A Greek court has sentenced 40-year-old Athanassios Kourelis to life in prison, plus five years and a €1,000 fine, for the premeditated murder of his former partner 28-year-old Kyriaki Griva outside a police station in Agioi Anargyroi on April 1, 2024.
Griva had gone to the station to report Kourelis for abuse when he fatally stabbed her. The case sparked public outrage amid criticism of police inaction.
A mixed jury unanimously found Kourelis guilty of murder committed in a calm state of mind, illegal weapon possession and use, and drug possession. His claims of mental illness were rejected.
Photo: InTimeNews.
Griva’s family wept in court, with her father shouting at the accused, “Do you see, Thanassakis, what you did? You turned her into a photo.” Kourelis remained expressionless.
Prosecutors argued the attack was calculated and controlling, highlighting Kourelis’ use of a smartwatch to monitor Griva’s movements.
“The violence was extreme – he stabbed her five times, breaking bone,” the prosecutor said. “That’s not the act of someone out of control.”
The court found no evidence of psychiatric disorder and concluded the murder was deliberate and methodical.
Protesters on Crete demonstrated against the war in Gaza on Tuesday, July 29, targeting the arrival of the Israeli cruise ship Crown Iris at the port of Agios Nikolaos, the third such protest on a Greek island in a week.
Demonstrators unfurled a large Palestinian flag and chanted “Free, free Palestine” as passengers disembarked and boarded tour buses.
Riot police kept the protesters back, and scuffles broke out, with local media reporting the use of pepper spray. Four people were detained.
Photo: Antonis Zouridakis / Eurokinissi via AP.
The previous day, similar scenes occurred in Rhodes, where the Crown Iris again docked amid anti-war protests. While passengers disembarked for tours, no violence was reported.
The ship’s 1,700 passengers remained on board, and it departed earlier than scheduled. The cruise operator, Israel’s Mano Cruise, said it diverted the ship “in light of the situation in the city of Syros.”
The Syros protest prompted a call from Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar to Greek Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis.
Revered not only for his genius compositions like Axion Esti and Zorba the Greek, Theodorakis was also a man of the people, whose music and political beliefs deeply impacted generations around the world.
To honour his centenary, The Greek Herald spoke with three Greek Australians who met him: renowned Australian conductor George Ellis, Chair of the Greek Festival of Sydney Nia Karteris, and President of the Greek Orthodox Community of NSW (GOCNSW) Harry Danalis.
Each shared personal, powerful memories of their encounters with the great composer.
George Ellis: ‘It was like meeting Mozart’
Mikis Theodorakis with George Ellis.
For George Ellis, meeting Theodorakis in December 2016 was the culmination of a lifelong musical admiration. Thanks to the Greek Festival of Sydney and singer Dimitris Basis, Ellis travelled to Athens to meet the maestro at his home, a modest apartment overlooking the Acropolis.
“I rang the doorbell right on 6pm… the lift door opened, and as soon as it did, there was the great man sitting there, just looking over and smiling. I remember having trouble breathing for a second… I was so starstruck,” Ellis recalls.
“It was like meeting Mozart or Beethoven or Leonard Bernstein, in terms of a composer and conductor. He was Greece’s greatest.”
Initially scheduled for just 30 minutes, their conversation extended for over three hours. Theodorakis watched Ellis’ YouTube performance of Axion Esti and gave a live critique.
“He would say things like, ‘This is a good tempo,’ or, ‘Oh, I take it a little bit slower than you, but that’s okay.’ It was surreal,” Ellis says.
George Ellis’ autographed Greek Festival of Sydney poster.
The encounter didn’t end there. Theodorakis pulled out the score for Canto General, which Ellis was scheduled to conduct the following year.
“He gave me advice on the hardest parts and even gave me his blessing by putting his hand on the top of my head,” Ellis says.
“It was the most beautiful conversation… To this day, it has informed the way that I conduct, especially his music. I wouldn’t have traded it for the world.”
Mikis Theodorakis ‘blessed’ George Ellis to continue conducting his music.
Nia Karteris: ‘He made us feel like equals’
Chair of the Greek Festival of Sydney, Nia Karteris, met Theodorakis three times – in 2006, 2016, and 2018 – often alongside delegations from the GOCNSW including Harry Danalis (President), the late Michael Tsilimos and Stanley Koulouris. Each visit left an indelible impression.
