The Parish of St Sophia and Three Daughters at Surry Hills, Sydney celebrated its Golden Jubilee on Saturday, February 22, marking 50 years of faith and community service.
A formal gala dinner was held at an events venue near Hyde Park, attended by His Eminence Archbishop Makarios of Australia, who delivered a heartfelt message of gratitude and encouragement.
In his address, the Archbishop paid tribute to the pioneers of the Parish’s foundation, beginning with the late Archbishop Ezekiel of Australia and later Archbishop Stylianos, under whose leadership the church in Surry Hills was purchased.
His Eminence also acknowledged the clergy who have served the Parish over the years, including Fr. Stephanos Pantanassiotis, Fr. Gervasios Koutsouras, Fr. Nektarios Zorbalas, Fr. Ioannis Evangelinidis, Fr. Panagiotis Baskoutas, Fr. Agathangelos Masteas, and current parish priest Fr. Irenaios Triantis.
“We are also grateful,” he stated, “to countless people, some of whom have departed this present life, but who had worked hard and contributed in various ways, visibly and invisibly, to our reaching this remarkable milestone. All worked harmoniously with the clergy to support the progress of the Parish. We thank them; as we thank the benefactors and donors for their generosity and contribution.”
The Archbishop expressed his appreciation to those who continue to contribute to the Parish’s development, including parish priest Fr. Irenaios, President Con Zannetides, the Parish Council members, and the Philoptochos Association.
He also praised the Parish’s community initiatives, such as the “Feed the People” programme, the Senior Citizens’ and “Parea” Groups, the Greek Dancing Group, and its Youth activities.
The Governor of New South Wales, Her Excellency the Honourable Margaret Beazley AC KC, was also in attendance and delivered a speech congratulating the Parish and its contributors. Other distinguished guests included Federal Minister Tanya Plibersek MP, State Minister Sophie Cotsis MP, Greek Consul General in Sydney Ioannis Mallikourtis, and Deputy High Commissioner of Cyprus in Australia Nikolaos Varellas.
The event marked a significant milestone for Sydney’s Greek Orthodox community, honouring the dedication and perseverance of those who have built and sustained the Parish of St Sophia and Three Daughters over the past 50 years.
