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US President-elect Joe Biden thanks Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew for congratulatory letter

Andriana Simos
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US President-elect Joe Biden thanks Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew for congratulatory letter

US President-elect, Joe Biden, has sent an official letter of thanks to Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, the Patriarchate’s press officer said on Saturday.

In his letter, Mr Biden thanked the Patriarch for a letter he sent in November congratulating him on his election victory.

Mr Biden said he and Vice President-elect, Kamala Harris, “look forward to a future dialogue” with the Ecumenical Patriarch, adding in a postscript: “We need your leadership.”

The President-elect and Patriarch share a long history of goodwill and friendship, dating back to Biden’s eight-year tenure as Vice President during the Obama administration.

A turning point in their friendship was Biden’s visit to Istanbul as Vice President in 2011. While there, Biden immersed himself in the world of Orthodoxy, touring the most important sites with then-Archbishop of America Demetrios.

Aged care mogul, Peter Arvanitis, leaves for Greece despite facing legal action

The Greek Herald
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Aged care mogul, Peter Arvanitis, leaves for Greece despite facing legal action

The Greek Australian co-owner of Epping Gardens aged care home, which is at the centre of a major class action over the deaths of 38 residents from COVID-19, has left Australia for Greece, according to The Sunday Age.

Multimillionaire Peter Arvanitis and his wife, Areti, reportedly received a travel exemption from the Australian Department of Home Affairs to attend to “essential business” in Athens, and left Melbourne about two weeks before Christmas.

Mr Arvanitis was unable to tell The Sunday Age when he would return to Australia.

“[I am] unsure of my return date, depending on business progress here and of course requirements of international travellers returning home. The plan is to be home sooner rather than later,” Mr Arvanitis told The Sunday Age.

Multimillionaire Peter Arvanitis and his wife, Areti, reportedly left Melbourne about two weeks before Christmas. Picture: Facebook.

Mr Arvanitis’s decision to leave for Greece has angered many victims of the aged care home, where 103 residents tested positive to COVID-19 and 86 staff also became infected, amid mounting evidence of poor care at the facility.

READ MORE: Report reveals new findings into COVID response in Victoria’s aged care homes.

Sam Agnello, who is lead plaintiff in a class action involving Heritage Care, told The Sunday Age he had never received any offer of condolences or an apology from the owners of the company or its management team.

Mr Agnello’s mother, Carmela, 92, contracted COVID-19 at Epping Gardens in July and died within three days of being admitted to hospital.

“[Mr Arvanitis] has never taken any responsibility or shown any compassion. We want him to come back to Melbourne and face up to the families who have been destroyed by this,” Mr Agnello told the Australian news outlet.

READ MORE: Son who lost 92-year-old mother becomes first to take legal action against Epping Gardens aged-care facility.

The deadly outbreak at Epping Gardens remains under investigation by WorkSafe and the State Coroner, who is being assisted by police detectives. 

Mr Arvanitis resigned as a director of Heritage Care in September, when media attention on his vast wealth and opulent lifestyle became a “distraction to the good work of the staff.”

READ MORE: Heritage Care director Peter Arvanitis resigns.

Aged care mogul lists his Toorak mansion:

At the same time as Mr Arvanitis has left for Greece, his mansion on Irving Road has also been listed for sale privately. The property could be sold for up to $40 million.

The property featured in the March edition of Vogue Living, which gushed about the “gluttonous trappings of wealth within a classical framework.”

READ MORE: Nursing home CEO expects ‘Golden Age’ to be over for Epping Gardens co-owners.

The interior of the Toorak mansion. Picture: Vogue Australia.

Mr Arvanitis told The Sunday Age that although he is not actively looking to sell, “everything has a price and only for a significant premiuim.”

“If I was to sell, I have several properties in Toorak and interstate I could move into. My history in real estate demonstrates this as I have sold over 60 properties in the last five years,” Mr Arvanitis said.