“Walking in and seeing this huge, strong, tall person in front of you… it was just a feeling of awe. But he made us feel so comfortable, like we were equals. Like we all had a purpose in society,” she recalls.
Nia Karteris meets Mikis Theodorakis.
Their first meeting was meant to last 30 minutes but stretched to three hours. “He spoke about his life during the junta, being a communist, his time in exile, his imprisonment, his music, and his politics – he never shied away from that.”
What struck Karteris most was how much Theodorakis cared about Greece’s diaspora. “He wanted to know how Greek was being taught here, how young people connected with Greek music, and he was genuinely interested in our challenges.”
Mikis Theodorakis watching an old performance of his music by the Greek Festival of Sydney. Pictured with him is the late Michael Tsilimos.
After hearing about the Festival’s productions of Axion Esti and To Treno Fevgi stis Okto, he was visibly moved. “He said, ‘Be proud of what you are doing. Continue it.’ He even asked for copies of the music and gave us feedback. He didn’t use his status to intimidate – he listened.”
And he remembered her. “At the third visit, he addressed me as ‘Nia’. I say it now, and I’m moved. That was the pinnacle for me.”
Harry Danalis: ‘One of the highlights of my life’
Harry Danalis, President of the GOCNSW, met Theodorakis twice – once briefly after a concert in Australia in the early 1970s, and again in 2006, during a delegation visit to his Athens residence.
While the Australian encounter was short, the 2006 meeting went over time.
“He was not in the best of health at the time, but he ranged over the whole course of his life. It was an intimate, profound conversation,” Danalis shares.
“He spoke about his time in prison during the dictatorship, his political activism, and his music. He gave us insight into the motivations behind his work, and what he truly cared about. It wasn’t just a meet-and-greet – it was one of the highlights of my life.”
Danalis, a lifelong admirer of Theodorakis’ music, describes the meeting as “a dream come true.”
“He was a legend in his own lifetime. His music, in my opinion, will endure forever,” he says.
Legacy beyond borders
For all three, the legacy of Theodorakis extends beyond his music. It lies in his humility, his deep belief in justice and culture, and his rare ability to make every person feel seen.
Karteris puts it simply: “He could have said, ‘I don’t have the time.’ But instead, he welcomed us, made coffee, and gave us his blessing. That’s the kind of man he was.”
On this centenary, the memory of Theodorakis lives on not only in concert halls and national anthems, but also in quiet living rooms in Athens, on Sydney stages, and in the hearts of those fortunate enough to meet him.
In July 2025, the Holy and Sacred Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate formally added the name of Saint Dimitrios Gagastathis to the calendar of saints.
The canonisation of this revered married priest and confessor, whose holiness was long attested by popular piety, represents a continuation of the Ecumenical Patriarchate’s venerable commitment to discerning and proclaiming the presence of sanctity within the life of the Church. It reflects a tradition of spiritual discernment anchored in patristic wisdom, ascetic vigilance, and pastoral sensitivity.
Notably, Saint Dimitrios Gagastathis was the father of nine daughters, a detail which underscores the significance of his sanctification as a step toward affirming the sanctity that can emerge through the lay and familial life.
Saint Dimitrios Gagastathis.
And yet, a broader pattern in the canonisations of the past decade invites theological and ecclesiological reflection. While the Orthodox Church possesses a deeply rooted understanding of the sanctity accessible to all the baptised, the official recognition of saints has recently centred predominantly upon those who are monastics or ordained clergy. This emphasis, while coherent within the context of Orthodox spirituality and tradition, risks underrepresenting the sanctifying potential inherent in the lay state.
By contrast, the Russian Orthodox Church has, over the past century, canonised not only hierarchs and new martyrs but also laypersons whose lives bore the unmistakable imprint of divine grace.
One moving example is the canonisation of the companions of the last Imperial Family of Russia, including not only the Tsar and his family but also their faithful attendants: Dr Eugene Botkin, the royal physician; Ivan Kharitonov, the cook; Anna Demidova, the maid; and Alexei Trupp, the footman. These were not monastics, nor were they ordained. They were ordinary Christians who, in the final hour, bore witness with courage and loyalty, sanctifying their deaths through solidarity and fidelity.
