The Hon Dr Geoff Lee MP sent an Easter message to members of the Greek Orthodox community in Australia, ahead of the Greek Easter this weekend.
The acting Minister for Multiculturalism wished every Greek Orthodox Christian a “blessed and safe Orthodox Easter”. The MP recognised this weekend as an important time of year for Orthodox Christians, celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Referencing the difficulty of celebrating this Holy date during a time of crisis, he asked Orthodox Christians to “draw strength from the teachings of Jesus”.
“Easter is traditionally spent with family, friends and loved ones but this year will be different because of COVID-19,” the minister says in his message.
“I want to thank you for staying home and keeping our loved ones safe, especially our parents and grandparents.
“Our actions this Easter will save lives and they will help us be able to celebrate together again next year.”
Read the full message in English and Greek below:
Orthodox Easter 2020
I would like to wish everyone a blessed and safe Orthodox Easter. This is an important time of the year for many Orthodox Christians who celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Easter is traditionally spent with family, friends and loved ones but this year will be different because of COVID-19. Being physically apart and changing our Easter traditions will be difficult but in the spirit of Easter, Orthodox Christians are able to draw strength from the teachings of Jesus who offered hope and healing and who embodies the joy found in sacrificial generosity.
I want to thank you for staying home and keeping our loved ones safe, especially our parents and grandparents.
Our actions this Easter will save lives and they will help us be able to celebrate together again next year.
I wish you and your loved ones a safe and blessed Orthodox Easter.
Dr Geoff Lee MP
Ορθόδοξο Πάσχα 2020
Θα ήθελα να ευχηθώ σε όλους ένα ευλογημένο και ασφαλές Ορθόδοξο Πάσχα. Αυτή είναι μια
σημαντική εποχή του χρόνου για πολλούς Ορθόδοξους Χριστιανούς που γιορτάζουν την Ανάσταση
του Ιησού Χριστού.
Παραδοσιακά, το Πάσχα το περνάμε με την οικογένεια, φίλους και αγαπημένα πρόσωπα αλλά φέτος
θα είναι διαφορετικό λόγω του ιού COVID-19. Η αλλαγή των παραδόσεων του Πάσχα καθώς και ο
προσωπικός διαχωρισμός θα είναι πολύ δύσκολα αλλά μέσα από το πνεύμα του Πάσχα, οι
Ορθόδοξοι Χριστιανοί είναι σε θέση να αντλήσουν δύναμη από τα διδάγματα του Ιησού ο οποίος
προσέφερε ελπίδα και επούλωση που ενσωματώνουν τη χαρά που βρίσκεται στην τόσο γενναιόδωρη
θυσία του.
Θα ήθελα να σας ευχαριστήσω που έχετε παραμείνει στα σπίτια σας και διαφυλάσσετε ασφαλή τα
αγαπημένα σας πρόσωπα, ειδικότερα τους γονείς και παππούδες μας.
Οι πράξεις μας, αυτό το Πάσχα θα σώσουν ζωές και θα μας βοηθήσουν να μπορέσουμε να
γιορτάσουμε πάλι μαζί το Πάσχα τον επόμενο χρόνο.
Εύχομαι σε εσάς και στα αγαπημένα σας πρόσωπα ένα ασφαλές και ευλογημένο Ορθόδοξο Πάσχα.
The Greek government have extended extended the closure of all places of worship in Greece through April 28, according to a decision released on Thursday.
While the measures concern all faiths, the initial opening date was set to occur one day after Greek Orthodox Easter, on April 20. The ministries of Religion and Health extended the closure to prevent the rapid spread of the coronavirus among congregations of all religions.
It is understood that the extension was made to cover important dates of other religions, particularly Ramadan, which typically draws in crowds of hundreds. The extension will also prevent the public gathering of important Greek Orthodox services, including the feast day of Saint George on April 23.
The extent of the Greek peoples’ application of social distancing this Easter weekend is set to determine if the lockdown measures will be extended beyond April 28.
Once approved, a plan for the gradual lifting of the lockdown in Greece is to be announced on April 27, government spokesman Stelios Petsas said on Thursday.
