well, those who supported the event financially, and all generally who have contributed in any way to the success of our Clergy-Laity Congress that now commences with many blessings. Amen.

Translated from the original Greek by DK

RESOLUTIONS OF THE 11^TH CLERGY-LAITY CONGRESS

The 11^th Clergy-Laity Congress of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia, convening in Sydney from the 20^th – 23^rd January 2013 under the Chairmanship of His Eminence Archbishop Stylianos and in the presence of His Eminence Nicholas of Detroit USA representing His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and the Holy and Sacred Synod of Constantinople, as well as the invited guests of the Archdiocese, His Eminence Metropolitan Evgenios of Rethymnon and Avlopotamos, Crete, in the presence also of His Excellency the Ambassador for Greece in Canberra and His Excellency the High Commissioner for the Republic of Cyprus, with the participation of the Clergy and Laity serving the Parishes-Communities, Organisations and Institutions of the Archdiocese unanimously votes:

*1. That it remains steadfastly devoted, with the deepest respect of our Clergy and Laity, to the Most Sacred and Martyric Ecumenical Throne and to its Prelate, His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, and the Holy and Sacred Synod of Constantinople.

*2. That it concurs with and supports completely the genuine efforts of His All Holiness the Ecumenical Patriarch, with his executive co-workers, for the preservation of the inviolable rights of the Great Church of Christ over the centuries. In stating this, we do not refer only to the title  ‘Ecumenical’ which is, at any rate, internationally recognised, nor only to the re-opening of the renowned and historic Theological School of Halki. We also refer to the inviolability of all freedoms to which the Greek community in Turkey, together with its institutions and all of its properties, is entitled.

*3. That it is closely following the continuing financial crisis in Greece, and endorses the initiatives of its Prime Minister Mr Andonis Samaras and the coalition of the governing political parties, while wishing a rapid financial recovery and stating that the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia will continue to offer moral and material assistance toward our sisters and brothers who are suffering.

*4. That it expresses ain for the yet unresolved solution to the Cyprus problem which has continued for decades, and supports the just struggle of the Church and State of Cyprus.

*5. That it is deeply concerned with and protests the continued captivity behind bars of His Eminence Archbishop John of Ochrid (of the Serbian Orthodox Church), which is a dnial of human rights and religious freedom, as resolved at the Episcopal Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops held in October 2012, under the Chairmanship of His Eminence Archbishop Stylianos.

*6. That it greets the participation in this Clergy-Laity Congress of the Greek Orthodox Community of Sydney and New South Wales, which has recently returned to the canonical Church, and send a message of unity to the few schismatic groups still remaining.

11^TH CLERGY-LAITY CONGRESS PROCEEDINGS

“Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith”- (Hebrews 12:1-2)

1^st Day of Congress – Sunday 20 January 2013

7:30-11:00am – Concelebration of all Hierarchs at the Cathedral of the Annunciation of the Theotokos, Redfern, presided by His Eminence Archbishop Stylianos of Australia.

11:30-12:30pm – Registration of interstate delegates and Reception in the Cathedral Hall.

19:00pm – Opening Service at the Church of St Spyridon, Kingsford, conducted by His Eminence in the presence of the Patriarchal Representative, State dignitaries, Consular officials, representatives of other Orthodox Churches, and all Clergy and lay delegates of Parish-Communities throughout Australia.

20:00pm – Official Dinner in the new Hall of St Spyridon College, Maroubra.

2^nd Day of Congress – Monday 21 January 2013

8:00am – Registration of late arrivals.

9:00am – Brief Prayer for the Commencement of the Congress.

 Chairman Mr Michael Diamond

Welcome by His Eminence Archbishop Stylianos of Australia

Message of His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew – Pheme of the Patriarch

Greeting of the Patriarchal Representative, His Eminence Metropolitan Nicholas of Detroit.

Greeting of His Eminence Metropolitan Evgenios of Rethymnon and Avlopotamos

9:30-10:15am – Keynote Addres of His Eminence Archbishop Stylianos Pheme of His Eminence.

10:15-10:40am – Address by Emeritus Professor Nicholas Xexakis of the Theological School, University of Athens, on ‘The freedom of the human person’.

10:45-11:15am – Morning tea-coffee.

11:20-11:30am Election of a Supervisory Committee and nominations for the Archdiocesan Council.

11:30-12:00pm – Financial Report by Mr Stan Palassis, Co-Vice Chair of the Archdiocesan Council and member of the Finance Committee.

12:00-12:40pm – Reports of Institutions and Initiatives of our Archdiocese

*1. Theological College by Dr Philip Kariatlis, Lecturer

*2. Orthodox Day Schools by Mrs Efrosini Stefanou, Head of St Spyridon College, Sydney.

*3. Afternoon Schools by Dr Haralambos Ladopoulos, Head of St John’s College, Melbourne.

*4. University Chaplaincies by His Grace Bishop Iakovos of Miletoupolis.

*5. Youth by Archim. Fr Sophrony Konidaris, Parish Priest of the Church of the Resurrection of Christ, Kogarah.

12:45-13:45pm – Lunch

14:00-14:15pm – Official group photograph

Chairman: Dr Nicholas Pappas

*6. Special Religious Education in State Schools (Scripture) by Professor James Athanasou, responsible for Curriculum and Training of Scripture Teachers.

*7. Sunday Schools by Dr John Psaromatis, responsible for Sunday Schools Programmes in NSW.

*8. Pastoral Matters (Chaplaincy) by Rev. Fr Lysimachos Kostoglou, Parish Priest of St Gerasimos, Leichardt.

*9. Missionary Work by Rev. Fr Constantine Varipatis, Parish Priest of St Stylianos, Sutherland.

*10. Charitable Institutions

  *(I.) St Basil’s Nursing Homes and Hostels

• In Sydney: Rev. Fr Nicholas Stavropoulos, CEO
• In Melbourne: Mr Kon Kontis, Chair
• In Adelaide: Mr Harry Patsouris, Chair
• In Perth: Deacon Evangelos Battalis, Director
• In Brisbane: Mrs Evangelis Zoupas, Vice Chair of the Ladies’ Auxillary

  *(II.) Estia Foundation – Sydney, By Protopresbyter fr Angelo Aliferakis, CEO

  *(III.) St John’s Community Care  Cairns, By Mr Theo Bacalakis, Chair

  *(IV.) Bribie Island St Andrews Camp (Retreat and Recreation Centre), By Mr John Panarets, Chair.

16:00-16:30pm Afternoon tea and refreshments

*11. Ladies Auxillary (Philoptochos) by His Grace Bishop Ezekiel of Dervis

*12. Greek Welfare Centres

  *(I.) In Sydney: Mr Stelios Magdas, Director of the Centre

  *(II.) In Melbourne: Mr Kon Kontis, Co-Vice Chair of the Archdiocesan Council

  *(III.) In Adelaide: Archim. Fr Silouanos Fotineas, member of the committee

  *(IV.) In Tasmania: Mrs Aliki Pantazi, Social Worker

  *(V.) In Brisbane: Mrs Angela Andronis, Director.

  *(VI.) St Timothy Foundation: By Rev. Fr Emmanuel Stamatiou, Parish Priest of the Annunciation of Our Lady, Perth

17:15-18:15pm – Discussion of the reports – Questions

18:30pm – Departure by bus to ‘Hellenic Village’, Miranda, of St Basil’s Homes for the Aged, followed by a visit to the Parish of St Stylianos Church, Sutherland, and Dinner

22:30pm – Returen to Hotel

3^rd Day of Congress – Tuesday 22 January 2013

8:15am – Departure

Chairman: Mr James Jordan

8:45-9:30am

*13. Constitutional and Nomocanonical Matters (10 minutes) By Solicitors Dr Nicholas Pappas, Secretary of the Archdiocesan Council, and Mr James Jordan, member of the Archdiocesan Council

*14. Inter-Church and Ecumenical Relations By Mr Dimitri Kepreotes

*15. Mass Media and Public Relations By Protopresbyter Fr Stylianos Scoutas, Parish priest of St Spyridon, Kingsford

*16. Update on the new law concerning health and safety in the workplace (WHS) By Mr Peter Makris

*17. Update concerning insurance matters By Catholic Church Insurance

9:30-10:30am Questions – Discussion

RESOLUTIONS (By Committee comprised of His Grace Bishop Nikandros of Dorylaiou, with Protopresbyters Stylianos Scoutas and Angelo Aliferakis)

10:30-11:00am – Morning tea-coffee

11:00-12:45pm – Committees meet separately

13:00-14:00pm – Lunch

Chairman: Mr Stan Kondilios

14:00-14:30pm – Voting for the Archdiocesan Council

14:30-16:00pm – Committee Reports

16:00-16:30pm – Afternoon tea-coffee

16:30-18:30pm – Committee Reports and discussion

18:30pm Departure for Parish-Community of All Saints, Belmore

Veneration at the Church of All Saints followed by Dinner in the new multi-purpose Hall of the Day School

22:00-22:30pm – Return to the Hotel

4^th Day of Congress – Wednesday 23 January 2013

8:15am – Departure from the Hotel by bus.

