His Eminence Archbishop Makarios of Australia has bestowed one of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia’s highest honours upon Eleni Raptis for her decades-long dedication to the Parish of Saint Anna in the Gold Coast.
The Archbishop awarded Mrs Raptis the Medal of the Order of the Philochrist at the conclusion of a special Divine Liturgy held on Sunday, July 27, during his pastoral visit to the coastal Queensland city.
The service, presided over by the Archbishop and assisted by Bishops Bartholomew of Brisbane and Iakovos of Miletoupolis, drew a large congregation of faithful and dignitaries, including Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate, representatives of the Greek Consulate, and Archon of the Ecumenical Patriarchate and President of the Parish-Community of Saint John the Baptist in Cairns, Theo Bacalakis.
In heartfelt remarks during a celebratory parish luncheon, Archbishop Makarios praised the selfless and enduring contribution of Mrs Raptis and her husband Jim to the local church, describing their support as “invaluable.”
He also commended Parish Priest Fr Romanos Stergiou for his tireless ministry, and expressed gratitude to local leadership and the wider parish for maintaining the spirit of Hellenism and Orthodoxy in the region.
In his homily, the Archbishop reflected on the importance of unwavering faith, drawing inspiration from the lives of Saints Anna and Panteleimon, and encouraged the faithful to remain spiritually steadfast despite life’s challenges.
The visit concluded with a call from the Archbishop for unity and continued support for the Parish of Saint Anna, which he described as “a beacon of Orthodoxy and Hellenism in the city of Gold Coast.”
