Archbishop Makarios of Australia issues message about the NSW floods

·

His Eminence Archbishop Makarios of Australia has issued a message of support following the flash floods that hit New South Wales this week.

Full message in English:

My dear children,

I am greatly alarmed to see tens of thousands of people facing a new ordeal because of an extreme weather event that has affected large swathes of New South Wales. An ordeal, which unfortunately is additional to other similar natural disasters that seem to be occurring with increasing frequency in our state and nation.

In these critical times and under the shadow of ongoing heavy rains, the primary concern of all of us must be the protection of human lives as well as limiting, as far as possible, the extent of material damage to households and public infrastructure. For this reason, our thoughts and prayers are with the frontline workers. I declare the undivided support of our Holy Archdiocese, and myself personally, for the officials and staff of the relevant state services and urge everyone to abide by the directives and instructions they issue.

SES Crew in flooded Church street, Cabramatta. as heavy rain causes flooding across Sydney. Photo: John Appleyard.

To our brethren who are at the centre of the unfolding ordeal, I would like to express my sincere paternal concern and the support of my fellow bishops, the reverend clergy and all the faithful of our local Church, while assuring them that the Holy Archdiocese of Australia is and will remain by their side, helping them in their efforts to recover from the consequences of the current disaster. Moreover, I fervently ask that they remain unwavering in their faith in God and not lose hope in the face of adversity. Finally, I ask everyone to pray for our brothers and sisters and for our benevolent God to protect, strengthen and grant them His mercy.

In the future, it is imperative that we all be found wiser and more sober in relation to the management of the great challenge of our time, which is the respect and preservation of the natural environment. Especially us Orthodox Christians, who are blessed to have at the helm of our Mother Church the aptly characterised “Green Patriarch” His All-Holiness Patriarch Bartholomew, we must take the lead within Australian society in the field of ecological awareness and bring forth solutions that deal with the environmental crisis.

I paternally bless everyone and pray that our Panagia protects all those who are being tried and comforts those who are suffering.

Advertisement

Share:

KEEP UP TO DATE WITH TGH

By subscribing you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.

Advertisement

Latest News

NT misses out on ALDI, but Greek Australian locals say fresh is best

While many Northern Territory locals say they would welcome an ALDI, some are happy to shop local for fresh produce.

Victoria Police seek public help to locate wanted man Peter Tsimiklis

Police are appealing for public assistance to help locate Peter Tsimiklis. The 46-year-old is wanted on warrant.

Thanasis Nicolaou case Judge to appeal termination

Former Cypriot judge Doria Varoshiotou will appeal her dismissal after the judicial council ruled she was unfit to serve as a tenured judge.

Thousands evacuated as wildfires rage across Crete and Attica

Greece has been grappling with a series of wildfires this week, with the most severe outbreak taking place on the island of Crete.

Greek hopes end as Maria Sakkari eliminated by former Wimbledon champion

Greece’s Maria Sakkari has been knocked out of Wimbledon in the second round, following a straight-sets defeat to Elena Rybakina.

You May Also Like

NSW Government to investigate strict penalties for violence at sports events

The NSW Government has begun working with community groups to investigate new penalties aimed at protecting sporting volunteers and referees.

Greek-Australian character “Carbo” returns to the screen in Packed to the Rafters spin-off

Amazon announced today that they will be debuting their first scripted Australian Amazon Original series - Back to the Rafters.

National Archaeological Museum to present inaugural Greek War of Independence exhibition

An exhibit presenting Greek antiquities with 18th and 19th-century works will open at the National Archaeological Museum on February 11