Chairman: Mr Kon Kontis

8:45-10:00am – Committee Reports – Discussion of the general topics by the delegates.

10:00-10:30am Morning tea-coffee

10:30-12:30pm – Questions – Discussion – General topics

12:30-13:00pm – First Meeting of the Archdiocesan Council

13:00-14:00pm – Lunch

14:30-15:30pm – Visit to the Central Offices of the Archdiocese, the Cathedral, the Theological College and the Book Centre.

16:00pm – Return to the Hotel

CONCLUSION OF CONGRESS PROCEEDINGS

Source: Voice of Orthodoxy, Volume 35, January-March 2013

Twenty years of Greek Serbian Friendship celebrated in Sydney

Neos Kosmos – 2 Oct 2013

With more than 35 dancing groups participating, and a program of more than eight hours, the annual Greek-Serbian Orthodox and Cultural Friendship Day was celebrated last Sunday in Rooty Hill, Sydney.
Serbian and Greek dancing schools were joined by other Orthodox communities to give unique colour and a wide array of traditional sounds in what was the biggest and most visited friendship day in its 20 year long history.
The day started with the Holy Liturgy in the packed St Stefan Serbian Orthodox Church which was concelebrated by the Metropolitan Theodosios of Sebaste, of the Antiochian Orthodox Church, alongside the Bishop of the Serbian Orthodox Church of Australia, His Grace Irinej.
Present at the Holy Liturgy were the newly arrived Consul General of Greece in Sydney Dr Stavros Kirimis, the Consul General of Serbia Mr Branko Radosevic, the Consul of Romania Ms Roxanna Mocanu, alongside dignitaries from both the Greek and Serbian communities of Sydney.
On the initiative of the Serbian Orthodox Church of St Stefan, the event has been taking place every September since 1994, in order for the local Serbian community to express its appreciation towards the invaluable assistance of the Greek people during the war and the American-NATO led bombings of the country.
The next rendezvous for the 21st anniversary was booked for mid to late September 2014 in the same hall.

Twenty years of Greek-Serbian Sydney friendship

Source: http://cycnsw.org.au/2013/10/10th-National-Youth-Conference

The 10th National Youth Conference was held in Brisbane, QLD from the 29th of September until the 1st of October 2013. This conference is held every four years and this year’s theme was “The Terminology and Psychology of Socio-Political Developments in the Contemporary World”.

Upon arrival at Brisbane, the delegates made their way to the parish hall of the Dormition of the Theotokos for registrations, followed by a Doxology service and the official opening of the Conference. Later on that evening, all attended the formal Dinner at the Parish hall.

The following day the formalities of the conference began, with the keynote speakers addressing modern day challenges to youth, together with questions & answers in the format of a discussion panel which consisted of their Graces Bishop Ezekiel of Dervis, Bishop Seraphim of Apollonias and Bishop Nikandros of Dorileou, as well as Dr Philip Kariatlis and Presvytera Dr Thekla Kokkinos.

After Lunch the attendees were broken up into groups which took part in discussion workshops to cover the topics raised in more detail. Following this, each group presented their feedback and thoughts. Later on that evening, a Dinner Dance took place at The Greek Club, beside the Greek Orthodox Parish of St George.

On Tuesday morning, all attendees woke up nice and early and made their way to Bribie Island Retreat & Recreation Centre to take part in the Divine Liturgy followed by the official opening of the Retreat centre. Present at the official opening were federal, state and local dignitaries together with a range of youth, priests, doctors and bishops from all around Australia.

The conference officially concluded with lunch and then a visit to Woorim beach, only metres away where attendees had a chance to play some games, swim or just enjoy a walk along the beach.

Overall the Conference was a success and was well attended by delegates from almost all parishes in Australia. It had a good balance of practical, spiritual and social aspects which was well accepted by the youthful attendees. Well done to the organisers for putting it all together and providing a pleasant experience for all of us.

Speakers of the 10th National Youth Conference

The keynote speakers of the National Youth Conference were His Eminence Archbishop Stylianos Harkianakis, Primate of the Greek Orthodox Church in Australia (delivered by Dr Philip Kariatlis, Academic Director and Senior Lecturer in Theology at St Andrew’s Theological College) and Presvytera Dr Thekla Kokkinos.

 ARCHBISHOP’S ADDRESS

“THE TERMINOLOGY AND THE PSYCHOLOGY OF SOCIO-POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS IN MODERN TIMES”

*(A) A BRIEF INTRODUCTION

The previous National Youth Conference, which was also held here in Brisbane between 25th-28th of January, 2007, had the general topic “The responsibility of Youth in modern Society”. This year’s National Youth Conference likewise, as we shall see below, will attempt to offer deeper insight into the problem of the responsibility of Youth. Consequently, we will try to see how the ‘names’ and their corresponding ‘meanings’ are ‘differentiated’ (in various periods of time), in order for our current theme to arise: “The terminology and the psychology of socio-political developments in modern times”.

And it becomes apparent that the mentioned integrated theme should not be considered as a problem of Youth exclusively. This is because the twin terms ‘signifier’ (that is, the word as such) and ‘signified’ (that is, whatever the word refers to) had already occupied the thought of the ancients – especially Parmenides, in whose footsteps we must say that the renowned modern Austrian philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein (with his unique dissertation Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus) followed. Yet, the major characteristic features of Youth make them, in any historical period, the closest subject of thought, being the most vulnerable section of society, which undergoes the changes that occur in the twin terms ‘signifier’ and ‘signified’.

Let us then first see the major characteristic features of Youth, so that we can understand why young people should be considered a subject of terminology and psychology more than any other age group. However before mentioning the major features of Youth, we must define the age-bracket that normally corresponds to this term.

In today’s society, Youth are normally considered to be between 13 and 20 years of age, known internationally as ‘teenagers’. However, in our special Conferences, we consider Youth to include young people of 25 or 30 years of age, to ensure that they have the necessary maturity for a serious dialogue, which is the goal of all our Youth Conferences. The first and most likeable feature of Youth, in every historical period, is of course their honesty and unreserved manner when dealing with every situation.

A young person lacks the experience of life, but precisely for this reason he or she has not learnt to be hypocritical, and therefore speaks with optimism and enthusiasm and with the confidence of being capable of any task.

Another characteristic (closely related to the previous one) is the rush – or what we normally call ‘impatience’ – of young people to know and become ‘familiar’ with, or rather to ‘conquer’, everything around them. Deep down, this desire to rush ahead is really the boundless optimism of the age group to which the child or adolescent belongs within the miracle of life.

In most cases this self-confidence of the young person is neither ‘self-deception’ nor ‘audacity’. When biological reflexes are still fresh and in full strength, a person thinks that everything can be achieved in record time.

Today, with modern technology, especially with the means of digital communication and information, we see how quickly children and young people in particular familiarise themselves with it, as they always have greater flexibility in adapting to new situations.

A third basic, yet complex, feature of Youth, is their willingness to wake up to themselves and the speed with which they can rectify their former life which, due to superficiality, involved wasting valuable time and energy on ‘vain things’ or completely non-existent values – much like the Prodigal Son of the Gospel reading.

A classic example of youthful frivolity was the Youth Movement in France in 1968, under the fiery leadership of the anarchist philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre, which caused turmoil not only for Europe and America, but rather for the entire planet. Using surrealistic slogans such as “imagination in government” and “down with authority” together with other irresponsible expressions, they managed in just a few hours to set up roadblocks and to dissolve every notion of order or sense of responsibility throughout the entire terrified society of Paris.

The foolishness of such enthusiasm – coupled with the fear felt by the multitude of peace – loving citizens who were all very unjustly and demeaningly called names such as “compromised” or “sold out” or “slaves of the establishment” etc. – naturally gave rise to two diametrically opposed extremities, from which the modern world is yet to be redeemed. That is to say, on the one hand, movements under various names, that were usually leftist or anarchist, spread everywhere and grew. On the other hand, reactionary groups of excessive conservativeness and fear also sprung up, which even led to phenomena of unacceptable fascism.

