The Archbishop of Australia, His Eminence Makarios, on the occasion of this week’s National Day of Australia, emphasized that the Greek Orthodox community on the island continent is “…an integral and dynamic part of Australian society, proudly celebrates this day, which marks the formation, cooperation, mutual respect, and unity of the Australian nation.”
His Eminence also touched on the importance of these values in the current struggle against the pandemic.
“More than ever before, Australia Day inspires us to put aside the ‘I’, to embrace the ‘us’ and to respect our neighbor, whoever they may be … As long as we learn the right lessons from the history of this blessed place, where God arranged for people of different backgrounds and cultural characteristics to coexist,” Makarios underlined.
In concluding, His Eminence cited the contribution of Greek immigrants to the work of building a prosperous and open society in Australia, while expressing respect for the contribution of all other communities, especially indigenous peoples.