Mr Arvanitis, who joined Heritage Care in January 2019, was the founder and one-time director of listed for-profit nursing home giant Estia. He sold his shareholding in 2016 for $55 million and quit the company after it hit trouble.

In 2018, he also sold a shopping centre and a thoroughbred horse breeding farm, netting another $21 million.

Source: The Sunday Age.

UK’s mutated COVID-19 strain detected in Greece as the lockdown is extended

Andriana Simos
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UK’s mutated COVID-19 strain detected in Greece as the lockdown is extended

Four cases of the fast-spreading COVID-19 variant, first identified in the UK, have been diagnosed in Greece, according to reports by Greek news networks SKAI and ANT1.

Since its discovery in the UK in November, the coronavirus mutation has been diagnosed in dozens of countries across the globe.

In Cyprus, a total of 12 cases of the mutation were found, after the country conducted further tests on samples taken from people who had travelled from the UK and tested positive for COVID-19.

The variant is causing concern around the world because it spreads faster than novel coronavirus, although it’s not necessarily more deadly.

Lockdown extended in Greece:

This news comes as the Greek government announced on Saturday a one-week closure of all retail shops which were allowed to open during the holidays, as well as the closure of all places of worship.

Government spokesman, Stelios Petsas, said the decision was taken by Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, and the government to avert a spike in the viral load so schools of all levels can reopen on January 11.

A man with an umbrella walks in the rain on Pnyx hill in front the ancient Acropolis hill, with the ruins of the fifth century BC Parthenon temple, in Athens, on Monday, November 30, 2020. Photo: AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris.

At the same time, Petsas said that the nightly curfew will return to 9 pm to 5 am for one week. People working night shifts are exempt from the curfew, but need to be able to show a pass from their employers if stopped during a police check.

These measures apply as of Sunday, January 3, starting at 6 am, until 6 am on Monday, January 11.

Retailers and churches will be allowed to reopen along with schools on January 11, with the same health and social distancing rules that applied before the holidays, Petsas added.

New restrictions for religious services in NSW, weddings and funerals limited to 100 people

The Greek Herald
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New restrictions for religious services in NSW, weddings and funerals limited to 100 people

NSW Health has issued a new set of restrictions for the Greater Sydney region, including a limit on weddings and funerals.

Places of worship and religious services will be limited to 1 person per 4sqm up to a maximum of 100 people per separate area. Weddings and funerals will similarly be limited to 1 person per 4sqm, with a maximum of 100 people.

See below for the full list of restriction changes:

  • Gym classes reduced to 30 people.
  • Places of worship and religious services limited to 1 person per 4sqm up to a maximum of 100 people per separate area.
  • Weddings and funerals limited to 1 person per 4sqm up to a maximum of 100 people.
  • Outdoor performances and protests reduced to 500 people.
  • Controlled, outdoor gatherings (seated, ticketed, enclosed) reduced to 2,000 people.
  • Night clubs not permitted.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian also announced the introduction of mandatory masks from midnight Saturday, yet enforcement won’t begin until midnight Monday with a $200 on-the-spot fine for non-compliance.

Masks will be compulsory in shopping settings including retail, supermarkets and shopping centres, on public and shared transport, during indoor entertainment including cinemas and theatres, places of worship, hair and beauty premises.

Face masks will also be mandatory for all staff in hospitality venues and casinos.

“If you go to shopping centres, are catching public transport, attending an entertainment venue like the cinema, you have to wear a mask,” Berejiklian told reporters on Saturday.

“We want people in NSW to be able to go about their business as much as possible but we need to reduce the risks in certain settings where we know there are challenges.”

The move comes as the state records a further seven locally acquired cases of COVID-19.

Greek Australian guitarist Orianthi releases new album ‘O’

The Greek Herald
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Greek Australian guitarist Orianthi releases new album ‘O’

Greek Australian guitarist Orianthi released her new album, “O,” on November 6, 2020, and has struck a chord with young audiences. The album was Orianthi’s first new studio album in seven years and her first new music as a solo artist in six years.

