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Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia

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Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia
Official seal
Location
CountryAustralia
HeadquartersCathedral of The Annunciation of Our Lady, Redfern, Sydney
Statistics
Population
- Total
400,000 approx (2021 Census)[1]
Parishes121
Schools8
Information
DenominationEastern Orthodox Church
CathedralCathedral of The Annunciation of Our Lady (1970-present)
Greek Orthodox Cathedral of Saint Sophia (1927-1970)
Patron saintSaint Paisios of Mount Athos
LanguageGreek, English[a]
Parent churchEcumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople
Metropolitan ArchbishopMakarios Griniezakis
Auxiliary Bishops
  • Bishop Iakovos of Miletoupolis
  • Bishop Christodoulos of Magnesia
Vicar GeneralVery Reverend Father Christophoros Krikelis
ArchdeaconsArchdeacon Athinagoras Karakonstantakis
Website
greekorthodox.org.au

The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia is the Australian archdiocese of the Greek Orthodox Church, part of the wider communion of Eastern Orthodox Christianity. The archdiocese is a jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople. As of 2024, there were over 130 parishes and eight monasteries in the six dioceses of the archdiocese in Australia.[2][3] [4]

Archbishop and governance

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Since May 9, 2019, Bishop Makarios is Archbishop of Australia.[5][6] He was elected by the Holy Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate and was enthroned in front of thousands of faithful on 29 June 2019 at the Cathedral of the Annunciation of the Theotokos.

Since February 2024, the Archdiocese of Australia is governed by the Holy Eparchical Synod, at which the incumbent Archbishop of the day presides, and whose members are his active assistant Bishops in their capacity as Regional Bishops.[7]

History

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The first churches founded by Greek Orthodox in Australia were Holy Trinity in Surry Hills, Sydney (1898), and Annunciation of the Theotokos in East Melbourne (1900). The first priest to serve the religious needs of the Greek Orthodox population in Sydney and Melbourne was Archimandrite Dorotheos Bakaliaros. In March 1924, the "Metropolis of Australia and New Zealand" was established under the Ecumenical Patriarchate to cover the expanding Greek population, which by 1927 numbered over 10,000 and had established churches in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Port Pirie in South Australia. The first metropolitan of the new province of the Ecumenical Patriarchate was Christoforos Knitis of Serres. In 1929, Metropolitan Christoforos returned to his homeland, Samos. He died on 7 August 1959.

In 1931, Timotheos Evangelinidis was elected as the second Metropolitan of Australia and New Zealand. He arrived in Australia on 28 January 1932 and presided over the church in Australia and New Zealand until 1947 when he was elected Metropolitan of Rhodes. On 22 April of that year, Theophylactos Papathanasopoulos was elected as the third metropolitan. On 2 August 1958, Metropolitan Theophylactos was killed in a car accident. In February 1959 the assistant bishop of the Archdiocese of America, Bishop Ezekiel Tsoukalas of Nazianzos, was elected Metropolitan of Australia. He arrived in Sydney on 27 April 1959.

On 1 September 1959, the Metropolis of Australia and New Zealand was elevated to an archdiocese and Metropolitan Ezekiel to an archbishop. Archbishop Ezekiel's episcopacy coincided with a period of great expansion in the numbers of Greek Orthodox in Australia through immigration, and many of the parishes that the church has today were formed under his guidance. In August 1974, the Holy and Sacred Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate elevated Archbishop Ezekiel to the titular see of Metropolitan of Pisidia.[8] He died in Athens in July 1987. On 3 February 1975, the Holy Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate unanimously elected the Metropolitan of Miletoupolis, Stylianos Harkianakis, a lecturer at the University of Thessaloniki, as the new Archbishop of Australia. Archbishop Stylianos arrived in Sydney on 15 April 1975 and was officially enthroned on Lazarus Saturday, 26 April 1975.[9]

At the 12th Clergy-Laity Congress held in Sydney in September 2023, Saint Paisios of Mount Athos was declared Patron Saint of the Holy Archdiocese of Australia by Archbishop Makarios.[10]

His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople has visited Australia twice, in 1996 and 2024. The 1996 visit of His All Holiness was historic as it was the first time the Patriarch of Constantinople visited Australia. On this visit, a Patriarchal Divine Liturgy occurred at the Sydney Entertainment Centre on Sunday November 24.[11] Likewise, his visit in 2024 was also historic as coincided with the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Archdiocese of Australia. Two Patriarchal Divine Liturgies occurred in 2024, on Sunday October 6 at the International Convention Centre, Sydney and on Sunday October 14 at Margaret Court Arena, Melbourne.[12]