Similarly, the Roman Catholic Church, while doctrinally distinct, has elevated the sanctity of lay life to a visible theological principle. It has canonised individuals such as Saint Gianna Beretta Molla, a physician and mother who sacrificed her life for her unborn child; Saint José Sánchez del Río, a fourteen-year-old martyr of the Cristero War; Saint Isidore the Farmer, whose piety and simplicity became a model of rural sanctity; and Louis and Zélie Martin, the parents of Saint Thérèse of Lisieux, whose married life was a profound testimony of holiness. These figures exemplify how sanctity may unfold not in monastic seclusion but amidst the routines and burdens of modern life.
It must be emphasised that Orthodox theology is unequivocal in its affirmation of the sanctity of the lay state. From the earliest centuries, the Church has recognised soldiers like Saint George, physicians like Saint Panteleimon, and rulers like Saint Constantine as vessels of holiness. The theology of theosis, so central to the Orthodox understanding of salvation, envisions all the faithful as participants in divine grace.
Saint Panteleimon.
As Saint Gregory Palamas taught, the divine energies are not the exclusive inheritance of the ascetic few, but are offered to all who struggle toward likeness with God, however unassuming their vocation.
Sainthood, in this light, must be understood not merely as exceptional heroism, but as the fruit of cooperation with divine grace within the concrete and often hidden circumstances of everyday life. The late Father John Meyendorff, building on the patristic legacy, spoke of sainthood as the manifestation of the transfigured person within the ecclesial body. This vision affirms that holiness can arise in any context, urban or rural, professional or domestic, visible or obscured. The sanctification of the layperson is not a peripheral anomaly; it is intrinsic to the catholicity and incarnational logic of the Church.
The sociological implications of this theological truth are profound. As Father John Chryssavgis has incisively asked, should we not question why so few women or laypersons are advanced for canonisation, and why the aura of sanctity is so often confined to the male, monastic, and clerical domains? He challenges us to expand our ‘radar for sanctity,’ asking why we privilege solitaries over spouses, monastics over seculars, miracle workers over those whose lives radiate empathy, decency, and practical solidarity with the suffering. He goes further, questioning whether our reverence for saints might sometimes obscure rather than aid our spiritual growth. Drawing on Dostoevsky’s Grand Inquisitor, Father Chryssavgis warns against a spiritual economy fixated on miracle, mystery, and authority, those same temptations Christ refused in the desert.
Might our yearning for saints endowed with supernatural powers reflect a deeper human fragility, a desire for emotional certainty and external validation? When we venerate miraculous charisma more eagerly than sacrificial compassion, we risk domesticating holiness into something predictable and palatable. Lay saints, those who embrace suffering with faith, who bear injustice without bitterness, who love without recognition, embody these moments. They are not exceptions but prophetic signs of the Church’s potential to speak to the deepest human longings.
Peter Berger, too, reminds us that for religion to remain existentially plausible, it must articulate the sacred within the structures of ordinary life. Berger’s vision of “plausibility structures” in religious belief reveals how saints of the everyday restore credibility to the sacred by inhabiting the world with reverent transparency. Their holiness is not imposed upon the world, but drawn from within it, revealing the presence of God in the mundane and the marginal.
Canonisation, therefore, is not merely a retrospective recognition of sanctity. It is a forward-looking proclamation of what kind of life is capable of bearing divine light. In recognising lay saints, the Church does not relativise the monastic vocation, but extends the monastic spirit into the hearth, the marketplace, the hospital ward, and the schoolroom. It bears witness to the radical unity of Christian life across all vocations. Spiritual vigilance, or nepsis, becomes not only a monastic discipline but a universal mode of attentiveness—possible amidst the cries of infants, the fatigue of labour, the noise of history.
The canonisation of Saint Dimitrios Gagastathis, in this sense, is emblematic of a sanctity that does not retreat from the world but transforms it from within. His life as a father of many daughters, a parish priest rooted in the soil of his people, a spiritual father open to all, reveals that the ascetical life can be lived in the very texture of the familial and the pastoral. Grace does not require isolation. It transfigures relationality, reconfigures fatigue as prayer, and renders every gesture capable of becoming Eucharist.
Saint Dimitrios Gagastathis was recognised as a saint earlier this year.
As Orthodox theologian Christos Yannaras has insightfully argued, the Church is not merely an institution but a mode of existence—a way of being that unfolds in love, freedom, and truth. In this ontology, the saint is not defined by role or status, but by participation. The sanctity of the layperson is not an exception. It is the sign of a Church alive in every limb, responsive to every whisper of the Spirit.