“The album ‘O’ is a very inspired album. … Kept things pretty raw and didn’t overthink it. Marti (Frederiksen, producer, mixer, songwriter) and I wanted to create a unique sound and vibe with every track and we experimented a lot with synths and different guitar tones,” Orianthi said.

“Lyrically, a lot of this record comes from life experience and other people’s stories. It’s going to be so fun to play these songs live!”

The platinum-selling recording artist’s first major solo success was with the Geffen Records release of “According To You,” which is now RIAA-certified Platinum and has over 17 million streams on Spotify.

Orianthi was also previously named by Elle magazine as one of the 12 Greatest Female Electric Guitarists.

Orianthi’s father, a former Greek guitarist, had a major influence in her music career. Her father and grandmother taught Orianthi the importance of being family-oriented and attending family functions, and just sitting down and eating dinner together.

Traditional Greek Recipes: Melomakarona Cheesecake

The Greek Herald
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Traditional Greek Recipes: Melomakarona Cheesecake

It’s not uncommon for Greeks to make one too many melomakarona for guests, and in a year where visiting family is restricted, many Greek families will be looking at leftover plates of this delicious Greek treat.

But why let it go to waste? Instead, Mia Kouppa has created a new dessert for people to fall in love with: Melomakarona cheesecake.

The dessert is a must-eat for sweet treat addicts, combining the moist texture of melomakarona with the savoury goodness of cheese.

Note: You will need about 8 – 10 melomakarona to make this cheesecake. The exact number will depend on the size of each cookie.

Melomakarona Cheesecake Recipe

Serves: 12

Time: 1hr 30mins + 4 hours to chill

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups (375 ml) crumbled melomakarona
  • 1/4 cup (60 ml) melted butter
  • 3 packages of cream cheese (24 ounces or 678 grams)
  • 3 large eggs
  • 3/4 cup (180 ml) granulated white sugar
  • 1/4 cup (60 ml) honey
  • 2 melomakarona cookies, broken into bite size pieces
  • 1/4 cup (60 ml) melomakarona crumbs
  • 3 – 4 tablespoons (45 – 60 ml) walnuts
  • honey for drizzling

Directions

  • Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Cut 2 large pieces of aluminum foil, larger than the bottom of the spring form pan you will be using to bake your cheesecake.  Wrap your pan tightly so that the seam between your pan bottom and the pan ring is completely and securely covered with foil.  This is because your cake will be baked in a water bath and you need to prevent water from seeping in to the cake.
  • Prepare your melomakarona crumb by placing approximately 6 – 7 honey dipped melomakarona in a food processor or blender, until you end up with a fine crumb.  Mix together with the melted butter until well combined.  Place the crumb into a 9 inch spring form pan and pat it down with your hand in order to make a compact crust.  It does not need to come up the side of the pan at all; just be sure that the bottom is completely covered, with no holes, and no areas which are thinner than others.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer add the cream cheese.  Mix well until softened.  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Add the sugar and honey and continue to beat until well combined and fluffy.  You might find that you have round balls or pieces of cream cheese that have not been perfectly beaten into the mix.  Don’t worry about this.  The cream cheese will melt during baking and everything will be uniform and lovely.  Pour the cream cheese mixture into the pan.  Smooth the top so that it is evenly distributed over the crust.
  • Place your spring form pan in a larger pan.  Place the pans in the middle rack of your preheated oven.  Pull the rack out and fill the larger pan with about 1 – 1 1/2  inches of water.  Baking your cheesecake this way will ensure that it does not crack, and the filling will be rich and creamy.
  • Bake for 60 minutes.
  • Remove from oven.  Carefully remove the aluminum foil that was protecting your cake.  Be careful, there may be hot water in there.  Allow your cheesecake to cool in the spring form pan and then place it in the refrigerator, covered loosely, for at least 3 hours or overnight.
  • Decorate your cheesecake with the melomakarona crumb, melomakarona pieces, walnuts and honey.  Prior to serving, remove the ring of the spring form pan.

