Father Eleftherios Tatsis (Papa Lefteris) will serve as a priest under the Holy Archdiocese of Australia and New Zealand, according to a press release by the independent Orthodox group.
The Holy Archdiocese of Australia and NZ is not under the auspices of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia (GOAA).
Papa Lefteris will remain in Dromana performing his liturgies as the ‘Hellenic Orthodox Brotherhood of Saint Paisios of Australia.’
Papa Lefteris will join ranks at the Holy Archdiocese of Australia and New Zealand. Photo: Andrew Batsch.
This news comes after the priest resigned from the GOAA on 2 October 2022. He was then suspended by the GOAA and defrocked by the Ecumenical Patriarchate due to “a series of ecclesiastical and canonical offenses he committed.”
In the presence of about 100 members and in a united atmosphere, the President of the Palesviaki, Yiannis Karanikolas, announced their property at Bayswater had been sold for $6.8 million.
In his speech to members, Mr Karanikolas first thanked the Lesvian lawyer Peter Mitrakas for the difficult work he undertook in negotiating the sale.
Mr Karanikolas added that the sale of the property was an emotional moment in the Association’s history. The club had been a gathering place and entertainment venue for Melbourne’s Lesvian community for about 43 years, but the area and the age of the venue were financially loss-making.
The Bayswater property.
The President said the club only managed to survive thanks to the hard work of the Committee and volunteers.
Mr Karanikolas said the multi-million dollar funds from the property can help build a modern building that can satisfy the demands of the members and friends of the club, and ensure it has a future for the next 100 years.
Mr Karanikolas said that by the end of April the sale of the property will be completed and then the finding and purchase of a new building will begin.
The announcement of the sale brought satisfaction and was applauded by all members present.
The Greek Community of Melbourne’s (GCM) recent Annual General Meeting (AGM), held at Alphington Grammar on Sunday, February 18, painted a complex picture, revealing a significant financial loss but ambitious plans for the future.
During the constructive meeting, GCM President Bill Papastergiadis delivered a detailed report on the organisation’s activities in the past year, including a focus on the new community hub at Russell Street, and the GCM’s creation of a subcommittee which works closely with NUGAS to engage more constructively with Greek youth in Melbourne.
The Annual General Meeting. All photos copyright The Greek Herald / Mary Sinanidis.Members of the Greek Community of Melbourne attended the AGM at Alphington Grammar.There were many absences at this years AGM.
Professor Marinis Pirpiris, GCM Treasurer, emphasised the organisation’s strong liquidity despite a $2.9 million loss – following a $12,864,697 profit the previous year.
This loss stemmed primarily from hosting two Antipodes festivals (October 2022 and February 2023) and numerous cultural programs. While acknowledging other expenses like payroll, security, and educational programs, Professor Pirpiris defended the festivals’ importance in the community’s identity.
L-R: PwC partner and auditor George Sagonas, accountant Manuel Tsimiris, Dr Marinis Pirpiris, Nikos Koukouvitakis, Bill Papastergiadis and Nick Dallas.
“When you ask any person outside this room, ‘What is the Greek community?’ some of them may say education, some may say cultural offerings, including those who are academics,” Professor Pirpiris said.
“But most of them, including our politicians, will say it’s the cultural festival we hold every year. It is very important for our identity. Not only for the Community but for all our organisations. And that is where a lot of our investment has gone.”
Many people attended this year’s AGM.
The AGM.
That investment into the festival comes at a year when educational offerings faced a $945,000 shortfall, churches lost $350,000, and the Greek Film Festival noted a $5,000 loss.
Professor Pirpiris did point to the GCM’s assets, including the Greek Centre, Alphington Grammar School and churches valued over $110 million and another $1,378,749 sitting in cash with combined liabilities at $806,779.
Food for Thought Network President Varvara Ioannou and Food for Thought Network Board Member Christina Roma.
Educational offerings
The educational losses were attributed to COVID-19 and the modernisation of the curriculum to attract and retain experienced educators.
“The Board’s investment will provide our students with a language and cultural experience that is innovative, exciting, and inspiring,” Professor Pirpiris said, adding that there is hope that enrolments may rise again.
She also pointed to the Community’s informative lecture series with 40 lectures of the highest calibre organised by Nick Dallas. Historian Christos Fifis complained that these are not well attended.
“There aren’t many people there and the average age of those present are 45,” he said.
“In my opinion, it was not needed. It doesn’t offer anything. If it is sold, we can create a hall in Alphington or St George or St Dimitrios or Brunswick,” he said. “This would be more useful than in the centre when we already have a building of 13 storeys.”
Mr Papastergiadis focused on the benefits of the Russell Street presence in the heart of the city to house the GCM’s archive, events, presentations and even a conference hall and community book selling.
Michalis Michael asks a question.
Constitutional concerns:
As the AGM continued, a number of members also raised issues around the GCM’s recent proposal to make changes to its Constitution.
