Her Excellency Professor the Honourable Margaret Gardner AC, Governor of Victoria, hosted a special reception on Tuesday, October 15 to welcome His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew to Melbourne.
Earlier in the day, the Governor met with His All Holiness and His Eminence Archbishop Makarios of Australia during an official call at Government House.
The official reception at night was attended by prominent figures, including His Eminence Archbishop Makarios of Australia; Stavros Venizelos, Ambassador of Greece to Australia; Emmanuel Kakavelakis, Consul General of Greece in Melbourne; Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan; The Most Reverend Dr Philip Freier, Anglican Archbishop of Melbourne; The Most Reverend Peter Comensoli, Catholic Archbishop of Melbourne; and various Members of the Victorian Parliament and local Greek and Orthodox communities.
In her address on the night, Governor Gardner emphasised the enduring identity of the Greek Victorian community, noting the crucial role of the Greek Orthodox Church in maintaining this identity.
“We can be grateful for the strong sense of identity the Greek Victorian community has maintained – an identity in which the Greek Orthodox Church plays a significant role,” she stated.
“For generations, the faith of Victoria’s Greek community has maintained its strength over distance and across time.”
Following the Governor’s remarks, the Victorian Premier also addressed attendees, before His All-Holiness highlighted the significance of the occasion.
In her speech, the Victorian Premier spoke about the centenary of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia (GOAA), and spoke of the importance of His All-Holiness’ visit as it sends a message of peace.
The event highlighted the strong ties between the Greek community and the broader Victorian society, celebrating their shared heritage and ongoing contributions to the cultural fabric of the state.