It is at any rate noteworthy that many of the well-known instigators of that burst of anarchy in Paris were, only two decades later, appointed to positions of central power in public organisations, and they admitted their regrets in interviews. These are the fruits of maturity! Those who have responsibility for the upbringing of young people from childhood to advanced adolescent years must admit, then, that there are two areas that we should not overlook for the good of all humanity:

• On the one hand there are the studies in humanities, which can monitor and direct any progress made by science and technology
• On the other hand, equally necessary – if not more so – is the worship of the divine in general, regardless of which religious tradition the modern person belongs to. Otherwise, the ‘one-dimensional person’ inevitably arises. And whenever this kind of person speaks of ‘development’ and ‘progress’, he or she always means economic and technical comforts and ‘improvements’. But the human person is of course more than just the stomach!

Our observation concerning the ‘one-dimensional person’ leads us, already, to a few characteristic examples in which the ‘spoken words’ do not have a balanced analogy with ‘what is meant’. In such cases, the result is ironically the exact opposite of what was intended!

*(B) SEVERAL CHARACTERISTIC EXAMPLES OF THE ‘SIGNIFIER’ AND THE ‘SIGNIFIED’

Following the above introduction, which was so necessary for our topic, we shall attempt to present several characteristic instances of the signifier and signified, which clearly show how thinking has been decisively ‘steered’ in recent times.

• When this imbalance is striking, then we only use names euphemistically. A common example of this is the Black Sea, which in the Greek language is called the ‘friendly sea’ (εὔ-ξεινος πόντος) only with obvious irony, so as not to call it what it really is: an ‘unfriendly sea’ (ἄ-ξενος πόντος). We have the same situation with the Pacific Ocean, which is everything but pacific (i.e. peaceful).

• In political life, there is normally a Department that deals with the strategic relations between various countries. And while this has to do with matters of war, we do not call the relevant ‘portfolio’ the Department of War, but simply the Department of Defense!
• Similarly, in post-war Greece, when various political Parties were formed, the new Party of Andrew Papandreou used the emblem of a green sun (thereby monopolizing hope and optimism). And the Left which broke away from the Communist Party was called ‘The Coalition of the Left and of Progress’ (!), as if that Party had an exclusive hold on humanitarian sensitivities and progressiveness among all other Parties.

• Yet, despite all the ‘intrigues’ that politicians of so-called modernity engage in, so as not to be committed to all their statements towards their electorate, they were eventually obliged to invent in their vocabulary the term ‘politically correct’. This was in order to avoid any negative criticism in their discussions, something which undoubtedly comprises, to some degree, an element of sincerity.

• A more recent example of our times, which shows how deep the connection between signifier and signified can be, is the term ‘same sex marriage’. Those who are attempting to impose the marriage of homosexuals within the various Parliaments of western nations, are really trying to force a change in the traditional definition of marriage, which has been in existence since the time of Roman Law. As we know, the definition of Marriage, according to Roman Law (which was also adopted by European systems of Law subsequently) was expressed as ‘‘the union of man and woman, for the sharing of their entire life’’.

In closing this exploration concerning the signifier and the signified in modern times, we should perhaps not overlook the philosophical irony with which the tragic English writer George Orwell made a sharp critique of such correlations, especially in his famous work ‘Animal Farm’.

As a summary of all that we have said thus far, what becomes clear is the value of Ethics – especially Christian Ethics. The foundation for this was of course proclaimed in the most categorical way, to both the wise and the unwise, through the famous command of God incarnate, who is Jesus Christ:

“Let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes’ and your ‘No’, ‘No’; for whatever is more than this comes from the evil one” (Matthew 5:37).

PRESENTATION OF PRESVITERA THEKLA KOKKINOS

THE TERMINOLOGY AND PSYCHOLOGY OF SOCIO-POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS IN THE CONTEMPORARY WORLD

INTRODUCTION

Your Eminence, Your Graces, Reverend Fathers, Presviteras, distinguished guests, beloved youth of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia.

The TERMINOLOGY and PSYCHOLOGY of SOCIO-POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS in the CONTEMPORARY WORLD I have to confess that when I first heard this topic, I had no idea what to make of it. After meeting with His Eminence, it became a lot clearer, and over the subsequent month or two, the concept started growing on me, and I finally came to the realisation that His Eminence had, with much wisdom, chosen a very profound and important topic.

To quote a modern Orthodox theologian, David Bentley Hart: We all inhabit cultural and linguistic worlds that determine to a great extent what we think important, how we see reality, what fundamental premises we assume, and even what we deeply desire. We are not entirely confined to these worlds- we are living souls, not merely machines- but it requires considerable effort to see beyond their horizons. There is no such thing as a person who is completely unbiased, we are all affected by our culture, by social forces, and by the linguistic world we inhabit.

Τhe meaning we place on words, the connotations we place on words can deeply affect our worldview and our beliefs. Βefore I go on, let’s clarify what the word “connotation” means. Words have a literal meaning, and they can also have a connotation.

Τhe connotation of a word is the associated or secondary meaning of a word. For example, we all know what the word “home” means. Τhis word has a literal meaning, it can also have a connotation- for some, hopefully for many, the connotation of the word “home” is: “a place of warmth, comfort and affection”. The word as such, the “signifier”, is the word “home”, what this word refers to in our heart, the “signified”, goes beyond the exact literal meaning.

There are many words which in our modern world have changed in their connotation, the signified is not what it used to be. New words or terms or meanings have arisen. His Eminence, being a highly sincere person, seems bothered by the term “politically correct”, which seems to have been created to somehow cover up some lack of sincerity amongst some politicians.

The modern world is trying to change the definition of “marriage”- there are even children’s picture books out there showing children with 2 parents, but both are male or both are female. The meaning of the word “gay” has changed. I am not sure how many of you are following what we are saying. To make it easier, I thought I would say no more general things for the rest of this talk, but use as examples 4 words. I have chosen words that in the “contemporary world”, after its “socio-political development”, have become, in the eyes of the Church, adulterated. The connotations placed on these words has changed. For my talk, I decided to focus on the following 4 words: Faith, Humility, Purity, and Love.

FAITH

Firstly, let’s look at the word “faith”. Many people living in our “contemporary world”, after its “socio-political development”, when they hear the word faith, have an image in their head of someone who is not bright intellectually, perhaps someone who is not intellectually honest, someone who has simply blindly accepted the beliefs of his or her parents, never daring to question, someone who is timid, perhaps someone who does not understand science, who is against progress.

Reason, science has high status in modern people’s perception, faith doesn’t. Sigmund Freud taught that what explains why some people have faith in religion is their psychological pathology. Karl Marx, Emile Durkheim and others taught that religion has no credibility; there is a personal or institutional agenda behind the development of a religion.

The philosopher Emmanuel Kant preached: “Sapere Aude”- dare to know, this became the motto of the Enlightenment. What is implied is that “…. Just blindly accepting what your parents have handed down to you is cowardice, laziness, immaturity… We need intellectual self-liberation, the tool of which is reason.”

For over a hundred years now a very influential philosophical concept is what is called Evidentialism. William Kingdon Clifford who died in 1879 at an age of only 34, said something that became very famous. He said: “It is wrong always, everywhere, and for anyone to believe anything on insufficient evidence.”

The ideas of Clifford and Evidentialism have had a huge influence on the contemporary world, but we need to point out that even philosophers who are not religious, even philosophers who are atheists, can see a problem with Evidentialism. To use the language of philosophy, “Evidentialism is a logically self-defeating position”. Evidentialism teaches that you only believe what you can prove, but where is the proof that Evidentialism is correct – how can you prove that the highest criterion by which to find truth is that you must have logical proof?

Another famous philosopher, William James, commenting on Clifford’s dictum, said the following: Believe nothing, he tells us, keep your mind in suspense forever, rather than closing it on insufficient evidence incur the awful risk of believing lies… Ηe who says, “Better go without belief for ever than believe a lie!” merely shows his own preponderant private horror of becoming a dupe. He may be critical of many of his desires and fears, but this fear he slavishly obeys. He cannot imagine anyone questioning its binding force. (In other words, the atheist prides himself in being intellectually honest and questioning everything, but he never even thinks to question the fact that you only accept what you can prove with logic.)