As Easter celebrations come to a close after the celebration of Easter Sunday, Greek authorities will begin the gradual transfer of 2,380 asylum seekers and their families from island camps to accommodation facilities on the mainland, the country’s Migration Ministry said Thursday.
The refugees will be moved into centres, apartments or hotels over the course of the next two weeks, starting from April 19. The transfer was made to reduce the risk of refugees being infected by the coronavirus, the ministry says.
Among the 2,380 are 200 people aged over 60, while 1,730 are asylum seekers of all ages with facing chronic illnesses, who will be transferred with their families.
Photo: Ekathimerini
Medical NGOs and human rights groups have persistently appealed to the Greek government for the evacuation of the overcrowded migrant camps.
The Red Cross last month gave aid to multiple volunteer groups that were driven out of the camps from risk of coronavirus exposure. The withdrawal of volunteer groups resulted in disastrous consequences for the migrant camps, leading to a further breakdown of utilities.
Greece have recorded a total of 2,192 coronavirus cases as of April 16, with 102 confirmed deaths. Greece has previously been praised on their handling of the coronavirus, having drastically less cases than their European neighbours.
On Good Friday, the Greek Orthodox Church commemorates the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ on the Cross. It marks the culmination of the observance of His Passion by which our Lord suffered and died for our sins.
The church service itself begins with the Matins service on Thursday evening. The twelve Gospel readings are chanted, beginning with Christ’s discourse at the Last Supper and ending with the account of His burial. After the reading of the fifth Gospel, the priest proceeds to carry the cross around the Church while he chants the Fifteenth Antiphon. The faithful then approach and reverently kiss the cross which has been placed at the front of the church.
The Good Friday service begins the night before with the Crucifixion on Christ. Source: Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America.
On Friday morning, the services of the Royal Hours are observed. These services are primarily readings of prayers, hymns, and passages from the Old Testament, Epistles, and Gospels. Women and young girls gather after the services to decorate the Epitaphio (the tomb of Christ) with flowers.
The Vespers of Friday afternoon are a continuation of the Royal Hours. During this service, the Body of Christ is removed from the cross and wrapped in a white sheet, as hymns and excerpts from the Old Testament are read. The priest then carries the cloth on which the Body of Christ is painted or embroidered around the church before placing it inside the Epitaphio.
The Procession of the Epitaphio:
On the night of Good Friday, a unique service known as ‘The Lamentations of the Tomb’ is celebrated. Chanting of the Lamentations is interspersed with the Trisagion, as the Epitaphio is carried around the outside of the church with the faithful following behind.
The epitaphio is followed by thousands of worshippers as it is carried around the church. Source: Regional media.
Some churches observe the practice of holding the Epitaphio at the door, above waist level, so the faithful can bow down under it as they come back into the church.
At the end of the night, it is considered a special gift to get some flowers from the Epitaphio and keep them at home around an icon. The flowers are blessed and the faithful and his or her family will be blessed the whole year.
As recent graduates, Chloe Dimopoulos and her boyfriend, Ben Munro, booked a one-way ticket to India with the hope of travelling around the world. However, their plan was turned upside down as the coronavirus outbreak left them stranded in a country they didn’t know much about.
At one stage, Chloe was overcome with a fever, body aches and chills. Fearing the worst, she visited a doctor who recommended she go to hospital. The rest is history. As India was implementing the world’s biggest lockdown, Chloe and her boyfriend were being moved from one hospital to another, unable to escape. While her test results ended up being negative for the virus, it was still too late leave. Her only hope of returning to Australia was the small group of volunteers who were desperately organising private chartered flights.
Was she able to get on one? Today, she tells me how she overcame one of the scariest experiences of her life.
Why were you in India and how long were you there for?
As my boyfriend and I had recently graduated, we booked a one-way ticket to India and planned on doing a big around-the-world trip. We arrived in Delhi before the tourist ban was issued on March 12 and ended up in a hospital on March 16. We were confined to either a hospital or hotel for the rest of the trip – until our repatriation flight out of Delhi on April 12.
Chloe Dimopoulos and her boyfriend were excited for the trip of a lifetime. Source: Chloe Dimopoulos.