From a theological perspective, the renewed attention to lay sanctity would deepen the Orthodox vision of conciliarity and catholicity. It would reaffirm that holiness is diffused throughout the body of Christ, as Saint Paul wrote: “Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit” (1 Corinthians 12:4). The dogmatic teachings of the Church affirm this variety of grace; canonisation makes it visible.
The Ecumenical Patriarchate, as the primatial see of global Orthodoxy, carries the weight and dignity of a witness that shapes the entire Orthodox world. Its discernment of sanctity is therefore not only pastoral but ecclesiological. A broader embrace of lay sanctity would not dilute this witness. Rather, it would broaden its resonance, revealing that the Spirit blows where it wills, and often in unexpected quarters.
In a world disillusioned by clericalism and craving authenticity, the proclamation of lay saints would offer a theologically robust and spiritually compelling model of divine-human cooperation. It would testify to a Church that remains in the world without becoming of it, a Church that does not idealise the cloister but sanctifies the courtyard, the classroom, and the kitchen.
Perhaps the next saint to be recognised will be a mother who taught her children to pray through silence, or a neighbour who gave bread to the stranger, or a worker who resisted injustice with gentleness and perseverance. These lives, luminous and hidden, remain among the Church’s most precious gifts.
Among such examples is Saint Dimitrios Lekkas, a lay Orthodox Christian known for his unwavering humility, deep prayer life, and tireless service to those in need. His memory endures as a quiet yet profound inspiration, reminding us that sanctity does not always wear a cassock or dwell within monastic walls. Lives such as his are not only spiritually edifying but also theologically vital, offering the faithful tangible models of holiness lived amidst the ordinary rhythms of the world. The time has come to bring them to light, with reverence, theological precision, and ecclesial love.
The Pavlos Giannakopoulos Tournament is coming to Australia’s shores and the Greek Orthodox Community of NSW (GOCNSW) is playing an active role in highlighting the historic event that will pit some of Europe’s best basketball clubs (including Panathinaikos) against Australia’s.
The tournament, created by Panathinaikos Basketball Club, is being held outside of Greece for the first time ever on 21 and 22 September in Sydney and will see the Greens and KK Partizan battle it out against Sydney Kings and Adelaide 36ers.
The organisers of the event, including the Greek basketball giants and Australia’s National Basketball League, met with the Community, recognising its ability to reach the wider Hellenic public of Sydney.
Apart from the leadership of the Community meeting with Panathinaikos BC president Vasilis Parthenopoulos and NBL officials, the Community is undertaking a series of initiatives related to the tournament.
Among them includes a poster competition for Sydney’s students aged 7 to 14, with the youngsters encouraged to put their art skills to use and submit a decorative piece related to the tournament to the Community.
In addition, the Community will also combine with the Greek student associations of Sydney’s universities (USYD, UNSW, UTS, Macquarie) in a social media competition to be run through the student groups’ pages.
Both initiatives will run until 5 September with a select few from each to receive tickets to the matches.
“The GOCNSW is proud to be involved in this project, and we are hopeful that the community will respond in large numbers to support the initiative which runs well beyond the sporting boundaries and strengthens further our Hellenic attachments,” Secretary of the Community and Chair of the Greek Festival of Sydney, Nia Karteris, said.
The Community continues to work on ways to engage the wider public further with the tournament, which also represents a historic first-ever visit to Australia by Panathinaikos’ basketball team.
Pavlos Giannakopoulos Tournament Match Details:
Venue: Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney Olympic Park
Sunday, 21 September 2025
KK Partizan vs Sydney Kings – 4:30 PM
Panathinaikos B.C. vs Adelaide 36ers – 7:00 PM
Monday, 22 September 2025
KK Partizan vs Adelaide 36ers – 5:00 PM
Panathinaikos B.C. vs Sydney Kings – 7:30 PM
Tickets are now on-sale for each game day via Ticketek, with family ticket packages available for $123 in Melbourne including two adults and two kids, and $120.95 in Sydney. Club merchandise available to purchase via the NBL site.
VCE students from the Greek Community of Melbourne Schools, in collaboration with St John’s College, participated in a highly engaging educational excursion to the historic Bonegilla Migrant Reception and Training Centre on Sunday, July 28.