William James continues: For my own part, I have also a horror of being duped; but I can believe that worse things than being duped may happen to a man in this world: so Clifford’s exhortation has to my ears a thoroughly fantastic sound. It is like a general informing his soldiers that it is better to keep out of battle for ever than risk a single wound. (Sometimes in life we need to take risks, there are some things we will never understand, until we throw ourselves in, some things, indeed many things, we can only understand after we have experienced them). James continues: Not so are victories either over enemies or over nature gained. Our errors are surely not such awfully solemn things. In a world where we are so certain to incur them in spite of all our caution, a certain lightness of heart seems healthier than this excessive nervousness on their behalf.

So William James concludes that it is healthier to not be so rigid and only believe what we can prove with science or logic. A general who tells his soldiers not to take any risks will not get very far. You can insist on staying an agnostic but you will end up on your death bed and still not know the answers to life’s really great questions. Of course we have to be diligent and careful that what we accept is not inconsistent with reason. But what is wrong with being aware that even the most intelligent person on earth is limited in their pursuit of truth and in their pursuit of our incomprehensible God. One can mature to a level that one accepts that one needs to try and transcend reason. The great mathematician and philosopher, Blaise Pascal once said, “The heart has its reasons that reason knows not.”

My main message in this section of my talk is that Faith can be a very positive experience.

In Hebrews 11 verse 1 we read, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” So faith is not a blind uncritical acceptance, but “the substance of things hoped for”- ελπιζομένων υπόστασις – we have not seen Jesus risen from the dead, we have not seen heaven, but through faith these “things not yet seen” acquire substance, and they govern and guide our lives.

The Orthodox Church fathers talk about 3 elements of man:

• We have a Body- that can come to know through the senses.
• We have a mind- it comes to know through intellectual reasoning.
• We also have a Spirit- our spirit is the highest faculty of man, it can come to know God, enter into communion with God, through a mystical perception that transcends man’s ordinary rational processes.

The following words of Jesus are extremely deep, indeed when you come to a deep understanding of such concepts you realise that philosophers like Clifford are indeed narrow-minded. “Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world. O righteous Father! The world has not known You, but I have known You; and these have known that You sent Me. And I have declared to them Your name, and will declare it, that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them.” (John 17:24-26)

You start with faith. This is not unreasonable. I do not want to go beyond the scope of this talk, but can I just say that in my journeys through science and philosophy I have become convinced that you need more faith to be an atheist than to be a Christian. It is a lot harder to believe that there is no meaning to the universe, that this amazing world that we see and experience around us and within us got there by a fluke. I find it very hard to believe that I am just a machine, that I do not have a soul, and that my awareness of myself and other deep aspects of my mind are explainable only by the complex computer-like neural networks within my physical brain.

So you start with faith. You try and live by the ways of the Bible and the Church and you discover beauty. You struggle to clean yourself of the passions and you struggle to be humble. You meet holy people, you put yourself under the guidance of a spiritual father. One grows spiritually and you come to learn of the importance of Prayer, the Sacraments- Holy Communion, Confession etc, and of the Liturgy. You come to the understanding that those who say that the highest criterion is reason are, as I said before, narrow minded, and indeed quite junior in their thinking. You can, in the words of Dostoyevsky, “come to touch another world”.

You can come, through prayer, through the Sacraments, through the Liturgy, to experience, as we read before from the gospel, “the love of Christ”, and to “behold His glory”. Jesus said:

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God” (Matthew 5:8).

HUMILITY

The second word that I would like to discuss is the word “humility”. In the modern world the word “humility” is often used in a pejorative sense. Humility resonates with the state of being lowly, servile, insignificant. Nietzsche called humility “the great lie of the weak that cunningly transforms cowardice into apparent virtue” Freud said that humility is “a form of masochistic guilt complex” Modern psychology hardly ever emphasizes humility, what is extolled is assertiveness, confidence, self-esteem.

St John of the Ladder says that pride is “the denial of God, an invention of the devil, contempt for men. It is the mother of criticizing others, the offspring of praise, a sign of barrenness. It is a flight from God’s help, the harbinger of madness, the author of downfall.

It is the cause of diabolical possession, the source of anger, the gateway of hypocrisy. It is the fortress of demons, the custodian of sins, the source of lack of compassion, an ignorance of compassion. It is a bitter critic, a cruel judge. It is the foe of God, and the root of blasphemy”.

We read in spiritual books about people going to a holy elder and asking why they are not making spiritual progress. They complain and say that for years they have been diligent with their spiritual duties, with fasting, attending Church services, etc etc, and they do not understand why they are not progressing in prayer and in the spiritual life. The reply from the elders is often that their problem is that they lack humility. Love and humility are described by Church fathers as short-cuts to Heaven. Just as there are laws of physics, there are also spiritual laws. One of these laws is that the more humble one is, the more Grace one receives.

The Bible says, “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble” (James 4:6). The humble person is aware of his or her sinfulness and also of the nobility and forbearance of God, and becomes very grateful to God. Christ said, “Learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Mat. 11:29). The Orthodox Church Fathers have taught us a truth that many famous contemporary professors of psychology have not discovered. This is that humility not only helps us get to Heaven, not only attracts the race of God, but even in this life brings us peace- “rest to our souls”.

And the opposite is true. If one has pride, if one is self-absorbed and self-centred, if whenever there is a difference of opinion you always believe you are right, if you care a lot about what people think of you, if you are prone to judge others and not yourself, if you are consumed with a sense of how important you are and deep down believe you have a lot of rights, and that others need to pamper you, then you will not find peace. Conflicts will arise with others around you, you will hurt others, and you will not end up happy, not even in this life.

St Dorotheos said that “Humility does not grow angry, and does not anger anyone. … for what is more grievous to a man than to grow angry and to anger his neighbour… Now do you not perceive the power of lowliness? … If a painful experience comes to a humble man, ….he does not set about accusing anyone or putting the blame on anyone else. For the rest, he goes on his way untroubled, undepressed, in complete peace of mind, and so he has no cause to get angry or to anger anyone else.” St Dorotheos of Gaza talked about humility being a state of being ready to listen whenever a word is said to us, and being able to say, “I submit”.

You can tell how humble you are by analysing how you deal with criticism from others. Imagine a person who is making big mistakes, mistakes that are leading him on a path of destruction, these mistakes are obvious to all around him. For example they may be very bossy, and it is obvious that this will risk destroying their marriage and other relationships.

You approach such a person in a nice way and try and guide him, offering constructive criticism. If this person has humility, he will accept the criticism and change, growing from the experience. If he has pride, he will be unable to accept the good advice, have no insight into his own faults, even though these are obvious to all, and no healing or progress can occur.

My dear friends, without humility we cannot grow spiritually- you see we all need to improve, we all have faults. Without humility we cannot find peace, not even in this world. Without humility we cannot experience Grace, true prayer, the peace that “surpasses all understanding” (Philippians 4:7).

PURITY

The third word I would like to talk about is “purity”. You do not need me to tell you that the word “purity” does not have a positive connotation amongst modern youth. Being pure is considered an oddity in anyone over 12. There is no doubt what the stance of the Bible and of the Church Fathers is:

• 1 Thessalonians 4:3 – For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality.
• Romans 13:13-14 – Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness (the word lewdness means sexual depravity) and lust, not in strife and envy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.
• Matthew 5:27-28 – You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

Sex is not something to have hang-ups about. We should not see it as something filthy. Everything given by God is good, and has its place. Indeed whatever has been given by God is sacred. But…, the way of God, and of the Church, is that sex finds its place after a couple, who love each other, and respect each other, and communicate well, commit their lives to each other and get married in the Church. Those of you who have been heavily influenced by our contemporary world may find what I am about to say hard to swallow, but I have to say it. Sex without commitment is sin.

When the purpose of sex is for pleasure – “for fun and gratification” – with the focus on the self and one’s own needs and desires, then there is self-centredness, so spiritual growth cannot occur. Even when there is commitment, the couple’s love needs to be blessed by the Church. If a couple are together by just a legal type contract, then there is no beauty. If there is genuine love and respect and good honest communication then there is beauty. If as well as all this their life together, their union, has a spiritual dimension, if their mutual journey is a journey towards the Kingdom, then the beauty is immense!

During the Marriage Service the couple are crowned, symbolizing both the crowns of victory, but also the crowns of martyrdom. Christian couples are called to self-sacrifice. They enter marriage wanting only to serve and to love, expecting nothing in return. They strive to see things from the other’s perspective, to forgive, to not have grudges. Such love and self-denial is salvific.