What happened to you in India? You mentioned you became sick.
We were staying in Jaipur but one night, around 11pm, I woke up with a fever, body aches and chills. Ben was adamant that I should see a doctor. At the time, there was a noticeable prejudice towards foreigners. People were yelling ‘Corona’ at us on the street. We felt an instant paranoia due to the fact that the virus was all anyone could talk about, so we thought that by getting a test we were doing the right thing. What followed was a string of unfortunate events.
Initially checking into a private hospital, they didn’t have the proper facilities to accommodate COVID-19 suspects, so they transferred us to a public facility. I’ve never seen anything like it. There were people everywhere with minimal hospital beds and staff, and patients were huddled over on the floor. No one took my temperature or asked how I was feeling. I was shunned and forced into a cold, tiny room where I would wait for three hours. Some flimsy paperwork was finally handed to me and we were advised to go to the Infectious Disease Hospital.
Chloe was moved from hospital to hospital. Source: Chloe Dimopoulos.
When we arrived at about 2am, I saw the most confronting scene I’ve ever experienced. The doctor was unnecessarily hostile, blaming me for spreading the disease (which I did not have). Everything was covered in filth. Of the rickety beds that did possess sheets, they were stain-ridden with blood and faeces. The drop toilet was infested with mosquitoes and a chemical stench permeated the entire building. After 2 days without being fed, we got our tests results back and found out we had both tested negative to COVID-19. We falsely assumed they would discharge us and things would return back to normal.
Alas, the doctors were now incoherently making out that we were being transferred to another hospital to quarantine for 14 days. It was nonsensical and no one could explain the protocol. By this stage, my fever had been eradicated as well. I was healthy, outraged, shoved into the back of an ambulance and forced to spend the next couple of weeks locked up in a derelict building with poor hygiene.
The condition of the hospital beds. Source: Chloe Dimopoulos.
When the country went into lockdown, how did you feel? Did you attempt to get out before the borders closed?
We were in this new hospital for about 4 days before the lockdown happened. We alerted the staff that this could be the only time for us to flee the country and return home safely. It became extremely difficult for us to contact higher authorities, being shown no sympathy whatsoever. It was extremely frustrating hearing about those final flights to Australia whilst we were confined to deal with the tedium of Indian bureaucracy.
Were you in contact with the Federal Government in Australia at all? What did they say?
We had made contact with the Australian High Commission several times only to be met with passive messages that urged us to remain calm and be patient: ‘There was nothing that could be done.’ I did not feel supported or provided with any solace. Only when Ben and I featured in some media towards the end of our quarantine (which totalled 19 days) did we get some attention. The High Commission made it possible for us to be correctly discharged and make our way to Delhi.
When the government announced last week that they would be repatriating Australians from around the world, did that include Australians like yourself in India? Or were you still stuck?
The repatriation flight we boarded was not government facilitated. It was government endorsed but ultimately, it was organised by a generous community toiling night and day to create alternative options for citizens desperately seeking to return home. We were astonished that the government took minimal initiative to rescue people in India. Being stuck there as a foreigner is incredibly risky. There was an array of people involved in organising the chartered flight. A big thank you to Simon Quin, Brendon Hempel, and Dr. Virk.
Chloe and Ben were excited when the Australian High Commission made it possible for them to be discharged. Source: Chloe Dimopoulos.
How did you manage to get onto a chartered flight?
The ‘Australians stuck in India’ Facebook and Whats App groups were created to enable discussion and camaraderie. We were able to utilise spreadsheets and surveys in order to track popular locations and numbers for a repatriation flight. Delhi to Melbourne is the only route I think they’re currently flying, but hopefully they open up more options for people in other locations, as it is extremely difficult to travel interstate in India.
The flight ended up costing just upward of $2000. We flew a Lion Air plane which was being used to transport medical equipment. I was very lucky to be able to afford this flight home.
How did you feel when you found out you were getting a chance to leave India?
