His Grace Bishop Kyriakos of Melbourne from the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia (GOAA) recently shared a fraternal lunch with The Most Reverend Archbishop Peter A. Comensoli, Catholic Archbishop of Melbourne.
In attendance was also the Very Reverend Dr Cameron Forbes, Rector of Corpus Christi Seminary — a leading institution for the formation of Catholic clergy in Victoria and Tasmania.
The meeting provided an opportunity for dialogue on issues of shared concern, including theological education, pastoral formation, Orthodox-Catholic marriages, and the broader challenges faced by Christian communities in an increasingly secular society.
Bishop Kyriakos conveyed the warm regards of His Eminence Archbishop Makarios of Australia, particularly in light of the recent election of the new Pope of Rome.
As a symbol of goodwill, Bishop Kyriakos presented Dr Forbes with an icon of Our Lady of Yellow Rock, which will remain at Corpus Christi Seminary for public veneration.
His Grace Bishop Kyriakos of Melbourne welcomed the news, stating: “This is a historic moment… It is a testimony to the growing recognition of the Orthodox Church’s spiritual, theological, and pastoral contribution to the Christian witness in Australia.”
Fr. Panagiotis will serve a two-year term, during which he will also represent Victoria at the national level through the Australian Council of Churches, ensuring a continued Orthodox voice in national ecumenical dialogue.
In further positive developments, the Very Reverend Father Dimitrios Catrinei was elected as an Executive Member of the Council.
The Australian Hellenic Council (AHC) has formally expressed concern to the Egyptian Ambassador in Canberra over the recent controversy surrounding the status of Saint Catherine’s Monastery on Mount Sinai, while also welcoming the Egyptian government’s subsequent reassurance that the monastery’s sacred and legal status remains protected.
In a letter sent to the Ambassador today, the AHC conveyed its “deep disappointment and concern regarding the recent decision by the Egyptian government to seize the historic Monastery of Saint Catherine on Mount Sinai and appropriate its assets.”
“Saint Catherine’s Monastery, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, has stood as a beacon of Christian spirituality, scholarship, and interfaith respect for over 1700 years,” the letter read.
“Its uninterrupted operation and the protection of its privileges throughout centuries have long been a testament to Egypt’s commitment to religious tolerance and cultural preservation.”
The historic Saint Catherine’s Monastery on Mount Sinai.
The AHC also highlighted the site’s significance for the Greek community in Australia and globally, stating that the monastery is held in “profound esteem, not only for its religious significance but also for its role in fostering dialogue and understanding between the Christian and Muslim worlds.”
While the AHC noted that historically, relations between the Greek and Egyptian peoples have been ones “of mutual respect, cultural exchange, and enduring friendship,” it warned that the recent developments “risk casting a shadow over this cherished relationship.”
The Council urged the Egyptian government to “reconsider this course and to restore the monastery’s historic autonomy and assets,” and called for the issue to be resolved “in a spirit of dialogue, justice, and mutual respect.”
Since the time of the AHC’s letter, the Egyptian government has issued a series of clarifications through both the Presidency and Foreign Ministry, firmly denying claims of expropriation or threat to the monastery.
In a statement, the Presidency of the Republic reaffirmed “its full commitment to preserving the unique and sacred religious status of St. Catherine’s Monastery” and emphasised that the recent court ruling consolidates this status. The Egyptian Foreign Ministry further clarified that reports of seizure were “completely unfounded,” and that the court decision respected the monastery’s religious and archaeological importance.
The AHC has since welcomed Egypt’s official response, stating that such clarification is a positive and constructive step toward maintaining the historical and spiritual significance of Saint Catherine’s Monastery.
Angelina Lati, the Sydney teenager whose brave journey with childhood dementia captured hearts across Australia, has sadly passed away at the age of 21.
Angelina passed away on Thursday, May 29 at 10am, after living with Lafora disease — a rare and cruel form of childhood dementia — for nearly seven years.
“Her beautiful smile. Her beautiful soul. You will be missed my love,” her family wrote in a heartfelt statement on social media. “Our hearts are broken.”
Angelina’s mother, Niki Markou, had long shared her daughter’s story in a bid to raise awareness of childhood dementia and to campaign for access to clinical trials that could slow its relentless progression.
In an interview with The Greek Herald in 2021, Ms Markou recalled the first signs something was wrong when Angelina was 14 — from dropping glasses to suffering a seizure at home. She was initially misdiagnosed, but eventually received the devastating diagnosis of Lafora disease, a condition that progressively robs children of their speech, mobility and memory.
