Australia’s Holy Eparchial Synod concludes with key decisions on cathedrals and committees

The Holy Eparchial Synod of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia (GOAA), presided over by His Eminence Archbishop Makarios, concluded its regular October session on Saturday, 4 October 2025, following three days of deliberations in Sydney.

During the opening sessions, His Eminence reviewed reports submitted by the Bishops of the GOAA, commending them for their “ecclesiastical ministry and valuable contribution to the faithful of Australia.”

A key focus of the meeting was the designation of Cathedral Churches across the Archdiocese’s local Dioceses. The Synod announced two major decisions:

• In the Holy Diocese of Brisbane, a new Cathedral Church dedicated to the Dormition of Our Lady will be built in the suburb of Mount Gravatt.
• In the Holy Diocese of Chora, the existing Church of Our Lady “Axion Estin” will be elevated to Cathedral status.

In accordance with the Archdiocese’s Constitution, the Synod also confirmed the establishment of 15 Synodal Committees, each presided over by a Bishop and supported by Vice-Presidents drawn from the Archdiocesan Council. These committees will oversee key areas of ecclesiastical life, including education, youth, family, interfaith relations, theology, philanthropy, and church music.

Among the newly appointed committee leaders are:

• Bishop Bartholomew of Brisbane, overseeing Inter-Orthodox, Inter-Christian and Interreligious Relations;
• Bishop Silouan of Adelaide, leading Theological and Greek Education, and Orthodox Cultural Heritage;
• Bishop Kyriakos of Melbourne, presiding over Christian Marriage and Family;
• Bishop Christodoulos of Magnesia, chairing Youth Affairs;
• Bishop Evmenios of Chora, leading Charitable and Philanthropic Institutions; and
• Bishop Athinagoras of Canberra, directing Foreign Mission and Bioethics and Contemporary Social Issues.

Each committee will work collaboratively with clergy and lay members to support the Archdiocese’s spiritual, pastoral and educational mission across Australia.