To quote Fr John Breck: For the sacrament of marriage, like that of the priesthood, initiates committed persons into a life of loving commitment and sacrificial service, and it does so both in and for the life and ministry of the Church as a whole. Just as one cannot authentically participate in Holy Communion without being baptized, and the priest cannot celebrate a true Liturgy without being ordained, so a couple cannot enjoy the Grace God offers through sexual union unless their relationship is blessed by Him in a way prescribed and traditionally practiced by the Church. Their love may be deep and their commitment to one another genuine. But without the Grace conferred through the Sacrament of Marriage, there can be no true communion between the two. Their sexual relations simply feed “the desires and pleasures of the flesh,” and they are unable to attain the eternal communion and ineffable joy of divinely bestowed, self-transcending eros that unites them with God as well as with one another.

Now I think I know what some of you are thinking. You are thinking, “All this is very well and good, but in this day and age, it is not possible to stay pure. There are so many temptations, it is just not possible.” Well, to respond to this, I would like to be very practical. Firstly, of course if one gives in to lesser things, to having certain friends, to watching inappropriate things on TV or on the internet, if one gives in to pornography, if we go to certain places, in general if we are not careful with what we call in Greek αφορμές – then of course it is very very hard to stay pure.

A “slippery slope” is set up, and one thing leads to another. Secondly, if as well as being diligent with avoiding what can tempt us, we strive to be more spiritual, if we truly pray, fervently participate in the Liturgy, if we live the life of the Church, have a spiritual father, go to him regularly for Confession and spiritual guidance, if we read spiritual books, if we are an active member of a parish, a Youth Group, a Fellowship, if we keep company with the devout, then we get strength and support. We can become overwhelmed by the Church, we come to a spiritual maturity and an understanding that the joys of this world and carnal joys are nothing compared with the joy of Christ.

LOVE

The final word I thought I would use as an example is the word “love”. In our contemporary world, love is often associated with romance, or with a natural love between parents and children, friends, etc. Many in our contemporary world do not understand the word the way Jesus understood it and preached it. Jesus said, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another” (John 13:34). Many religions and ethical teachings talk about love, so why did Jesus say that His commandment to love is new?

Firstly, Christian love includes the love of enemies. Many of us have certain people in our lives that we do not like, we have grudges, we have trouble forgiving. I think that anyone who is a deep thinker will agree that one of the most difficult things of all is to be able to see things from the other person’s perspective. Grudges can be worse than cancer. The person most harmed by grudges is the person who has the grudge. Such a person has no peace. Jesus calls us to deny ourselves, to take up our cross, to want to love, even our enemies, and expect nothing in return. Most cannot understand this, and they definitely do not understand that by loving and expecting nothing in return, through self-sacrifice, we actually end up happier, not only in the next life but in this one as well. Jesus promised it- “whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it” (Mark 8:34-35).

True Christian love is not the same as worldly love. St Paul put it very beautifully: “Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things” (1 Corinthians 13:4-7).

Secondly, in Christ we are not only asked to love, but we are granted the strength to love. This was expressed well by Fr Alexander Schmemann: How can we fulfil this Commandment? How can we love those whom we do not love? There can be only one answer to this question. Yes, this commandment would actually be impossible and, consequently, monstrous if Christianity consisted only in the commandment to love. But Christianity is not only the commandment but also the revelation and the gift of love.

In this is the staggering newness of Christian love- that in the New Testament man is called to love with divine love. The newness of Christianity lies not in the commandment to love, but in the fact that it has become possible to fulfil the commandment. In union with Christ we receive His love and can love with it and grow in it. “The love of God has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us” (Romans 5:5), and through Christ we have been commanded to abide in Him and in His love:

“Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me… He who abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing… abide in my love” (John 15:4,5,9).

Brothers and sisters, one of the main effects of sin is to divide people from one another, you know as well as I do that society is full of feuds and divisions and grudges. Again quoting Fr Schmemann: The essence of the fallen world is that division, the separation of each from all, reigns in it… The mission of the Church, as salvation, is to manifest the world as regenerated by Christ. Fulfilling herself in love, she witnesses in the world to this love.

The fallen world tries to influence us, it even tries to change the meanings of words in an effort to pull us away from Christ. I feel the need to close my talk the same way that His Eminence closed it, by quoting the words of Christ: “But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your

‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one” (Matthew 5:37).

INVITATION

Beloved Orthodox Christians,

We cordially invite you, your family and friends to attend the Foundation Stone Ceremony for the Main Church of Holy Cross monastery and its two side chapels dedicated to St Anthony the Great and St Irene Chrysovalantou.

The foundation stone ceremony will be conducted by His Eminence Archbishop Stylianos on SATURDAY 7^th December 2013.

PROGRAMME

Saturday, 7^th December 2013, 7:30 am.

Matins and Divine Liturgy officiated by His Grace Bishop Seraphim.

11am – Laying of the Foundation Stone by His Eminence Archbishop Stylianos.

Tea, coffee and sweets will be provided, courtesy of the Monastery. We kindly ask all pilgrims to bring their own packed lunch, due to the lack of catering facilities here at the Monastery.

*Please note the dress code of the Monastery is as follows:

Men to wear trousers and closed shoes, (no shorts).

Women to wear modest skirts and tops or dresses and closed flat shoes, (no trousers or shorts).

*Large groups intending to attend the ceremony are requested to contact the Monastery as soon as possible.

*We request that all pilgrims follow the directions of the volunteer committee of the Monastery, so that the best service and conduct can be maintained.

For further information please do not hesitate to contact the Monastery.

Address: Lot 1 Holy Cross Road, Mangrove Mountain NSW

Phone: (02) 4374 1657

Email: holycrossmonastery@bigpond.com

“Having Thee as an immovable foundation, O Christ, the Church is crowned with Thy Cross as with a royal diadem”. – Service of the Dedication of the Church of the Resurrection.

DEDICATIONS & BENEFACTIONS

If you would like to contribute to this sacred project, please make your donation payable to:

Holy Cross Monastery

 And send to;

Holy Cross Monastery

PO Box 1799 Gosford NSW 2250

Or:

Direct Debit: National Australia Bank (NAB)

Account Name: Greek Orthodox Archdiocese Consolidated Trust – Holy Cross Monastery

BSB: 082 057

Account No. 67530 2592

“You are the best thing that has happened to the Church” said Bishop IRINEJ of the Serbian Orthodox Metropolitanate of Australia and New Zealand to the youth in attendance at the 2013 Annual General Meeting of the Serbian Orthodox Youth Association (SOYA).

Orthodox Christians representing the five canonical Orthodox Jurisdictions of New Zealand gathered at the Dormition of the Theotokos Romanian Orthodox Church known as St. Mary’s in Wellington to participate in the second official Pan-Orthodox Conference on Saturday, September 28th.

On Sunday, 1 December 2013, a lecture about St Philaret of Moscow will be presented at the St Lazarus Serbian Orthodox Church, Alexandria, NSW.

With the blessing of His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion, the forty-ninth annual Orthodox Conference (“Syezd”) will be held at Camp Manyung, Mt Eliza, just south of Melbourne. Beginning on Thursday, 19th December, the Syezd will be held over six days and five nights ending on Tuesday, 24th December, 2013.

What is Syezd?

Melbourne Syezd 2013

Melbourne is delighted to host Syezd 2013, especially as there seems to be somewhat of a resurrection of interest and yearning for guidance in living an Orthodox lifestyle!

In response to people’s renewed interest, Syezd 2013 will focus on workshop-style discussions relating to more controversial topics where attendees will have a chance to explore the choices that are available to them in uplifting their own lifestyles, worldview, and shedding light on their future direction. In the fast-paced and scrambled world we live in today, Orthodox Christians, more than ever, are seeking ways to rise above declining moral and living standards, and are reaching for support in their endeavours to create a brighter future for themselves and their loved ones.

From feedback gathered by people in our parish communities, the topics of greatest interest include: Science and Nature, Morals and Conscience, Family and Values, and Atheism and Apathy. Clergy from around Australia, New Zealand and abroad will be joining the discussions, providing guidance and support, and sharing ways of overcoming trials and tribulations. Delegates will have the chance to socialise with the clergy and to see them as friends and mentors. Most of all, delegates will feel reassured that we are all in this together, and can reach out to each other for comfort, encouragement and support.

