Archbishop of Australia honored Nikolaos Dendias with the Archdiocese’s Highest Distinction

“Hellenism lives on and continues to flourish here in distant Australia, and as long as our Greek Orthodox Archdiocese and the Ecumenical Patriarchate remain present on these lands, as long as the Orthodox priest celebrates the Divine Liturgy in the Greek language, Hellenism has a future, and we fear nothing.”

Archbishop Makarios of Australia delivered this resounding and optimistic message as he welcomed Greece’s Minister of National Defence, Mr. Nikolaos Dendias, at the headquarters of the Holy Archdiocese of Australia in Sydney on Thursday, 16 July.

On the occasion of Mr. Dendias’ visit, a Doxology service was held in his honour at the Holy Cathedral of the Annunciation of the Theotokos. His Eminence was joined by Their Graces Bishops Evmenios of Chora and Athenagoras of Canberra, members of the Holy Eparchial Synod, as well as Auxiliary Bishops Iakovos of Miletoupolis, Abbot of the Holy Monastery of Saint George in Yellow Rock; Christodoulos of Magnesia, Chief Secretary of the Holy Eparchial Synod; and Christophoros of Kerasous, Protosyncellus of the Holy Archdiocese.

Also in attendance were Greece’s Ambassador to Australia, Mr. Stavros Venizelos; Greece’s Consul General…