“It’s like she’s fading away,” Ms Markou said at the time. “She’s not going to get married, she’s not going to have kids, she’s not going to grow old… You start thinking of all those future things that are going to be taken away from you.”
Despite the challenges, the family continued to fight for treatment options.
“It is with deep sadness that we share the passing of beautiful Ange — a bright, brave, and inspiring young soul who touched the hearts of everyone at the Jenny Souris Foundation,” the organisation wrote in a statement.
“Ange’s strength and spirit, along with the unwavering love of her mum, Niki, reminded us all of what it truly means to fight with courage and to live with grace… Her legacy will continue to guide us as we help other families facing the unimaginable. Rest peacefully, Ange. You will never be forgotten.”
Angelina’s story brought national attention to childhood dementia, a group of over 70 genetic conditions affecting thousands of young Australians. With no known cure for most forms, families often face long and isolating journeys — something Angelina’s legacy may one day help change.
A South Australian woman has been jailed for over six years after a violent, drug-fuelled assault on a man during a terrifying hostage ordeal in Kilkenny.
Angela Antartis, 26, pleaded guilty to false imprisonment and multiple assaults committed alongside her partner, Zoran Aligrudic, 44, in January 2023.
According to the Gold Coast Bulletin, the pair restrained and tortured the male victim — who had previously pleaded guilty to indecently assaulting a woman — over several hours in what Judge Rauf Soulio described as an act of “vigilante justice.”
“You taped his wrists together with duct tape… and taped him to the back of the chair,” Judge Soulio told Antartis during sentencing at the District Court on Thursday, May 29.
The court heard Antartis cut the man’s toes and forearm, exposing muscle tissue, while scratching the word “pedo” onto his back. Alongside Aligrudic, she also struck him with garden tools and took turns burning him with a flame from a deodorant can.
A South Australian woman has been jailed for over six years after a violent, drug-fuelled assault on a man during a terrifying hostage ordeal in Kilkenny.
The ordeal ended with the man being forced to run naked from the property, underwear tied around his eyes, before receiving treatment in hospital for lacerations, bruises, and burns.
In his victim impact statement, the man described the attack as the “worst events of his 25 years of life”, saying it left him traumatised and suffering from anxiety and nightmares.
Aligrudic, who will be sentenced separately, also pleaded guilty to drug trafficking and firearm possession.
The court was told that Antartis’ methamphetamine addiction and traumatic childhood contributed to her offending.
Judge Soulio condemned the pair’s actions and said vigilante justice is dangerous and undermines the proper structures of dealing with offending in society.
Antartis, of Woodville North, was sentenced to six years and two months in prison, with a non-parole period of three years. Her sentence was backdated to 29 January 2024.
Ivanisevic brings with him an impressive coaching record, having guided Marin Cilic to his 2014 US Open victory and served as Novak Djokovic’s head coach from 2019 to 2024. During his tenure with Djokovic, the Serbian claimed 10 Grand Slam titles, with noticeable improvements to his serve — an area where Ivanisevic is widely regarded as an expert.
“Working with Goran is an exciting opportunity for me,” Tsitsipas said in a joint press release.
“He is someone who has reached the highest levels of tennis, both as a player and as a coach. I am confident that his experience will help me grow further and I am really looking forward to that.”
Goran Ivanisevic used to coach Novak Djokovic. Photo by Shi Tang/Getty Images.
Ivanisevic echoed the optimism: “Stefanos is a very talented tennis player with a strong work ethic. He has shown that he belongs among the best, and I’m happy to be part of the next steps of his journey. My goal is to enable him to thrive, building on the strong foundation he has already laid.”
Despite the encouraging words, Tsitsipas faces a challenging moment in his career. He has failed to reach the third round in his last four Grand Slam appearances, with his only final this year coming at the ATP 500 event in Dubai, where he defeated Felix Auger-Aliassime.
Adding to the challenge is the timing of Ivanisevic’s arrival, which coincides with Tsitsipas’ least successful part of the tennis calendar—the grass-court season. Although he won the ATP 250 title in Mallorca in 2022, he has never progressed beyond the fourth round at Wimbledon in seven attempts.
A controversial Egyptian court ruling has sparked fears over the future of the historic Saint Catherine’s Monastery on Mount Sinai, prompting sharp concern from Greece and calls for immediate diplomatic action.
The appellate court’s decision, delivered on Thursday, May 29, reportedly threatens to revoke the monastery’s religious status, transfer its properties to the Egyptian state, and expel the 20 Orthodox monks residing there.
The ruling appears to contradict recent personal assurances by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi to Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis during their May meeting in Athens.