Due to the mature content of the topics to be covered, Syezd is open to anyone over the age of 18.  All the information about Melbourne Syezd 2013 including registration is on the official Syezd website: www.syezd.com.au

Date: 22 December

Time: 5:00pm – 8:30pm

Venue: Festival Hall

Address: 300 Dudley St, West Melbourne

Cost: All are welcome to attend and entrance is free

Refreshments: Snacks and drinks will be available for purchase at the Hall.

Concert Presentation Programme: A variety of traditional Christmas Carols in Greek, English and other languages for all ages. This is a combined Christmas celebration for all Parishes and Communities in Melbourne.

Sponsor: Delphi Bank

Brief Commentary about Event

For the 30th year running, the Second Archdiocesan District of Victoria and Tasmania of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia is convening once again the Orthodox Christmas Carols Concert at Festival Hall in West Melbourne. Over the years this event has grown, developed, and in more recent times, slowly become a Pan Orthodox Christian event involving differing Eastern and some Oriental Orthodox cultural traditions. For many, this event has become a welcome respite and counter-cultural event to the usual commercialised and secularised Christmas carols that one is bombarded with in Australia around the time of Christmas. Many of the carols that are usually on offer to the wider public are steeped in emotional sentimentality or de-christianised content, that do not express true Christian thought or spirituality regarding the import of the Faith or the feast to which people are gathering to celebrate. For the Orthodox, the frustration is given greater weight since Christmas within the Australian context only revolves around the Feast of the Nativity or the worldly New Year, while ignoring the other 11 days of Christmas, especially the all important feast of Theophany. Within Orthodox Christian lands there are carols and dances that are specific to the various days of the feast of “Dodecaimeron” (the 12 Days of Christmas), varying in expressions according to regional customs. The Orthodox Christmas carols concert at Festival Hall often showcases these differing songs and dances that revolve around “Dodecaimeron”, which are often accompanied by liturgical hymns from the Church services of the 12 day feast.

In line with the directives and consensus of the Episcopal Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of Oceania; Greek, Antiochian, Russian, Serbian and Romanian Orthodox clergy gathered together at Axion Estin monastery complex in Northcote, on 19^th July 2014, to serve a Pan-Orthodox Divine Liturgy and Memorial service to commemorate the 100^th anniversary of the beginning of World War I.

A multitude of faithful, who had gathered from the diverse Orthodox Christian communities of Melbourne, followed the service with great joy and piety, while many of amongst the youth, had dressed in the various cultural and national costumes of their respective communities. And as the service progressed, the clergy and the various choirs, took it in turns to chant and liturgise in their respective languages alongside the use of English. The various bishops and representatives of Church jurisdictions, were afforded the opportunity to speak on the importance of this auspicious occasion.

After the conclusion of the Liturgy, the clergy and laity proceeded to the Cenotaph of Axion Estin for the Memorial service and the laying of wreaths. Present amongst the dignitaries, were the Consul General of Greece for Melbourne, Ms Christina Simantirakis who was joined by local MP Jenny Mikakos and members of the Australian defence force who laid wreaths for the fallen at the Cenotaph.

The significance of the beginning of World War I, is that it marks a turning point and beginning of one of the most brutal periods for Orthodox Christians, who became part of the centre-stage victims for some of the worst tragedies and inhumanity of the 20^th century. Many of Orthodox faithful died during the Great War in places like the Eastern and Salonikan Fronts or in the Middle Eastern campaigns against the Ottomans, and the subsequent reprisals.

But the greater significance of this catastrophic legacy, became manifested and was felt in the War’s aftermath till our present time, as borders were redrawn, the development and imposition of left-right wing divides within political culture, with the corresponding imposition of materialistic and secular ideologies causing great socio-economic divisions. The rise of Communism, Fascism, Zionism and Islamism, coupled with the aforementioned reorientation from Orthodox Christian ethos towards secular political culture, has witnessed countless multitudes perish through torture, imprisonment and genocide; whether in the Gulag prison system, the Palestinian “Nakba”, the Asia Minor Catastrophe, World War II, the Invasion of Cyprus, the rise of Gamiyya Islamiyyia, the dissolution of Yugoslavia, the attempted dissolution of Syria, the strife in the Ukraine, the collectivisation of private farmland, the confiscation of private homes and so forth.

And as we look to today’s situation in Eastern Europe in this post-Communist era, or the conflicts that are taking place within the unravelling of the post-Ottoman Middle Eastern order, or the so-called financial crisis in a forcibly Western-oriented Greece and Cyprus, we can see that World War I marks the beginning of the immense upheaval and suffering that Orthodox Christians have and are continuing to suffer till this day. And as we witness current developments in this vast region that constitutes the Orthodox Christian commonwealth, we can only ponder that the faithful are at the centre-stage for the remaking of the existing global order that will be catastrophic for all of humanity in every corner of the globe.

By Justice Emilios Kyrou – Neos Kosmos English Edition: 10 January 2015

On Tuesday 3 February 2015 at 9:00am an Eastern Orthodox service will be held at St Eustathios Greek Orthodox Church, 221 Dorcas Street South Melbourne, to mark the opening of the 2015 legal year.

The service will be a collaboration of the Greek, Antiochian, Russian, Serbian and Romanian Orthodox Churches. It is expected to finish by 9:45am, and will be followed by morning tea in the church hall.

Judicial officers, tribunal members, court officials and members of the legal profession will enter the church in procession from the church hall. Judges and barristers will be wearing their official robes and wigs.

Celebrating the opening of the legal year is an ancient tradition which originated in Paris in 1245. A Roman Catholic mass (liturgy) was held at Notre Dame Cathedral to invoke the guidance of the Holy Spirit over the Ecclesiastical Court judges. The Holy Spirit was considered the source of wisdom, understanding, counsel and fortitude.

Later in France, the mass was celebrated in honour of the patron saint of lawyers, St Yves of Brittany, who was canonised by the Roman Catholic Church in 1347. (-The Eastern Orthodox patron saint of lawyers is St Dionysius the Areopagite whose Feast Day is celebrated on 3 October.)

The tradition of the mass crossed the Channel in 1310, during the reign of King Edward II, and landed at Westminster Abbey. All the judges and barristers attended the mass on the first day of the first term of the legal year, known in England as Michaelmas term.

They celebrated the inauguration of the new legal year, and sought divine guidance for their work. The practice of holding mass stopped during the Reformation in the 16^th century, when the Church of England broke away from the Roman Catholic Church. The mass was revive in England in 1897, and it returned to Westminster Abbey in 1904.

The mass came to be known as the Red Mass, because of the red vestments worn by the priests. The priests wore red symbolise the tongues of fire that descended on the Apostles at Pentecost, those flames being the manifestation of the Holy Spirit. Senior judges wore red hoods, to make for a cathedral/abbey resplendent in red.

In the English tradition, judges proceeded in their formal robes on foot from Temple Bar to Westminster Abbey for a religious service, followed by the Lord Chancellor’s breakfast in Westminster Hall. The first Red Mass in Australia was held at Sydney’s St Mary’s Cathedral on 16 February 1931. Since 2008 a community gathering has also been held to celebrate how the community and the legal system work together towards achieving a just society.

Today, ceremonies and religious services to mark the opening of the legal year in Australia are attended by governors, judges, senior ministers and other politicians, consular officials, academics, religious leaders and lawyers who seek guidance and blessings for the year to come. In the religious services, prayers and blessings focus on the roles and responsibilities of the leaders present. They reflet on the art they play in the administration of justice and seek guidance of the Holy Spirit and blessings of strength, wisdom, truth and justice for the legal system.

As the Honourable Marilyn Warren, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Victoria, said at the 2008 community gathering:

“Those committed to the law, take the opening of the legal year as the time to recommit to fairness and impartiality and revive their courage to maintain and apply the law. In reality, there is no opening of the legal year. The law is always open. The opening is merely a temporal marker to pause momentarily to consider what the law is about and our individual roles in it. The opening of the legal year is but a time for the renewal and recommitment”.

In 2015, in addition to the Eastern Orthodox service at 9:00am on Tuesday 3 February at St Eustathios Greek Orthodox Church, three other events will be held on the morning of 2 February 2015, which is officially the first day upon which the courts will resume full-time operation for 2015. The three events are a multi-faith gathering, which will be held in Government House, a Catholic Red Mass, which will be conducted at St Patrick’s Cathedral and a community gathering, which will take place at the County Court.

Further information about the Eastern Orthodox service can be obtained by contacting Mr Daniel Bellis on 9245 9010 or at daniel@greekorthodox.org.au

Members of the legal profession with Greek backgrounds, Greek Australians and Philhellenes are encouraged to attend this significant and historic service. Those eligible to take part in the procession should assemble at the church hall by 8:45am.

