Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia

{{Infobox diocese

| jurisdiction = Greek Orthodox Archdiocese

| name = Australia

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| image = Logo of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia.png

| image_size = 200

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| caption = Official seal

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| country = Australia

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| headquarters =Cathedral of The Annunciation of Our Lady, Redfern, Sydney

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| population =400,000 approx (2021 Census){{cite web|url=https://www.abs.gov.au/census/find-census-data/community-profiles/2021/AUS/download/GCP_AUS.xlsx|title=Australian Bureau of Statistics|access-date=December 20, 2023}}

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| parishes = 121

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| schools = 8

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| denomination = Eastern Orthodox Church

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| cathedral = Cathedral of The Annunciation of Our Lady (1970-present)
Greek Orthodox Cathedral of Saint Sophia (1927-1970)

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| patron = Saint Paisios of Mount Athos

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| language = Greek, English{{efn|Ukrainian and Arabic are also used in some parishes with Ukrainian and Lebanese communities.}}

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| parent_church = Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople

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| metro_archbishop = Makarios Griniezakis

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Bishop Iakovos of Miletoupolis
Bishop Christodoulos of Magnesia

| apostolic_admin =

| vicar_general = Christophoros Krikelis

| episcopal_vicar =

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| dean =

| archdeacons = Archdeacon Athinagoras Karakonstantakis

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| website = [https://greekorthodox.org.au/ greekorthodox.org.au]

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|founded=}}

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.{{Cite web|title=Churches – The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia|url=https://greekorthodox.org.au/churches/|access-date=2021-10-26|language=en-AU}}{{Cite web|title=Monasteries – The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia|url=https://greekorthodox.org.au/monasteries/|access-date=2021-10-26|language=en-AU}}

{{Cite web|title=The Archdiocese of Australia expresses its gratitude to the Ecumenical Patriarch for the establishment of the six Dioceses|url=https://greekorthodox.org.au/the-archdiocese-of-australia-expresses-its-gratitude-to-the-ecumenical-patriarch-for-the-establishment-of-the-six-dioceses/|access-date=2024-07-19|language=en-AU}}

Archbishop and governance

Since May 9, 2019, Bishop Makarios is Archbishop of Australia.{{Cite web|url=https://greekcitytimes.com/2019/05/10/metropolitan-makarios-of-christoupolis-elected-as-the-new-archbishop-of-australia/|title=Metropolitan Makarios of Christoupolis Elected as the New Archbishop of Australia}}{{Cite web|title=Biography – The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia|url=https://greekorthodox.org.au/biography/|access-date=2021-10-26|language=en-AU|archive-date=2022-10-05|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221005055844/https://greekorthodox.org.au/biography/|url-status=dead}}

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.{{cite web |title=Eparchical Synod and Regional Bishops in the Holy Archdiocese of Australia |url=https://greekorthodox.org.au/eparchical-synod-and-regional-bishops-in-the-holy-archdiocese-of-australia/ |publisher=Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia |access-date=28 February 2024}}

History

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.{{cite book

| last = Tamis

| first = Anastasios

| title = The Greeks in Australia

| url = https://archive.org/details/greeksaustralia00tami

| url-access = limited

| year = 2005

| publisher = Cambridge University Press

| isbn = 978-0-521-54743-7

| page = [https://archive.org/details/greeksaustralia00tami/page/n105 94]

}} 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.[http://www.greekorthodox.org.au/?page_id=3670 Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia — History] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170917150939/http://www.greekorthodox.org.au/?page_id=3670 |date=2017-09-17 }}. greekorthodox.org.au. Retrieved on 7 April 2016.

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.{{Cite web |last=grkrthdx_client_usr |date=2023-09-25 |title=Saint Paisios the Athonite declared as Patron Saint of the Holy Archdiocese of Australia |url=https://greekorthodox.org.au/saint-paisios-the-athonite-declared-as-patron-saint-of-the-holy-archdiocese-of-australia/ |access-date=2024-10-14 |website=Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia |language=en-US}}

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.{{Cite news |date=24 November 2020 |title=Ecumenical Patriarch’s visit to Australia 24 years ago (video) |url=https://orthodoxtimes.com/ecumenical-patriarchs-visit-to-australia-24-years-ago-video/ |access-date=14 October 2024 |work=Orthodox Times}} 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.{{Cite web |title=Patriarch Visit {{!}} Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia |url=https://patriarchvisit.org.au/ |access-date=2024-10-14 |website=patriarchvisit.org.au}}

Primates

Metropolitan Christoforos of Australia and New Zealand (1924-1929)
Metropolitan Timotheos of Australia and New Zealand (1931-1947)
Metropolitan Theophylactos of Australia and New Zealand (1947-1958)
Metropolitan Ezekiel of Australia and New Zealand (1959), Archbishop Ezekiel of Australia and New Zealand (1959-1970), Archbishop Ezekiel of Australia (1970-1974)
Archbishop Stylianos of Australia (1975-2019)Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia and New Zealand. OrthodoxWiki. Retrieved on 2013-08-21.
Archbishop Makarios of Australia (2019–present)

Current hierarchs

The following clergy are members of the archdiocese's current hierarchy.[http://www.greekorthodox.org.au/?page_id=368 Official archdiocesan website].{{cite web|url=https://evangelismos.com.au/encyclical-of-his-eminence-archbishop-makarios-of-australia/|title=Encyclical Of His Eminence Archbishop Makarios Of Australia|website=The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia - Church of Evangelismos - "The Annunciation of Our Lady"|date=November 6, 2019|access-date=December 20, 2023}} Evangelismos.com.au website.

class="wikitable" style="width: 100%;" \|+ Greek Orthodox Hierarchs in Australia \| style="width: 25%"\| Hierarch \| style="width: 30%"\| Position(s) \| style="width: 15%"\| Years \| style="width: 30%"\| 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

File:Opening of St. Sofia Cath.jpg

File:Cross being thrown at Theophany.jpg

=Diocese of [[Perth]]=

Bishop Elpidios, Regional Bishop (Chorepiskopos) of Perth

=Diocese of [[Adelaide]]=

Bishop Silouan, Regional Bishop (Chorepiskopos) of Adelaide

=Diocese of [[Melbourne]]=

Bishop Kyriakos, Regional Bishop (Chorepiskopos) of Melbourne

=Diocese of Chora=

Bishop Evmenios, Regional Bishop (Chorepiskopos) of Chora

=Diocese of [[Brisbane]]=

Bishop Bartholomew, Regional Bishop (Chorepiskopos) of Brisbane

=Diocese of [[Canberra]]=

Former hierarchs in Australia

class="wikitable"

!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.
Died January 6, 2008.

Bishop Chrysostomos of Myrinae

|1960 – 1963

unknown

Retired to America in 1963.
Died 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.
Died 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.
Died 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{{Cite book |last=Kapandritis |first=Father. Alexiou S. |title=The Orthodox Church in Australia as Metropolis (1924-1959) & Holy Archdiocese (1959-Today) |date=2019 |publisher=Greece Ecclesiastical History and Culture |location=Thessaloniki}}

St Andrew's Greek Orthodox Theological College

St Andrew's Greek Orthodox Theological College is an Eastern Orthodox Christian seminary located in Redfern, Sydney, New South Wales, established in 1986 by Archbishop Stylianos.

References

Bibliography

{{Cite book|last=Kiminas|first=Demetrius|title=The Ecumenical Patriarchate: A History of Its Metropolitanates with Annotated Hierarch Catalogs|year=2009|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QLWqXrW2X-8C|publisher=Wildside Press LLC|isbn=9781434458766}}