On the First Sunday of Luke, September 25, the faithful members of the Greek Orthodox Parish – Community of Mentone and Districts, in the Greek city of Melbourne, welcomed with feelings of joy and deep emotion their Shepherd, His Eminence Archbishop makarios of Australia, in their most beautiful Church, which is dedicated to the Holy Archangels Michael and Gabriel.
It was a blessed and historic day for the Parish-Community of Mentone, as the first official visit of Archbishop Makarios of Australia was combined with the celebration of the Thyranoixia (Official Opening) of the recently renovated Holy Church of the Archangels. His Eminence was accompanied by their Graces, Bishop Kyriakos of Sozopolis and Bishop Evmenios of Kerasounta, while present, among others, at the service were the Consul General of Greece in Melbourne, Mr. Emmanuel Kakavelakis, the Mayor of Kingston, Mr. Steve Staikos, the President of the Intercommunity Council of Victoria, Mr. Antonios Tsourdalakis, the President of the Parish – Community of Mentone, Mr. Christos Tourlos, and the brother of the Ecumenical Patriarch, Mr. Nikolaos Archontonis.
During the blessing service of the official opening (Thyranoixia), the Archbishop tonsured as Protopresbyter, Father Ioannis Kouyioumztis who has been the Proistamenos of the Church for a number of years, who worked tirelessly, until his retirement, for the spiritual and material progress of the Parish – Community. His Eminence Archbishop Makarios addressed Father Ioannis many words of gratitude, both for his contribution to the work of building the Holy Church, and for his more general contribution to the spiritual building and salvation of the souls of the faithful of the Parish.
“The Holy Archdiocese of Australia congratulates and thanks you”, he pointed out characteristically addressing the honored cleric, while he wholeheartedly wished him to have many more years of life, so that he may be blessed to take pride in the fruits of his labors: “To see your own work going forward and progressing, and to see your own spiritual children coming here to the church of the Archangels, to receive communion, to be blessed, to be sanctified, to be baptised, to be married, and feel proud of what you have offered for so many years to the Holy Archdiocese of Australia and to the local community of Mentone”.