Archbishop Ieronymos II of Athens strongly condemned the court’s decision, calling it a “violent infringement of human rights” and a violation of religious freedoms.
“The world’s oldest Orthodox Christian monument, the Monastery of Mount Sinai, is entering a period of great trial—one that evokes memories of darker times in history…” he said.
“I unequivocally condemn any attempt to alter the longstanding status that has prevailed in this region for fifteen centuries. I call upon the responsible Greek government—and personally upon Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis—to take immediate and appropriate action to restore lawful order and ensure that the Holy Monastery is not effectively abolished.”
Archbishop Ieronymos II of Athens strongly condemned the court’s decision.
Greek Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis promptly contacted his Egyptian counterpart to affirm Greece’s position and insist there should be “no room for deviation” from the bilateral agreement on the monastery’s protected status.
The monastery, known officially as the Sacred Autonomous Royal Monastery of Saint Catherine of the Holy and God-Trodden Mount Sinai, was founded in the 6th century by order of Emperor Justinian I. It is the world’s oldest continually inhabited Christian monastery and a major spiritual and cultural landmark for the Orthodox world.
Concerns have been raised that Egypt may seek to convert the site into a museum or develop it for tourism, which the monastery’s monks say would infringe on their rights. Egyptian archaeological authorities, however, argue the decision aligns with antiquities law and claim it benefits the monastery—claims the monks reject.
In response to the uproar, Egypt’s presidency issued a statement reaffirming its commitment to safeguarding the monastery’s sacred status.
“The Presidency of the Republic would like to affirm its full commitment to preserving the unique and sacred religious status of St. Catherine’s Monastery,” the statement read, stressing that the court ruling supports, rather than undermines, this status.
Egypt’s Foreign Ministry also dismissed reports of confiscation as “completely unfounded,” clarifying that while some distant lands without ownership documentation have been deemed state property, the monastery’s religious and archaeological rights remain intact.
Greek government spokesperson Pavlos Marinakis stated that Greece would issue an official response once the full content of the ruling is reviewed. Meanwhile, the situation continues to be closely monitored amid growing concerns about its potential impact on Greek-Egyptian relations.
Greece’s Deputy Foreign Minister for the Diaspora, Ioannis Michail Loverdos, has responded to a strongly worded open letter from prominent members of Queensland’s Greek Australian community calling for greater support to the state’s Honorary Consulate, particularly regarding its exclusion from the Greek Citizens’ Registry.
The authors express deep frustration at what they describe as a “second-class” status for the Queensland Honorary Consulate and its inability to access essential platforms used for registering births, marriages and deaths — a service considered vital for the large and geographically dispersed Greek population of the state.
“Why are Honorary Consulates, such as the Consulate General of Greece in Queensland, completely excluded from this vital platform?” the letter questions.
Queensland’s Honorary Consul, they argue, is unable to assist the community with basic civil matters due to exclusion from the Greek Citizens’ Registry (Μητρώο Πολιτών), a digital platform launched in January 2022 that streamlines civil registrations by consular authorities abroad. The system is only accessible to full, salaried consular officials, not honorary appointees.
“The current backlog of registrations we have been informed is enormous,” the letter states. “And yet the Consulate is powerless to assist, forced to redirect citizens elsewhere or explain that their hands are tied due to outdated bureaucracy and an unfair system of exclusion.”
Highlighting the scale and activity of Queensland’s Greek community — estimated at 30,000 to 40,000 people — the letter emphasises the Honorary Consul General’s unpaid role in supporting Hellenic culture, hosting national day celebrations, and serving the diaspora with limited resources.
“He funds his own office out of deep patriotism and love for the homeland… and still, he is treated as a second-class representative in the eyes of the Ministry,” it adds. “This is a plea for reform. A plea for reason. A plea for respect.”
The Greek Herald understands that according to Greek Law 4781/2021, honorary heads may retain up to 60% of total consular fee revenues to help cover expenses — a provision omitted from the open letter.
The Queensland Honorary Consulate’s offices at 239 George Street, Brisbane.
Loverdos responds: Legal limits and ongoing reforms
In a formal response to the letter and related enquiries by The Greek Herald, Deputy Foreign Minister Mr Loverdos reaffirmed the government’s commitment to serving the Greek diaspora and improving consular services.
“One of the main objectives of the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs, especially in the area of responsibility entrusted to me — the Hellenic Diaspora — is the best possible service to Greeks abroad and our compatriots in relation to their needs for communication and the resolution of matters with the Greek State through our respective consular authorities,” he wrote.
