“We came out of need, and out of faith.”
With those words, Bishop Irineos of Florina, Prespa and Eordaia set the tone for a rare and deeply symbolic visit to Australia, undertaken alongside Florina Mayor Vasilis Giannakis to rally the Greek diaspora for the restoration of one of northern Greece’s most sacred churches.
They travelled to the other side of the world to appeal directly to Florinians living abroad. At Agios Panteleimonas Church in Dandenong on Saturday, 24 January, a vespers was followed by fundraising emceed by Kostas Alaveras.
It was a hot day, and parishioners chose church over beach, in a quiet but unmistakable show of solidarity.
The message from Florina’s leaders was clear: Florina needs its people.
An estimated 20,000 Florinians live in Victoria alone, as many as the population of Florina itself. And there are thousands more in Sydney and Adelaide, both are cities the delegation is also visiting.
A church shut, a city mourns
At the heart of the appeal is the Church of Agia Paraskevi, severely damaged in the January 9th 2022 earthquake and closed ever since.
Standing on the northeastern edge of Florina, Agia Paraskevi is more than a place of worship. Housing the revered icon of Panagia Pelagonitissa, a replica of the Sinai original, it functioned for decades as the spiritual and social heart of the city.
Built by refugees from the Monastiria region (today’s Skopje), the church was deliberately constructed on a grand scale.
“They built this church huge,” Bishop Irineos explained, “so that it could be seen by those who stayed behind in Skopje.”
The symbolism, he stressed, remains unresolved.
“We cannot call it something else. If they want to be Macedonia, it means there can be no borders, because Macedonia is one and will always be Greek.”
Structural damage to the central columns and bell towers forced the church’s closure, leaving Florinians without what many regard as the city’s beating heart.
“It is our home,” the Bishop said. “A place of baptism, marriage, farewell, hope, consolation and strength.”
“The earthquake did not only touch buildings,” he added. “It touched our souls.”
Costly path to reopening
After more than 18 months of studies and approvals, supported by the Municipality of Florina, a restoration licence was finally granted in July 2025. Engineers estimate €1.2 million is required to reopen the church safely.
So far, roughly one-third of the cost has been covered, including €200,000 in government earthquake compensation, proportionately allocated alongside other damaged properties.
A video presentation shown on the night traced Agia Paraskevi’s history: from a small refugee chapel built in 1934, to the majestic structure completed in 1974, and finally its closure after the earthquake. Restoration works officially began in June 2025.
“I came to Florina and found this church shut,” the Bishop said, “but all hearts and mouths open, calling for us to do everything possible to open it again.”
“With God’s help,” he concluded, “even in four years, we will see this church open again.”
“I build a church, I touch the sky”
The Bishop stressed that the Melbourne visit was deliberate. The appeal draws on the diaspora’s long tradition of building churches in xenitia, foreign lands marked by distance, sacrifice and longing.
“We are not parochial,” he said, adding that the informal slogan of the campaign for overseas funds to restore the church is: “I build a church, I touch the sky” (Htízo náo, angízo ouranó).
“A church is not built only with money,” Bishop Irineos said. “It is built with prayer. And that is what we ask of you first; your blessings.”
Mayor Giannakis praised the Australian Greek community for safeguarding Hellenism far from its birthplace.
“You keep our Greek identity, history, values, customs and traditions,” he said. “Florina is a place where modern life meets romantic calm; rich in nature, culture, gastronomy and people.”
He described the restoration of Agia Paraskevi as both a civic and national responsibility.
“A church is not just a monument,” he said. “It holds our joys and our sorrows. When the church closed, Florina felt it deeply.”
Speaking to The Greek Herald, the Mayor said he had been overwhelmed by the warmth of his Australian reception.
“As a former teacher, I value relationships,” he said. “We need this connection with the diaspora, in Melbourne, Adelaide, everywhere, to strengthen our shared future.”
Surrounded by his wife Athina’s family in Australia, the Mayor said he felt at home. A reunion dinner took place the night before at Donovan’s in St Kilda.
The community responds
During the evening, gifts were exchanged between the Florina delegation and the Dandenong community. Among them was a Macedonian freedom fighter (makedonomahos), presented by Mayor Giannakis to Steven Karamoschos, President of the St Panteleimon Church Greek Orthodox Community of Dandenong, underscoring Florina’s historic struggles and enduring Hellenic identity.
The parish response was immediate. Congregants arrived bearing trays of food, a familiar and powerful expression of Greek communal life.
“We only found out about the visit two weeks ago and have been working non-stop,” Karamoschos told The Greek Herald, pointing that next week the Bishop of Madagascar will be visiting. “This is what community is, what we always do: everyone brings a plate, everyone helps.”
Manningham Mayor Jim Grivas also attended, highlighting the importance of cooperation between Greek-background civic leaders and the “potential for greater synergy”.
Macedonian Program radio host John Papadimitriou, who helped coordinate the fundraising, said the initiative followed discussions after Florina’s liberation anniversary.
“Anything done with love for God and country has results,” he said.
At the time of reporting, fundraising across Melbourne events had reached approximately $20,000, with further events planned in Thomastown and Adelaide. On the night in Dandenong, $5,720 was raised, later rounded up to $6,000 by the Greek community.
Poet Fotini Troupi pledged $500 after reciting a poem dedicated to Florina, and another $500 after Bishop Irineos spontaneously joined in song, drawing warm applause and bringing the total to $7,000.
As the Melbourne faithful dispersed into the warm evening, one truth remained unmistakable: distance has not weakened the bond between Florina and its people, it has strengthened it.
Donations for the church restoration are being accepted by Piraeus Bank IBAN: GR16 0171 2430 0062 4313 6832 265 to the account of the Holy Church of Saint Paraskevi of Florina.