The visit was part of the Migration topic currently being studied by Year 11 and 12 students in the VCE Modern Greek subject.
Bonegilla, where thousands of Greek migrants first arrived in Australia, offered a powerful, immersive experience and a valuable reference for students preparing for their upcoming oral exams.
Beyond its academic relevance, the visit carried deep emotional and cultural significance. Students reflected on the struggles, journeys, and resilience of their ancestors, gaining a deeper appreciation of their identity as Greeks of the diaspora. It was a meaningful connection to their heritage.
The day also allowed students to bond with peers outside the classroom, strengthening friendships through shared laughter, singing, dancing, and heartfelt conversation. It was a memorable day, one they will carry with them for years to come.
This initiative is part of a broader collaboration between the Greek Community of Melbourne Schools and St John’s College, aimed at boosting student engagement and ensuring well-rounded preparation for VCE success.
“It was an unforgettable day, one that highlighted the power of historical memory, the beauty of collaboration, and the vibrant spirit of the Greek school,” Maria Bakalidou, Principal of the Greek Community of Melbourne Schools, said.
Last weekend the Basketball NSW Metro Junior League had reached its climax; in a season that had featured many ups and downs it all came down to one final game: the Grand Final.
For the St George U14 Boys Red team, this was a culmination of everything they had worked towards all season long.
The team was selected back in October 2024, and they hoped that this team of talented young men could go far and do great things.
Eight months later, after a long tough season they reached the championship game against cross-city rivals Sydney Comets at a packed out Bankstown Bruins Basketball Stadium.
The two squads had a strong connection with players and coaches being involved with both clubs in some capacity, and the Comets were willing training partners for the Saints for scrimmages early in the pre-season.
While the two clubs were rivals on the court, there was plenty of mutual respect between the two sides.
The Saints knew all too well that the Comets would produce a tough challenge, even though St George had come away with victories in their last two encounters all be it by slim margins.
St George had the tendency for slow starts throughout the season, however with dedicated support and boisterous crowd behind them, they came out firing with an 11-0 run to start the game.
Led by their top scorers Aethan Manuel, Alex Shen, Ben Savann and Leo Chen, the Saints put their foot on the gas in the first quarter, ending the first quarter up by sixteen points (25-9).
From there, the Saints did not look back.
With every great play, the crowd erupted, the bench went crazy and the players on the court fed off the incredible energy in the stadium and began to suffocate the Comets.
With each passing quarter, the Saints continued to extend their lead, and the players finally gave their coach a game he could sit back and enjoy.
Saints cruised to a 79-59 victory, with Grand Final MVP Ben Savann leading the way with 19 points.
St George Saints U14 Boys Red Champions 2025.
Liam Greene returned to form, chipping in with 15 points, team captain Aethan Manuel contributed with 14 points and Leo Chen was the Saints’ defensive anchor with 13 points.
All these contributions speak volumes as to how incredibly talented the Saints U14 Boys Red team has been this season, where at any given game, every player has the capability to step up and have themselves a good game.
Saints head coach Anson Wen was extremely proud of his team’s performance in the Grand Final and of their performances throughout the season.
“It has been an absolute honor coaching the team this season, and it couldn’t have happened without assistant coach Benji as my right-hand man and manager Sharon for organising everything outside of basketball,” he said.
“A major thanks to the parents as well, for bringing their sons to training, travelling far and wide and backing us all the way.”
Elsewhere, Sutherland Basketball Stadium was packed to capacity for a local derby for the U16 Boys Grand Final between St George Saints and Sutherland Sharks.
Everything the Saints had worked so hard for all year long was on the line and the game did not disappoint.
In a tense game from start to finish, the Saints rose to the challenge, coming away with a 71-51 victory on the back of a strong fourth quarter from the visitors, claiming the title of Champions for 2025.
All year the focus was on teamwork and defence, and in the end that is what got the Saints over the line on the seasons biggest stage.
The Saints saw a huge improvement from the start of the year, gaining confidence each and every week as they worked towards a common goal that at times seemed unlikely.
Special mention to Tifii Mhando who not only had an incredible overall season but also took home Grand Final MVP.
Saints head coach Mark Winney was incredibly grateful for the commitment of his players throughout the season.
