His Eminence Archbishop Makarios of Australia was honoured in Athens, Greece during the New Year’s Vasilopita celebration of the Association of Rethymnians of Attica “TO ARKADI,” held on February 7 at the Hotel Grande Bretagne.
His Eminence blessed the Vasilopita as a representative of His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and conveyed the Patriarch’s wishes and blessing to those present, including the Association’s President and Archon Nomophylax of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, Georgios Vlatakis.
Addressing his compatriots, Archbishop Makarios urged Cretans not to forget their heritage, saying: “Never forget that in your veins flows the blood of heroes who fought for our freedom and the blood of saints who fought for our faith.”
The event was attended by senior clergy, government officials and dignitaries, including Tourism Minister Olga Kefalogianni, representing Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, and Australia’s Ambassador to Greece, Alison Duncan.
During the ceremony, Vlatakis presented Archbishop Makarios with an honorary medal, while hymns dedicated to him were performed and a video highlighting his six-year Archiepiscopal ministry in Australia was shown. A choir from the Rizareios Ecclesiastical School also sang in his honour.
The evening included awards to distinguished academics, young students, and cultural performances, and marked the opening of commemorations for the 160th anniversary of the Holocaust of the Holy Monastery of Arkadi.