Primates

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Current hierarchs

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The following clergy are members of the archdiocese's current hierarchy.[14][15]

Greek Orthodox Hierarchs in Australia
Hierarch Position(s) Years Notes
Archbishop Makarios of Australia Archbishop of Australia 2019–present 2015-2019: Bishop of Christoupolis, serving in Estonia
Bishop Iakovos of Miletoupolis Assistant Bishop 2011–present Based in Sydney, First Australian-born Bishop of the Ecumenical Patriarchate
Bishop Elpidios of Perth Regional Bishop (Chorepiskopos) of Perth 2020–present 2020-2024: Bishop of Kyanea
Bishop Silouan of Adelaide Regional Bishop (Chorepiskopos) of Adelaide 2020–present 2020-2024: Bishop of Sinope
Bishop Kyriakos of Melbourne Regional Bishop (Chorepiskopos) of Melbourne 2021–present 2021-2024: Bishop of Sozopolis
Bishop Christodoulos of Magnesia Assistant Bishop 2021–present Based in Sydney
Bishop Evmenios of Chora Regional Bishop (Chorepiskopos) of Chora 2021–present 2021-2024: Bishop of Kerasounta
Bishop Bartholomew of Brisbane Regional Bishop (Chorepiskopos) of Brisbane 2021–present 2021-2024: Bishop of Charioupolis

Archdiocesan Districts and Heads

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Archbishop Makarios at the opening of the Greek Orthodox Archepiscopal Church of Holy Wisdom (St. Sophia) in the Archdiocesan District of Adelaide, November 2022.
Bishop Nikandros of Dorylaion, assistant Bishop to Archbishop Stylianos between 2001 and 2019, conducting the Epiphany service in Adelaide, 2008.

Diocese of Perth

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  • Bishop Elpidios, Regional Bishop (Chorepiskopos) of Perth

Diocese of Adelaide

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  • Bishop Silouan, Regional Bishop (Chorepiskopos) of Adelaide

Diocese of Melbourne

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  • Bishop Kyriakos, Regional Bishop (Chorepiskopos) of Melbourne

Diocese of Chora

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  • Bishop Evmenios, Regional Bishop (Chorepiskopos) of Chora

Diocese of Brisbane

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  • Bishop Bartholomew, Regional Bishop (Chorepiskopos) of Brisbane

Diocese of Canberra

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Former Hierarchs in Australia

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Hierarch Years Position(s) Notes
Bishop Dionysios of Nazianzus 1959 – 1970
  • unknown (1959-1965).
  • Assistant Bishop in Melbourne (1965-1970).
  • Metropolitan of New Zealand (1970–2003)
  • Retired in 2003 receiving the title Metropolitan of Pisidia.
  • Passed away January 6, 2008.
Bishop Chrysostomos of Myrinae 1960 – 1963
  • unknown
  • Retired to America in 1963.
  • Passed away January 10, 1988.
Bishop Aristarchos of Zinoupolis 1972 – 1981
  • Assistant Bishop in Melbourne (1972).
  • Assistant Bishop in Adelaide (1973-1975).
  • Assistant Bishop in Melbourne (1976-1981).
  • Moved to the Archdiocese of Thyateira and Great Britain.
  • Passed away August 9, 2002.
Bishop Panteleimon of Theoupoleos 1971 – 1984
  • Assistant Bishop in Sydney (1971-1972).
  • Assistant Bishop in Melbourne (1972-1975).
  • Assistant Bishop in Adelaide (1975-1979).
  • Assistant Bishop in Melbourne (1979-1984).
  • Retired to Thessaloniki in 1984.
  • Received the title Metropolitan of Vryoula in 2018.
Bishop Ezekiel of Dervis 1977 – 2021
  • Assistant Bishop in Perth (1977-1980).
  • Assistant Bishop in Adelaide (1980-1984).
  • Assistant Bishop in Melbourne (1984-2021).
  • Retired in 2021, receiving the title Metropolitan of Dervis.
  • Based in Melbourne.
Bishop Paul of Christianoupolis 1984 – 1989
  • Assistant Bishop in Adelaide
  • Retired in 1989.
  • Based in Adelaide.
  • Passed away September 17, 2024.
Bishop Joseph of Arianzos 1989 – 2003
  • Assistant Bishop in Adelaide (1989-2001).
  • Second Bishop in Melbourne (2001-2003).
  • Metropolitan of New Zealand (2003–2005).
  • Retired to Piraeus in 2005.
  • Received the title Metropolitan of Proikonnisos in 2008.
Bishop Seraphim of Apollonias 1991 – 2019
  • Chancellor of the Archdiocese and Assistant Bishop in Sydney.
  • Retired in 2019 receiving the title Metropolitan of Sevasteia.
  • Based in Sydney.
Bishop Seraphim of Christianoupolis 2001 – 2002
  • Assistant Bishop in Adelaide.
  • Resigned from the Archdiocese in 2002.
  • Elected Metropolitan of Piraeus in 2006.
Bishop Nikandros of Dorylaion 2002 – 2019
  • Assistant Bishop in Adelaide.
  • Retired in 2019 receiving the title Metropolitan of Eirinoupolis.
  • Based in Greece
Bishop Emilianos of Meloe 2019 – 2024
  • Chancellor of the Archdiocese and Assistant Bishop in Sydney (2019-2021)
  • Assistant Bishop in Brisbane (2021-2024).
  • Resigned from the Archdiocese in 2024.

