ModeOfLife Become love as God exhorts us, for this is the true starting point for changing your life and the world. For it is love that will bring respect, justice and equity into the world, not our personal opinion of what justice or equity is.
The 40th anniversary since the Holy Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate elected and enthroned His Eminence as Archbishop of the Greek Orthodox Church in this continent was celebrated on May 15, 2015.
Over 800 faithful from every State across Australia attended the Official Dinner in Sydney. The event was honoured with the presence of the official representative of His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch
Bartholomew. This was Metropolitan Ambrosios of Korea, who also read the official Message of our Ecumenical Patriarch for the occasion.
Present were the leaders and representatives of every major Orthodox jurisdiction in Australia, together with many other dignitaries.
During the evening, a video was presented showing highlights of Archbishop Stylianos’ 40 years of dedicated service in Australia. A packaged copy of the DVD was given freely as a gift to all the attendees.
The eloquent speakers were Metropolitan Ambrosios of Korea, the Greek Ambassador to Australia Haris Dafaranos, Federal MP Anthony Albanese and the former Minister in the New South Wales government, George Souris. In response, His Eminence expressed praise and gratitude towards the faithful people of God who stood together with him throughout all these years.
The Millennium Choir of our Archdiocese, led by maestro George Ellis, also sang beautifully to honour the Archbishop and to provide an uplifting atmosphere that was appropriate to the joyful milestone that was being celebrated.
There were two very capable MCs for the evening, so as to convey everything equally in Greek and English: The Very Rev. Father Steven Scoutas and Nicholas Pappas, Secretary of the Archdiocesan Council.
When the event closed at 10:30pm, it was apparent that the Dinner seemed to conclude all too soon, leading to much mingling and conversation of those who had come to honour our long-serving Archbishop and
Father in Christ.
Source: The Greek-Australian Vema Newspaper, May 2015