“We are forever grateful to all the boys for their attitude and commitment this season, but also to the parents, supporters and the St George Basketball Association for their support throughout the year,” he said.
Western Australia’s Liberal Leader Basil Zempilas has publicly distanced himself from senior federal colleagues Andrew Hastie and Michaelia Cash, as well as the state party’s membership, by rejecting recent motions to abandon net zero emissions targets, Welcome to Country ceremonies and the display of Indigenous flags.
Just days after the WA Liberal state council passed non-binding resolutions in favour of scrapping all three, Mr Zempilas told The Australian on Monday that the WA Parliamentary Liberal Party would not support the changes, instead maintaining the current position.
“We are very comfortable with standing in front of the Aboriginal flag, we are very comfortable with the Welcome to Country, and we support the status quo on the net zero targets,” Zempilas said.
He emphasised that while grassroots members are entitled to voice their opinions, such motions do not dictate parliamentary policy.
Western Australia’s Liberal Leader Basil Zempilas has rejected recent motions to abandon net zero emissions targets, Welcome to Country ceremonies and the display of Indigenous flags.
He also pointed to the federal election result under Peter Dutton, which saw significant losses, as evidence that these cultural positions are electorally unhelpful.
The push to reverse net zero policy came from the Canning division, backed by federal MP Andrew Hastie. Senator Michaelia Cash supported motions that sought to restrict official flag displays to national and state flags only and to eliminate Welcome to Country ceremonies at government events.
Mr Zempilas, who departed the state council meeting before the vote citing prior commitments, reaffirmed his more moderate stance.
“It’s not a requirement that everybody agrees… I’m quite confident in the position that I represent,” he said.
The divide underscores an ongoing tension within the Liberal Party between its federal and state wings, and between grassroots activists and parliamentary leaders, particularly on climate and cultural issues.
Minor clashes occurred on the Greek island of Rhodes on Monday, July 28 as riot police confronted protesters rallying against the war in Gaza while an Israeli cruise ship was docked at the port, according to local media.
Television footage showed a small group of demonstrators near the harbour shouting “Freedom for Palestine,” before being pushed back by police, resulting in brief scuffles.
Despite the protest, passengers from the Israeli cruise ship Crown Iris – reportedly carrying over 600 tourists – disembarked without incident.
Riot police confronted protesters rallying against the war in Gaza while an Israeli cruise ship was docked at the port. Photo: InTime News.
The protest had been organised by anti-war activists in response to the ship’s scheduled stop in Rhodes, though local business owners had voiced opposition to the demonstration.
This followed a similar event last week on the island of Syros, where more than 150 protesters gathered at the port, waving Palestinian flags and calling for an end to the Gaza conflict. On that occasion, the Crown Iris departed early without allowing passengers to disembark. No violence was reported.
In the aftermath of the Syros incident, Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Saar contacted his Greek counterpart George Gerapetritis.
Andreas Grigoriou, Director General of the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment and Head of Administration of the Presidency of the Republic of Cyprus, paid a formal visit to the headquarters of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia (GOAA) in Sydney on Monday, July 28.
During his visit, Mr Grigoriou was warmly welcomed by His Eminence Archbishop Makarios of Australia.
The meeting was held in a cordial and constructive atmosphere and was also attended by the High Commissioner of the Republic of Cyprus in Australia, Antonis Sammoutis, Deputy High Commissioner of the Republic of Cyprus in Australia, Nicholas Varelas, and Father Christophoros Krikellis.
An exchange of gifts.
Discussions centred on issues of mutual interest, including the role of the GOAA in supporting the Cypriot diaspora across the country and its broader mission within the Orthodox faith.
The ongoing Cyprus issue was also discussed, with Archbishop Makarios reaffirming his unwavering support for a just and viable solution that ensures the reunification of the island and peaceful coexistence of all its inhabitants.
Mr Grigoriou expressed his appreciation to the Archbishop for his continuous pastoral care for the Cypriot community in Australia and for his enduring advocacy on behalf of the Cypriot people.
As a gesture of gratitude, he presented His Eminence with two commemorative gifts – one from President Christodoulides and another from Archbishop Georgios of New Justiniana and All Cyprus.
Archbishop Makarios thanked Mr Grigoriou for his visit and asked him to convey his warm regards and sincere appreciation to both the President of Cyprus and the Primate of the Church of Cyprus.
