The Church of Saint Paraskevi in Taigum, Brisbane was consecrated on Saturday, 26 July 2025, coinciding with the feast day of the Holy Virgin and Martyr Saint Paraskevi.
The event marked the first consecration of a Greek Orthodox church in Brisbane in over 65 years.
The service was led by His Eminence Archbishop Makarios of Australia, alongside Bishops Bartholomew of Brisbane and Iakovos of Miletoupolis, and clergy of the Holy Diocese of Brisbane.
As per Orthodox tradition, the ceremony included the procession and placement of holy relics in the altar, the washing and anointing of the Holy Table, and the marking of church walls with Holy Myrrh.
A large crowd of faithful attended, with hymns chanted by youth from the Greek Orthodox Christian Society of Sydney.
Archbishop Makarios described the consecration as a “great ecclesiastical event,” emphasising that the church is now entrusted to the All-Holy Spirit, who will sanctify all that takes place within.
Bishop Bartholomew expressed heartfelt thanks on behalf of the clergy and parish, saying: “We thank you from the bottom of our hearts for this great joy and blessing.”
The consecration was attended by several prominent figures of the Greek Orthodox community, including Theo Bacalakis (Archon of the Ecumenical Patriarchate and President of the Parish of St John the Baptist, Cairns), Costa Stratikopoulos (President of St Paraskevi, Taigum), Luke Comino (President of the Dormition of Our Lady, Mt Gravatt), Sandra Voukelatos (President of St Anna, Gold Coast), and Steve Magdas, Director of the Greek Welfare Centre.