Addressing the core complaint — that honorary consuls are excluded from the Citizens’ Registry — Loverdos clarified that this is not a matter of discrimination but of legal and digital security constraints.
“Access to it [the Citizens’ Registry] has been granted only to salaried consular authorities,” he said, explaining that the system requires login via secure credentials held exclusively by Greek public servants who are bound by oath and subject to systemic monitoring.
“Individuals employed in honorary consulates who do not meet these criteria are, by definition, excluded.”
He noted that this restriction is essential to safeguarding the accuracy and legality of civil records, which form the basis for citizenship determination.
Greece’s Deputy Foreign Minister for Greeks Abroad, Ιοannis Michail Loverdos.
Acknowledgement of concerns and future considerations
Despite the firm legal position, Loverdos acknowledged that the issues raised by Queensland’s diaspora are legitimate and appreciated.
“The questions and ideas you conveyed from our compatriots in Queensland are especially useful and will be taken into account as we systematically examine how to better manage the side effects created by otherwise positive technological and procedural progress,” he said.
He added that the Greek Ministry is actively pursuing solutions through expanded digitisation, improved staffing of consular authorities, and collaboration with other state bodies.
“With the help of this ongoing digitisation, efforts to bolster our consular authorities with more personnel wherever possible — and potentially with the use of other appropriate means — we aim to continuously improve the services offered to Greeks abroad,” Loverdos wrote.
He also reiterated that the Ministry is committed to approaching the specific needs of each diaspora community with sensitivity, especially those in more remote areas or far from major consular posts.
“Respecting confidentiality, digital security, and legality, we are working toward addressing the particular needs of each diaspora community by region — particularly those most distant from metropolitan centres and existing consular authorities,” he concluded.
Ongoing advocacy
For their part, the signatories of the open letter maintain that their requests are not about entitlements, but fairness and functionality.
“The diaspora is not asking for favours. We are asking for fairness, for practical support, and for the tools that allow our community leaders — especially those who work voluntarily — to do their jobs effectively,” they wrote.
“If Athens is serious about strengthening ties with the diaspora, then it must stop tying the hands of those most committed to serving it.”
The anniversary of the Armenian and Greek Genocides was solemnly commemorated at the ACT Legislative Assembly in Canberra on Tuesday, 27 May 2025, with powerful calls for truth, justice and formal recognition by the ACT Government.
Organised by the Armenian National Committee of Australia – Canberra Branch and the Canberra Association of Pontos ‘Trapezounta,’ the evening brought together politicians, diplomats, academics, and community leaders to honour the memory of the 2.5 million Armenians, Assyrians, and Greeks killed by the Ottoman Empire between 1915 and 1923.
In attendance were several Members of the ACT Legislative Assembly, including Peter Cain MLA, Caitlyn Tough MLA, Chiaka Barry, and Fiona Carrick, alongside dignitaries such as His Excellency Antonis Sammoutis (High Commissioner of the Republic of Cyprus to Australia), Her Excellency Dianela Pi (Ambassador of Uruguay), and The Right Reverend Dr Mark Short (Anglican Diocese of Canberra and Goulburn).
Representatives from ANU, UNSW, SEKA (Justice for Cyprus), and the Executive Council of Australian Jewry also participated, reflecting the event’s broad interfaith and intercultural support.
Professor Bruce Scates, historian, author, and documentary filmmaker from the Australian National University, delivered the keynote address. Drawing on decades of work communicating history to broad audiences, Professor Scates reflected on the enduring legacy of genocide and the power of remembrance.
The event also featured the recorded testimony of Armenian Genocide survivor Verjin Cholakian, offering a rare and deeply moving personal perspective on the atrocities.
A highlight of the evening was the Advocacy Address by Sebastian Majarian, Political Affairs Director of the Armenian National Committee of Australia, who issued a clear call to the ACT Government to follow the lead of other states and formally recognise the Genocides.
“Tonight, I stand before you not only to reflect on the progress we’ve made, but to mark a new chapter — one that brings education, advocacy, and memory together,” Majarian said.
“Together, we are not just remembering genocide. We are confronting it. Naming it. Teaching it. And demanding that our nation does the same.”
Majarian highlighted recent progress in Victoria, where bipartisan support for recognition is growing, and called out national leaders for their failure to explicitly use the term “genocide” in recent statements.
“What is clear is that our nation’s leaders cannot summon the courage to speak one word: genocide,” he said. “Their silence is not neutral — it is betrayal.”