Sourced By: Mia Kouppa

‘For we are one and free’: Australian anthem changes to recognise Indigenous history

The Greek Herald
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‘For we are one and free’: Australian anthem changes to recognise Indigenous history

One word changed, thousand of years of history recognised.

Advance Australia Fair will change from January 1, 2021, and Australians will no longer be referred to as “young” in the national anthem.

Instead, Aussies will be “one”.

The change will see a minor tweak to the second line of the anthem.

“For we are young and free” will now be “for we are one and free”.

Change to Advance Australia Fair

Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Thursday announced that the lyric change had been long sought and finally signed off by Governor-General David Hurley.

“While Australia as a modern nation may be relatively young, our country’s story is ancient, as are the stories of the many First Nations peoples whose stewardship we rightly acknowledge and respect,” Prime Minister Scott Morrison said.

“In the spirit of unity, it is only right that we ensure our national anthem reflects this truth and shared appreciation.”

Morrison said the change also reflects the “the united effort that has always enabled us to prevail as a nation”, demonstrated particularly in 2020.

Advance Australian Fair, composed by Peter Dodds McCormick and first performed in 1878, was adopted as the national anthem after a plebiscite in 1977.

It’s not the first time the lyrics have changed.

The original version began, “Australia’s sons let us rejoice”, rather than the current, “Australians all let us rejoice”.

It also paid tribute to “gallant” Captain James Cook and his “British courage”.

Full lyrics of Advance Australia Fair

VERSE ONE

Australians all let us rejoice,

For we are one and free;

We’ve golden soil and wealth for toil;

Our home is girt by sea;

Our land abounds in nature’s gifts

Of beauty rich and rare;

In history’s page, let every stage

Advance Australia Fair.

In joyful strains then let us sing,

Advance Australia Fair.

VERSE TWO

Beneath our radiant Southern Cross

We’ll toil with hearts and hands;

To make this Commonwealth of ours

Renowned of all the lands;

For those who’ve come across the seas

We’ve boundless plains to share;

With courage let us all combine

To Advance Australia Fair.

In joyful strains then let us sing,

Advance Australia Fair.

Con Ouzounidis looking for right path to enter Olyroos squad

The Greek Herald
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Con Ouzounidis looking for right path to enter Olyroos squad

One of many youngsters determined to join Graham Arnold’s Olyroos Olympics squad, Con Ouzounidis is currently fighting in Everton’s U-23’s to make a good impression.

Yet, the youngster may look to break off and explore other footballing options, understanding that first-team football is crucial to be noticed by the experienced coach.

Speaking to SBS World Game, Con denounced UK claims that he will be leaving England, saying the claims are premature “and doesn’t know where they’ve come from”.

“I’m playing week-in week-out right now but I’ll sit down with my family and agent soon to see what’s the best thing to do when the window opens,” Ouzounidis told The World Game.

Con Ouzounidis. Photo: Optus Sport

“Whether or not that’s to go and get experience of first-team football (on loan), whether it’s to move on (permanently) or whether it’s to stay at Everton, I don’t know.

“These are things I’ll talk to the club about and take it from there really.

“I’d love to break into that Olympic Games squad and if I’m playing first-team football it gives me a better chance of achieving that.

“It definitely factors into my thinking.”

Growing up in Sydney’s inner-west, Con has been backed previously by Australian great Tim Cahill. Whilst eligible for Greece, through his parents, Con hopes to follow in his mentors footsteps and play for Australia.

Sourced By: SBS World Game

Remembering Shadow theatre genius Evgenios Spatharis

The Greek Herald
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Remembering Shadow theatre genius Evgenios Spatharis

Evgenios Spatharis was the leading representative of Shadow Theatre in Greece. He was a genuine folk artist, who kept the tradition of Karagiozis alive and attempted to teach it to younger pupils.

