Triumphant reception of Ecumenical Patriarch by diaspora in Melbourne and Sydney in the presence of Australian PM

With eagerness and anticipation, thousands of believers, with the Homogenia constituting the dominant majority, welcomed the Ecumenical Patriarch Mr. Bartholomew in Greek-speaking Melbourne.

After Sydney, where the Patriarch was received with emotion and enthusiasm by thousands of believers as well as the political leadership of Australia, which honored the Head of Orthodoxy with honors of an acting Head of State, the Ecumenical Patriarch arrived on Saturday in the capital of the State of Victoria.

On Sunday, the top event of the dense program of the official visit took place with t the Patriarchal Divine Liturgy in the presence of many thousands of believers which, due to the large turnout, was held in the center of Melbourne at the Olympic facilities, specifically in the closed stadium Margaret Arena.

The Patriarchal Liturgy was by common consent both imposing and evocative, with a magnificently executed ritual and the participation of the exquisite Byzantine choir of the Archdiocese of Australia.
Later, at noon of the same day, His Holiness watched together with the Prime Minister of Australia Mr. Anthony Albanese and the Archbishop of Australia Makarios, the parade of the youth of the diaspora, which took place, in an adjacent stadium, as part of the celebrations for the centenary of I. Archdiocese of Australia.

At the end of the Parade, greetings were addressed, in order, by the Ex. Ambassador of Greece Mr. Stavros Venizelos, Rev. Archbishop Mr. Makarios, and the Prime Minister of the country Mr. Albanizi. Then followed the speech of His Holiness to the youth of Omogenia.

His Holiness, speaking in English and Greek, expressed, among other things, his emotion, urging the young men and women "to remain firm in the Orthodox faith and traditions of the Genus, and to continue to progress in the great country of Australia".

It is worth noting that the Federal Prime Minister of Australia, Anthony Albaneze, was present at many of the Ecumenical Patriarch's reception and hospitality events in both Australian megacities, expressing at every opportunity the admiration and respect that Australia attaches especially to the Ecumenical Throne and also the importance and the charitable and community work offered by the Holy Archdiocese of Australia through Archbishop Makarios to the Australian society and especially to the Greeks of Australia.

Indicative of the importance that Australia attaches to the role of the Archdiocese is the fact that the Federal Government has announced funding of 25 million Australian dollars to strengthen its charitable work, which is the largest amount ever given to any other spiritual and religious institution in the country.