The 40th anniversary since the Holy Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate elected and enthroned His Eminence as Archbishop of the Greek Orthodox Church in this continent was celebrated on May 15, 2015.

Over 800 faithful from every State across Australia attended the Official Dinner in Sydney. The event was honoured with the presence of the official representative of His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch

Bartholomew. This was Metropolitan Ambrosios of Korea, who also read the official Message of our Ecumenical Patriarch for the occasion.

Present were the leaders and representatives of every major Orthodox jurisdiction in Australia, together with many other dignitaries.

During the evening, a video was presented showing highlights of Archbishop Stylianos’ 40 years of dedicated service in Australia. A packaged copy of the DVD was given freely as a gift to all the attendees.

The eloquent speakers were Metropolitan Ambrosios of Korea, the Greek Ambassador to Australia Haris Dafaranos, Federal MP Anthony Albanese and the former Minister in the New South Wales government, George Souris. In response, His Eminence expressed praise and gratitude towards the faithful people of God who stood together with him throughout all these years.

The Millennium Choir of our Archdiocese, led by maestro George Ellis, also sang beautifully to honour the Archbishop and to provide an uplifting atmosphere that was appropriate to the joyful milestone that was being celebrated.

There were two very capable MCs for the evening, so as to convey everything equally in Greek and English: The Very Rev. Father Steven Scoutas and Nicholas Pappas, Secretary of the Archdiocesan Council.

When the event closed at 10:30pm, it was apparent that the Dinner seemed to conclude all too soon, leading to much mingling and conversation of those who had come to honour our long-serving Archbishop and

Father in Christ.

Source: The Greek-Australian Vema Newspaper, May 2015

The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia, under the aegis of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of Oceania, hosted the 32nd Annual Opening of the Law Term for 2015 with a Pan-Orthodox Prayer Service held at the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Sydney on Tuesday evening, 10 February 2015. Many notable participants, including clergy and lay, legal professionals from the Inter-Orthodox community, were present to pray with and for dignitaries from the judiciary, including distinguished Supreme Court judicial officers, headed by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of New South Wales, The Honourable Tom Bathurst QC, as well as Mr John Eades, President of the New South Wales Bar Association.

His Eminence Archbishop Stylianos, Primate of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia, Chairman of the Episcopal Assembly of Oceania, presided over the Service of Prayer and delivered a powerful, soul-searching and deeply thought-provoking homily on the Epistle passage from 1Timothy 1:3-11 noting that “the custom of having a Law Term Service is not merely a social event. It is rather a just recognition of the significance of Law in our lives, both as individuals and as a society.”
His Eminence then continued by stating that “for the Church, a fundamental starting point in this regard is the teaching concerning the ancestral fall, according to the biblical verse that ‘the law is not laid down for the innocent’ (1Tim. 1:9). The human person rejected the Divine Will through love of self. Law therefore exists in order to reverse the cause of the problem of self-love. This in turn highlights the role of Law in upholding moral order generally.”

In order to make more concrete the significance of Law for the individual person in everyday life, the Archbishop advised that it is sufficient to recall the following basic thoughts:

*1) We know from personal experience that the pursuit of individual and social progress presupposes love and enthusiasm.

*2) Love and enthusiasm presuppose trust and optimism (as no one would dare start something that was expected to end in failure).

*3) Trust and optimism however presuppose security and stability.

*4) Finally, security and stability presuppose Justice.

In prayerfully desiring every strength from above to all the Legal and Judicial Services of our State and Commonwealth, on behalf of all Orthodox jurisdictions in Australia, Archbishop Stylianos concluded with the observation: “With the above thoughts, our soul is filled with gratitude and admiration for all that the Law has offered until today within developed societies.”

Also present at the Prayer Service were His Grace Bishop Irinej of the Metropolitanate of Australia and New Zealand of the Serbian Orthodox Church and His Grace Bishop Seraphim of Apollonias from the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese. Representing the Inter-Orthodox Consular Corps were Their Excellencies Dr Stavros Kyrimis, Consul General of the Hellenic Republic, and Mr Branko Radosevic, Consul General of the Republic of Serbia. The programme was led by barrister Mr Gregory Antipas.

On Thursday 14 May 2015, the Thanksgiving Service for graduates of St Andrew’s Orthodox Theological College was celebrated at the Greek Orthodox Cathedral of the Annunciation of Our Lady Theotokos (Redfern NSW). The evening’s proceedings began with a Doxological Service chanted by students, past and present. His Eminence Archbishop Stylianos, as Dean, recited a benediction over the graduates and conferred them with the College’s Ecclesiastical Certificate.

In his address to the congregation, His Eminence gave thanks to God for the work of the College in the Antipodes and its vital contribution to the service of the Church and the broader community for almost 30 years. He acknowledged the highly valued efforts and collaboration of so many people of good will, both Orthodox and non-Orthodox alike. He described the College’s long-standing membership of the Sydney College of Divinity (SCD) as a particular blessing and warmly greeted Professor Diane Speed who is the current Dean and Chief Executive Officer of the SCD. In conclusion, His Eminence thanked all of the staff wholeheartedly for their tireless work for the good progress of the College, and expressed his deep gratitude to all donors and supporters of this noble task of the Church.

Honouring this important occasion with their presence were His Eminence Metropolitan Ambrose of Korea, representative of His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew; His Grace Bishop Seraphim of Apollonias, College Sub-Dean; His Grace Bishop Nikandros of Doryleon; and other colleagues from within the SCD and its member institutions; reverend clergy and Archdiocesan Council Members. There were also College alumni and representatives from the various committees of the College and the Archdiocese.

Both undergraduate and postgraduate awards were bestowed as noted below:
Master of Theology: Fr Kyrillos Zisis (NSW), Fr Siluan Mrakic (Serbia) in absentia. Master of Arts: George Tsikritsakis (NSW). Graduate Certificate in Arts: Theodoros Dimitriou (VIC), Daniel Haitas (VIC), Jacqueline Sarros (VIC) all in absentia. Bachelor of Theology with First Class Honours: Stefan Mastilovic (New Zealand). Bachelor of Theology: Fr Prohoros Anastasiadis (NSW), Fr Evangelos Thiani (Kenya) in absentia, Fr Nectarios Joannou (NSW), Markellos Margelis (NSW), George Papoutsakis (NSW). Associate Degree of Christian Thought and Practice: Fr Jean Mawal (VIC), Dn George Vrionis (NSW). Diploma of Christian Studies: Con Farrugia (NSW), Demetra Petrakis (NSW) in absentia, Chrysovalantis Sideris (SA) in absentia.

The latest group of graduates brought to 134 the total number of graduates – receiving 163 SCD degrees and awards at various levels, but primarily the Bachelor of Theology – since St Andrew’s opened in 1986.

Some of the aforementioned graduates were also present at the Sydney College of Divinity Graduation Ceremony on Saturday morning, 16 May, along with approximately 80 graduates and 400 attendees from other member institutions of the SCD. Here they were conferred their respective degrees and awards in the Great Hall of the University of Sydney by the President of the SCD Council, Mr Peter King. The Occasional Address was delivered by Dr Greg Clarke, Chief Executive Officer of Bible Society Australia and Chair of the Global Literacy Group of the United Bible Societies.

His Grace Bishop Irinej of the Metropolitanate of Australia and New Zealand of the Serbian Orthodox Church offers, in addition to his own congratulations, that of his clergy, monastics and faithful to our Serbian students, Protosingelos Siluan (Mrakic) and Stefan Mastilovic, as well as to all graduates of St Andrew Orthodox Theological College.

Ceremony held at the Greek Orthodox church of St Anna in Bundall

Queensland Police Service honoured 140 fallen officers at a memorial held at the Greek Orthodox Church Of St Anna in Bundall, last week.
Constable Brett Irwin was amongst the fallen, shot dead on his first night shift during a routine arrest.

The 33-year-old police officer was executing a warrant at a home in 2007 when he was killed at point-blank range.

“There are a lot of people who appreciate what these ladies and gentlemen put up with every day,” Tony Irwin said, appreciative of the community’s efforts to keep his son’s memory alive.

“It’s important people realise the amount of hard work that goes into protecting people.”

Such incidents have made the Police Service become more mindful of the mental toll that came with attending incidents such as the recent domestic violence deaths on the Gold Coast.

“The hardships they put up with are just out on the street most of the time,” South Eastern Region Assistant Commissioner Brian Codd said, as the chair of the Psychological Wellbeing Committee.