Evgenios was born on January 2, 1924 in Kifissia, Attica and was the son and successor of the great karaoke player Sotiris Spatharis (1892-1974).

His career began in 1942 and since then he toured and gave performances in theatres and cinemas in Greece. In 1962 he recorded every classic performance of Karagiozis in ‘Columbia’, which were all released on records. In 1966 he was one of the first collaborators of the Experimental Television Station of EIR (ERT), which lasted until 1992.

His action in the field of theatre is considered remarkable, directing or staging with great success the performances of ‘Alexander the Great’, with the Greek Dance Drama (1950) and Sofia Vembo (1954). Spatharis also had critical involvement in ‘The Journey’ by George Themelis (1965), ‘Karagiozis Dictator’ by George Giannakopoulos (1969), and ‘Our big circus’ by Iakovos Kampanellis (1972).

In 2001, in collaboration with musicians Ludovico of Anogia and Psarantoni, presenting in Greece and abroad ‘Erotokritos’ by Vicenza Kornaros. In the same year, the Art Theatre staged the play ‘Wealth’ by Aristophanes, starring Evgenios Spatharis. According to him, his presence in the theatre of Epidaurus was the most important stage of his life. 

In addition to his huge accomplishments in the field of shadow theatre, Evgenios Spatharis was a distinguished painter, with more than 50 solo and group exhibitions in Greece and abroad. In his artwork he strongly preserved the main features of folk painting, connecting them with unprecedented realism and great colour vibrancy.

Photo: Ellines.com

Evgenios Spatharis was honoured with commemorative awards, both in Greece and abroad, for his important and long-standing contribution to the shadow theatre. In 1980, at the Ithaca Festival, he received awards for best director, set design and costume design for the play ‘O Tilalis; by Michalis Bourboulis.

In February 2007, the Ministry of Culture honoured him for his valuable contribution to art and Greek folk tradition, awarding him a commemorative plaque and organising an event dedicated to his sixty-year career.

Evgenios Spatharis died on May 9, 2009, at the age of 85. 

Sourced By: San Simera

Chairman of the AAFC, Nick Galatas, discusses what’s planned for 2021

The Greek Herald
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Chairman of the AAFC, Nick Galatas, discusses what’s planned for 2021

The Chairman of the Australian Association of Football Clubs (AAFC), Nick Galatas, has spoken exclusively to The Greek Herald about the association’s plans for 2021.

Mr Galatas lists these four initiatives:

  1. Member Federations across Australia relating first to the pausing of football with COVID in March and then efforts to resume across Australia with different results based on government attitude and COVID in each state;
  2. Consulting Football Federation Australia (now Football Australia) on the XI Principles draft before the final document;
  3. Working on the national NPL review initiated by FA before it was suspended by COVID;
  4. Working on the National Second Division, including: (a) Convening over 60 interested NPL Clubs nationally; (b) Establishing a Partner Group of more than 30 NPL Clubs nationally to develop and represent the AAFC position on the NSD to be introduced by FA; (c) Developing the position through detailed meetings of subcommittees of these clubs, appointing a Consultant MI Consultants to assist with the preparation of our report; and (d) Finalising a preliminary report to be released in January before our final report to follow in March/April.

Mr Galatas says that now the “unbundling” of the A League from FA is complete, “we expect FA to move to implement a National Second Division to start as soon as possible.”

“It is a measure contained in the FA XI Principles. We will work with FA to introduce the best possible NSD as soon as possible,” Mr Galatas tells The Greek Herald.

“It has been a very busy and intense year involving a lot of work by our volunteer board and conducted remotely in very challenging circumstances and without the pleasure of watching our teams play, mixing with our friends, sharing great food and a drink at the fantastic grounds of our passionate clubs.”

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