Elated. We were keeping track of the current affairs, monitoring the political and social climate. People are extremely scared and disgruntled in India. There is a real injustice due to the large-scale class disparity. Because of the abrupt lockdown implementations, people quickly began to starve, struggling to walk kilometres back to their villages. Families and individuals were entirely abandoned in this crusade against the virus. So as soon the option to leave arose, I took it. Who knows how long the lockdown would have continued for.
How was the flight? What was the experience at customs and when you landed in Melbourne?
It was pretty gruelling. It took us 5 hours to check in, the flight was 15 hours in total due to a fuel stop in Indonesia, and then another 5 hours to finally get through customs and reach our quarantine hotel. The flight was full and passengers were not being vigilant in regards to health – touching their faces, sharing snacks, it was bewildering to watch. When we arrived, transport and government staff were taking every necessary precaution, which severely slowed down the process but was necessary. I experienced an instant sense of relief as soon as we got to Tullamarine. It was the first time I’ve felt safe in a while.
The flight was long and tiring but Chloe was relieved to finally be home. Source: Chloe Dimopoulos.
How are you coping with quarantine at the moment?
We’re at the Mecure Welcome Hotel, looking at a grey wall. Everyone was complaining the first couple of days but the staff are doing their best to facilitate us. You’re allowed care packages and Woolies orders. It’s not ideal, but everybody has to play their part to aid society. I’m making the best of it.
It has been an intense month. I think the mind can tolerate a lot more than you give it credit for, people underestimate their ability to adapt and the innate resourcefulness of Australians. All of this is temporary and hopefully there are better days ahead.
With many Greek people unable to physically take part in Holy Week services this year, churches across Australia have jumped on the ‘virtual candle’ bandwagon.
St Spyridon Parish in Kingsford and Saint Nectarios Greek Orthodox Church in Burwood kicked off the ‘Let Us Light A Candle For You’ campaign this week by asking their parishioners to buy a candle online, which they would then light for them at church.
In a Facebook post, Father Scoutas from St Spyridon Parish said the initiative ensured “parishioners remain connected with the Church and find strength and peace through Her.”
“Lighting candles is an ancient tradition of the Church. In lighting a candle, we are reminded of the words of Christ who said: “I am the Light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness but will have the light of life”,” the website stated.
“An online candle can be a helpful way to pray for your own health and for the well-being of your family and friends.”
DEAR PARISHIONERS, REQUESTING THE LIGHTING OF CANDLES AND PRAYERS AT ST SPYRIDON CHURCH JUST BECAME EASIERIn these…
If your local parish is Saint Nectarios Greek Orthodox Church in Burwood, they are also giving the faithful a chance to choose which day of Holy Week they want their candle to be lit.
“Please visit our online store to purchase your candles. Choose the number of candles that you would like lit and the particular services you would like them to be lit at,” the Facebook announcement read.
“If you would like Father George to pray for your loved ones, living and/or departed, please provide details in the comments section of the checkout. He will be commemorating these names at the Proskomede (Divine Liturgy preparation) of the upcoming services.”
LET US LIGHT A CANDLE FOR YOU | Not being able to come to Church during this period has been a great challenge and this…
If this initiative is something you would like to take part in, you can visit the online store of St Spyridon Parish here or that of St Nectarios here.
Maria Angelidis and her son were forced to fight off two armed intruders in Melbourne’s southeast yesterday, after they smashed their way into their home.
Security footage obtained by 7 News shows two men, armed with knives and a screwdriver, breaking into the family’s Carrum home in the early hours of the morning.
Screams of “get out of my house” can be heard as the men attacked Mrs Angelidis’ son.
“I saw my son and two guys on top of him, punching him and yelling and screaming. It was just petrifying because they get you when you’re asleep,” Mrs Angelidis told 7 News.
Her 23-year-old son said he barely had time to react as the men started kicking him.
“They both grabbed onto me and threw me on the ground. Throwing punches and kicks,” he explained.
Seconds later the two men ran out of the house, knocking over a garden pot as they rushed to a waiting car.
Victoria Police are now investigating the incident.
Today’s selected Byzantine hymn for Holy Thursday is a bit more solemn as it commemorates two major events: the Last Supper of Christ with His disciples and the betrayal by Judas Iscariot.