Source[16]

St Andrew's Greek Orthodox Theological College

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St Andrew's Greek Orthodox Theological College is an Eastern Orthodox Christian seminary located in Redfern, Sydney, New South Wales. The college was established in 1986 by Archbishop Stylianos, who had proposed the establishment of a theological college during the fourth clergy and laity congress in 1981. There was a need for a theological college that would be primarily dedicated to theological study in co-operation with other theological colleges. It would be hoped that a centre of theological reflection and ecumenical dialogue would be created, offering the Orthodox worldview and perspective with scriptural commentaries, the writings of the Greek Fathers, the Orthodox liturgy, iconography and spirituality.

Greek Orthodox monasteries in Australia

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  • Holy Monastery of St George (New South Wales)
  • Holy Monastery of Panagia Pantanassa (New South Wales)
  • Holy Monastery of the Holy Cross (New South Wales)
  • Holy Monastery of Panagia Gorgoepikouos (Victoria)
  • Holy Monastery of Axion Estin (Victoria)
  • Holy Monastery of Panagia Kamariani (Victoria)
  • Holy Monastery of St Nektarios (South Australia)
  • Holy Monastery of St John (Western Australia)

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Ukrainian and Arabic are also used in some parishes with Ukrainian and Lebanese communities.
  1. ^ "Australian Bureau of Statistics". Retrieved December 20, 2023.
  2. ^ "Churches – The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia". Retrieved 2021-10-26.
  3. ^ "Monasteries – The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia". Retrieved 2021-10-26.
  4. ^ "The Archdiocese of Australia expresses its gratitude to the Ecumenical Patriarch for the establishment of the six Dioceses". Retrieved 2024-07-19.
  5. ^ "Metropolitan Makarios of Christoupolis Elected as the New Archbishop of Australia".
  6. ^ "Biography – The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia". Archived from the original on 2022-10-05. Retrieved 2021-10-26.
  7. ^ "Eparchical Synod and Regional Bishops in the Holy Archdiocese of Australia". Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia. Retrieved 28 February 2024.
  8. ^ Tamis, Anastasios (2005). The Greeks in Australia. Cambridge University Press. p. 94. ISBN 978-0-521-54743-7.
  9. ^ Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia — History Archived 2017-09-17 at the Wayback Machine. greekorthodox.org.au. Retrieved on 7 April 2016.
  10. ^ grkrthdx_client_usr (2023-09-25). "Saint Paisios the Athonite declared as Patron Saint of the Holy Archdiocese of Australia". Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia. Retrieved 2024-10-14.
  11. ^ "Ecumenical Patriarch's visit to Australia 24 years ago (video)". Orthodox Times. 24 November 2020. Retrieved 14 October 2024.
  12. ^ "Patriarch Visit | Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia". patriarchvisit.org.au. Retrieved 2024-10-14.
  13. ^ Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia and New Zealand. OrthodoxWiki. Retrieved on 2013-08-21.
  14. ^ Official archdiocesan website.
  15. ^ "Encyclical Of His Eminence Archbishop Makarios Of Australia". The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia - Church of Evangelismos - "The Annunciation of Our Lady". November 6, 2019. Retrieved December 20, 2023. Evangelismos.com.au website.
  16. ^ Kapandritis, Father. Alexiou S. (2019). The Orthodox Church in Australia as Metropolis (1924-1959) & Holy Archdiocese (1959-Today). Thessaloniki: Greece Ecclesiastical History and Culture.
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Bibliography

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