He also announced the launch of the Joint Justice Initiative’s inaugural Reverend James Creswell Essay Competition, in partnership with the Australian Institute of Holocaust and Genocide Studies. The competition will encourage Year 9 and 10 students to reflect on justice, memory, and history, offering $1,500 in prizes to promote youth engagement with genocide education.
Angie Triandafillou, President of the Canberra Association of Pontos, delivered the vote of thanks and honoured the diverse coalition committed to recognition and remembrance.
“As we gather today, we are reminded that this work is far from over,” she said. “While New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania have formally recognised the Armenian, Assyrian, and Greek Genocides, we continue our efforts to see the Australian Capital Territory do the same. Recognition matters. It is not only a matter of historical accuracy—it is a moral imperative.”
Angie Triandafillou.Father Petros Kipouros.
The evening concluded with a closing prayer from Father Petros Kipouros of the St Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church in Canberra.
With momentum for recognition continuing to build, especially within the ACT’s political and academic circles, organisers and community members remain hopeful that Canberra will soon join other Australian states in formally acknowledging the Armenian, Assyrian, and Greek Genocides.
Come New Year, resolutions run awry. Some we keep, others take a back seat. For Leah Plakias, 2024 saw her tackle one of her biggest to date.
Although her hands took the brunt of it, her patience, determination, and passion were what led her to the shiny light at the end of the tunnel. This tunnel, though, was 14 months long, with a uniquely designed and handmade traditional Greek costume waiting at the end.
But before I continue, I want the superstitious (and those who are just a little) among us to sleep well knowing that Leah’s Yiayia made sure there was no measuring, designing, sewing, or anything of the kind on January 1st. Because you know what they say: “If you start something on the 1st, you’ll be doing it for the rest of the year.”
Taking part in traditional Greek dancing from the age of five, Leah’s passion for traditional dress started early. Since then, she has had the privilege of draping herself in traditional dresses from all across Greece.
In 2023, at a Pontian event, Leah met Maria. Somewhere between Maria sharing her own dressmaking story – divulging on the journey she went through and the trials it presented – the seed was planted. While it took a little bit for that seed to bear fruit, when it did, it was in abundance.
“When I came up with the idea in 2023 that I wanted to create my own costume, I wasn’t 100% sold on it. But when New Year’s hit, I thought to myself, “No, I am going to commit”,” she said.
I’m sure anyone who has undertaken such a project would agree that mindset is everything. These little moments in between, whether a peak or valley, bring weight to the sentiment that most of the time, it’s about the journey, not the destination.
“The headspace matters. Late last year, when work was so chaotic, whenever I got home, anything I did felt like a chore. So I made sure that when I spent time on the dress, my heart was in it, and I wanted to do it,” she said.
With podcasts a button push away, YouTube tutorials a click, and ‘How To’ audiobooks at our disposal, it’s easy to forget the wealth of knowledge that lives inside the four walls we spent most of our time in growing up – the one where we started to outgrow the sink, and our school photos from 2009 are stuck to the fridge with Greek island magnets.
“My pappou was a tailor in Greece and moved out to Australia in the 1960s. From a young age, I remember watching my pappou make suits and dresses while I helped sweep the scrap threads and fabrics off the floor with my little pink broom. Sewing ran in the family. Unfortunately, I lost the opportunity to learn sewing techniques from him,” Leah explained.
Sadly, Leah’s pappou passed away in 2019. And although making the dress without his guiding hands carried a sense of melancholy, she held the earlier memories near and dear.
For Leah’s Yiayia, this project was a chance to relive moments from her past – back to when she used to watch her late husband make garments in their living room, relishing every element of the craft he called home. For Leah, it also meant having on-call help whenever the sewing machine decided to turn against her (she only used the sewing machine for 5% of the project, might I add).
“I would go to my Yiayia’s house to sew, putting on Epirotiki music while she sat and watched me – just like she used to when my pappou would sew,” she said.
Much like a puzzle, every part of the costume had a place and purpose, requiring meticulous planning right down to the last thread. From the pirpiri and chemise, brocade dress, and the smaller elements – like the embroidered hat, shoes, and jewellery – Leah is the definition of ‘If you’re going to do something, do it well.’
When all was said, sewed, and done, and it was time for Leah to try on her hand-crafted masterpiece, tears were shed, and relief overcame her. In those 14 months, life didn’t stop, and the world kept spinning.
Leah still had familial responsibilities, work commitments, social engagements, and community involvement. Yet, she never called it quits or decided it was time to put a pin in it. So the feeling was truly all she could have hoped for – and more.
While diamonds are built under pressure, don’t forget that good things can also take time. You just have to decide whether it’s time well spent. For Leah, the answer’s a no-brainer.