“They come to work, in many cases not knowing what to expect.

“It’s a special calling, a special profession and it takes a special kind of person willing to commit to that.”

Source: Gold Coast Bulletin

NATIONAL POLICE REMEMBRANCE DAY

For the first time in Queensland Police history, a National Police Remembrance Day Service was held at Greek Orthodox Church of St Anna on the Gold Coast. With its twin chandeliers and traditional Greek Orthodox décor, the setting made for a moving service. About 200 police, guests and members of the community joined Fr Romanos in remembering their sacrifice and service.

The Gold Coast District welcomed members of a number of families who had lost loved ones in the line of duty, including the families of Brent Irwin, Damien Leeding and Tony Pattemore (NSW). A number of dignitaries including The Honourable Steve Ciobo, Minister for International Development and the Pacific and local and state MPs from the Gold Coast, our colleagues from the Australian Federal Police at Coolangatta and our friends from the Queensland Fire and Emergency Service and Queensland Ambulance Service joined us to remember our fallen comrades.

Fr Romanos and the Greek Orthodox Community were the most gracious of hosts and showed police and community their famous Greek hospitality.

A special thank you to those that helped tirelessly throughout the day and in the planning, especially Senior Constable Vanessa Kennedy and her team of volunteers in policing, Federal Agent Reece Lockheed from the Australian Federal Police for his bag-pipping, Senior Constable Laureen Du Plusess, from the Gold Coast Scenes of Crime office, for the amazing photos, Bianca Jones, from Broadbeach Station, for the work behind the scenes.

Also A/Inspector Jason Tuffley, Sergeant Brad Miller, Constable Matt Reeves and Constable Helen Redhead for being the classiest colour party in Greek Orthodox/QPS History.

Finally, a very big thank you to Fr Romanos, president of St Anna, Mrs Sandra Voukelatos, the Ladies Auxiliary, chanters and the whole of the parish of St Anna, for their hospitality, catering, support and friendship, not just for Police Remembrance Day but for every day.

 Senior Sergeant Paul Hunter,

Broadbeach Police Station

On Saturday, 24 October 2015, His Grace Bishop Irinej of Australia and New Zealand of the Serbian Orthodox Church, together with the Very Reverend Protopresbyter-Stavrophor Ilija Dragosavljevic and Metropolitanate Secretary, the Reverend Deacon Aleksandar Ivanovic, joined His Eminence Archbishop Paul of Australia, New Zealand and the Philippines of the Antiochian Orthodox Patriarchate, together with his clergy, faithful and guests for the consecration of the Holy Archangel Michael Monastery Church at the newly acquired Antiochian Village in Goulburn, New South Wales.

The Antiochian Village is a spiritual revelation. There are facilities where the faithful will be able to stay in for some days, praying, contemplating, learning, mixing with others, etc…. it is the church in the world.

Today, more than any other period of our history, the church needs effective means to face the secular and paganistic world and to prepare and provide its faithful, from the day of their birth until leaving this world all the necessary means to defeat the spiritual darkness and to live and preach the Teachings of their Savior.

The village has begun working with the children and youth plus the parents and grandparents. Will provide educational programs “we have started that” already began utilizing the facilities which may cater to hundred persons in addition to the clergy and leaders and teachers. We have a permanent nun; soon we will have a permanent priest. We already began the celebration of the divine services beginning the first of September 2015.

What we have been seeing of damage happening in the family and the community, will leave us no choice, but to work seriously to face and replace the atheistic secularism of our time; and to place God and His Teachings back in the heart of the family; you see, like I do, that a good percentage of our youth do not know the real God, the normal, the spiritual, etc…. the family has gone down and adopted instead a personal philosophy which satisfy its physical and temporary desires according to the Western Philosophy.

What we see around us, is the destruction of the family and the ignorance of all the teachings which can build the soul and bring a person closer to the God.

For this reason, it was the responsibility of the church to begin working to preserve the Christians teachings and the moral which the Lord Himself gave us.

Here, comes the idea of the Antiochian Village, yes, we have been working diligently for the last-fifteen years to build Sunday schools, youth groups and activities, choirs, little children school, working with the homeless, helping the refugees and the needies, etc.

The Village consists of 4 sets of buildings, each consists of two floors. We are equipped to serve one hundred persons plus, for 1 to 5 days. This is the plan A. Our B plan is to have the place to accommodate people for 5, 10, 15, 20 days. The idea of the village and its importance spread fast in the minds and hearts of our people all over the Archdiocese. They responded generously to meet the responsibility of the remodeling and purchasing whatever needed (and much is needed) we will be using these facilities to prepare our next generations, it’s a place where your children and grandchildren will have a place where they may go, relax, pray, learn, mix, meet, play etc… And be exposed to the will of their Lord. To strengthened the feeling between the generations and with their families and their Lord. We will work for a better and stronger family, church and nation. This Community is our Community and whatever will help to promote it we will be ready to do.

To all those who came forward from the beginning offered a generous helping hand, thanks and God Blessing

From the Office of the Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese – Sydney

Source: http://www.antiochianarch.org.au/

Also have a look at the website of Antiochian Village: http://www.antiochianvillage.org.au/

On Sunday 8th February 2015, His Grace Bishop Seraphim officially opened the St Paraskevi Child Care Centre and unveiled the Friendship Garden plaque at the Parish of St Paraskevi in Taigum, Queensland.

The Child Care Centre is a not-for-profit activity of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia and has capacity to hold up to 94 children. The Centre opened its doors to the Taigum and wider community on Monday 12th January 2015 after starting construction in June the previous year. The Official Opening was performed by His Grace Bishop Seraphim and Lord Mayor of Brisbane City Council, Cr. Graham Quirk.

Currently over 120 families have enrolled their children for child care at our Centre. The Centre is very modern and includes technology that is based on early learning. The website for the centre is www.taigumchildcarecentre.com.au.

The occasion also commemorated the official unveiling of the St Paraskevi Friendship Garden. The Friendship Garden was unveiled by His Grace Bishop Seraphim and Councillor for Deagon Ward Cr. Victoria Newton.

At the initiative of the Greek Orthodox Board of Education of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia, a Professional Development Day for the teachers of the three Greek Orthodox day schools in Sydney took place on Wednesday 27th January, 2016 at St Andrew’s Greek Orthodox College in Redfern.

This event was attended by over 200 teachers, including the Chair of the Archdiocesan Board of Education, His Grace Bishop Seraphim of Apollonias, all Heads and Principals together with the respective priests of these schools.

Running for three years now, the aim of these professional development days has been to acquaint teachers with some of the core values and beliefs of the Greek Orthodox faith not only so that they may better appreciate the ethos of the schools in which they teach but also to be ready to respond to questions that students may have, since teachers play such a pivotal role in the formation of students.

The day opened with prayer by Bishop Seraphim who, in his capacity as Sub-Dean of St Andrew’s, also welcomed the teachers to the College. This year the program included three speakers. The first was Professor Angelo Karantonis, Editor of Phronema, the scholarly peer reviewed Journal belonging to St Andrew’s Theological College. His talk was entitled: “The Role of Orthodoxy in the Life of the Orthodox Day Schools.” Prof. Karantonis stressed the fact that Orthodoxy is a way of life and that students best learn when they see the teachings of Orthodoxy being put into practice. Ample examples were given as to how this might best be actioned within the schools.

The second speaker was Dr Philip Kariatlis, Academic Director and Senior Lecturer in Theology at St Andrew’s, whose presentation was entitled: “Ecological Vision and Initiatives of the Orthodox Church Today.” His talk outlined some basic teachings of the Orthodox Church concerning creation, namely, the sacredness of the world and God’s active presence in it. From this, he was able to highlight some ecological initiatives of the Orthodox Church which has been working together with academic disciplines since the late 1980s towards a solution to this major challenge of the world today.

The third and final speaker was Sr Dr Margaret Beirne, Senior Lecturer in Biblical Studies at St Andrew’s. The title of her presentation was “Upholding the Sanctity of Marriage in a Changing World.” This presentation examined some key texts from the Orthodox Service of Marriage together with the key Scriptural passages that are read in this service. With her vast experience as a Principal of a Secondary School for over ten years, she identified various ways in which the rich symbolism of the Service could be used to convey to students the sanctity of marriage.

There was some brief time allocated to questions which enabled the teachers to critically engage with the material that was presented to them. Overall, the morning was a great success.

Source: The Greek-Australian Vema: February 2016