Both events represent the ultimate revelation of God’s redeeming love for mankind, of love as the very essence of salvation. They also stress the importance of forgiveness.
You can listen to the hymn here:
The Last Supper & The Betrayal:
The events initiated by Jesus at the Last Supper were profoundly significant. By establishing the Eucharist, He gave a radical new meaning to the food and drink of the sacred meal. He identified himself with the bread and wine: “Take, eat. This is my Body. Drink of it all of you, for this is my Blood of the New Covenant” (Matthew 26:26-28).
By washing His disciples’ feet, Jesus wanted to teach them that they must be humble in order to serve their fellow man with love. While the disciples were enlightened at the washing of their feet before the Supper, the betrayer Judas was darkened by the sickness of avarice.
That night, Judas betrayed Jesus with a kiss, the sign of friendship and love. Jesus knew he would be betrayed but he was to forgive Judas, because the forgiveness of sinners is a major part of the Christian faith.
#KeepItGreek
Η Μεγάλη Πέμπτη σύμφωνα με τον Χριστιανισμό είναι η ιερή μέρα κατά την οποία εορτάζεται ο Μυστικός Δείπνος του Ιησού Χριστού με τους 12 Αποστόλους. Η ημέρα αυτή είναι η τέταρτη ημέρα της Μεγάλης Εβδομάδας, η οποία καταλήγει στη γιορτή του Πάσχα. Μένουμε σπίτι αυτές τις ημέρες του Θείου Πάθους και μέσω του «Ελληνικού Κήρυκα» συμμετέχουμε στη μυσταγωγία των ημερών, ακούγοντας καθημερινά τους ύμνους της Μεγάλης Εβδομάδας.
Greece raised 2 billion euros ($3.5 billion) on Wednesday with a 7-year bond auction, a result the government hailed as confirmation of market confidence during difficult times created by the coronavirus pandemic.
Greek Finance Minister, Christos Staikouras, said the issue carried a 2 percent yield and described the outcome as satisfying given that a similar issue in July 2019, “in a much better economic environment,” carried the same yield.
“Greece has accessed the markets today, through adverse social and economic conditions created globally by the pandemic, and succeeded,” the Finance Minister said.
“The confidence markets have in the government’s policy is confirmed. Greece has proven that it can be successful even in adversity.”
Greek Finance Minister, Christos Staikouras, said the decision to access the markets was ‘successful.’ Source: AFP.
Greece decided to tap into markets to take advantage of improved borrowing rates driven by massive European stimulus packages to address the impact of the coronavirus.
The government said the bond issue, Greece’s second of the year, was also aimed at continuing to normalise the country’s access to bond markets following eight years of international bailouts that ended in 2018.
The country issued a 15-year bond in late January. The yield on Greece’s 10-year benchmark bond dipped to historic lows of below 1 percent in February, but soared to 4 percent weeks later amid global market panic surrounding the pandemic.
Staikouras has previously said he expects the economy to contract by 5-10 percent this year due to the effects of the pandemic, before rebounding in 2021.
EU Commissioner for Home Affairs, Ylva Johansson, announced on Tuesday that some 1,000 vulnerable refugees previously settled in overcrowded Greek camps are being temporarily moved to hotels due to dangers posed by the coronavirus.
Ms Johansson said the measure, in combination with the Greek government, Greek locals and the UN Migration Agency, was putting “EU values in practice, even in such trying times.”
The migrants are to be moved from camps on Lesbos and other islands, to be housed in vacant hotels.
Thanks to combined efforts of @EU_Commission@UNmigration@Refugees & @govgr and with generosity of Greek locals, approx 1000 migrants on Lesbos & other Greek islands who are vulnerable to #Covid19 being moved to vacant hotels. #EU values in practice, even in such trying times.
Amid the epidemic, politicians and nongovernmental organisations have repeatedly called for the camps to be cleared completely, given the overcrowding and poor hygiene conditions.
According to the latest UNHCR data, there are currently around 39,100 migrants, refugees and asylum seekers living on the Greek islands. They are spread across camps that have places for little more than 6,000 people.