Mr Papastergiadis eased members concerns by confirming that following a robust consultation process, the Community only received six submissions on the proposed constitutional changes. These submissions have been delivered to the GCM’s lawyers and an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) is expected to be held in approximately three months with a draft Constitution that will take these submissions into account.
Theo Markos asked a question at the AGM.
Savvas Grigoropoulos told The Greek Herald he would like to see a constitutional change to protect the independence of the Community.
“I’d like to see a legal motion to prevent any other organisation meddle in the affairs of the Community by adding a requirement of 95 per cent approval of all members before this could happen. That would be one way to protect the sovereignty of the Community from either the Archdiocese or any other organisation,” he said.
GCM General Secretary Nikos Koukouvitakis, GCM President Bill Papastergiadis, and Convenor of the GCM Education Program Nick Dallas.
Christos Fifis says you can’t keep blaming COVID 19 for shortfalls.Christos Fifis.
Mr Papastergiadis said, “As you know things in our home country don’t move at the speed they should.” He gave assurances that pressure had been exerted, officials had agreed, and an announcement will be made over the next month.
Kostas Karamarkos put forward a motion.Kostas Karamarkos peruses the GCM Annual report with Michaelis Michael.
“In the name of inclusion and consensus, I withdrew my motion to honour just Andreas Papandreou. This defeated motion was supported by 24 members and opposed by 28,” he said.
Mr Karamarkos told The Greek Herald that the resolution was “too close” to call.
Juliana Charpantidou signs in Maria Bakalidou, Principal of the Greek Orthodox Community Schools of Melbourne and Victoria.
Alphington Grammar Principal Vivianne Nikou.
“Ideally, it should have gone down to a proper vote, but when they dare oppose the history of their own organisation and dare to vote against the person who saved the Community and against Mikis Theodorakis, what can you say? Nonetheless, I accept the process and the outcome,” he said.
Opponents to the motion cited that they didn’t want to choose a political name and others also pointed to alternative options from within the Greek Australian community.
*All photos copyright The Greek Herald / Mary Sinanidis.
South Melbourne FC claimed back-to-back victories in the Victorian National Premier Leagues (NPL) after defeating Moreland City 1-0 over the weekend.
South Melbourne claimed the win with some difficulty, as they scored with Harrison Sawyer in the fourth minute of stoppage time (90+4′) with a penalty.
The Greek team had the territorial advantage but their players lacked clarity in the final effort, and this continued when Moreland were reduced to 10 men due to Tzougidis being sent off for a ‘carat’ hit on Andy Brennan.
The suffocating superiority of South Melbourne bore fruit at the end of the match by a penalty that came from an opponent’s hand in the large area and was successfully executed by Sawyer.
A letter sent by the Greek Community of Melbourne (GCM) to the Greek government calling for a solution to the slow service and insufficient staffing at the Consulate of Greece in Melbourne, has since received the backing of Kyriakos Velopoulos’ Greek Solution party.
Mr Velopoulos submitted a question to Greece’s Parliament on Friday, February 16, calling on the Greek Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis to address the GCM’s concerns.
In his submission, Mr Velopoulos stressed there are currently only four employees at the Consulate in Melbourne to serve the Greek expatriates, whilst in other foreign cities with a smaller number of Greeks, such as Hamburg for example, the Consulate is staffed with double and triple the number of staff.
The submission further highlighted how in the past, the Consulate employed up to 15 people, while today it takes more than two years for appointments to obtain Greek citizenship or other issues.
Greek Consulate in Melbourne.
Given all the above, Mr Velopoulos asked the Foreign Minister, “Do you intend to take appropriate action to increase the staff of the General Consulate of Melbourne, so that the service provided by it to the expatriate community, as well as to Australians who wish to visit our homeland or have commercial and investment relations with Greece, becomes more efficient and is provided within a short period of time?”
Following this development and in accordance with the regulation of the Greek Parliament, Foreign Minister Gerapetritis is now requested to respond to Mr Velopoulos within 25 days.
In the event that Mr Velopoulos is not satisfied with the Minister’s answer, he may turn the question into an interrogation. Interrogations are discussed in the Plenary Session of the Hellenic Parliament. If there are more questions on the same subject, the Parliament may decide to debate them simultaneously, or even generalise the discussion.
One thing that’s certain is that in the coming days, the GCM will get answers to this particular issue.
Hills United FC caused major shockwaves after the newly promoted National Premier Leagues Men’s NSW side defeated a star-studded Sydney Olympic outfit 2-1 as Luke Casserly’s men played the majority of the match with ten-men at Belmore Sports Ground.
Hills United’s Japanese import Yu Okubo stunned the hosts with a well taken goal in the first half before Nicolai Muller was given his marching orders in the 34th minute.
Olympic thought they had the game in the bag after that but thought wrong as Hills pushed the Blues but the home side thought they got a point following Roy O’ Donovan’s penalty in the 86th minute.
The match then turned on its head two minutes later as Eion Montford stole all three points and a famous first up victory with a penalty of his own downing Labinot Haliti’s men in front of their crowd.
The action started early for Olympic as Darcy Burgess sent one narrowly wide of the upright for the new look home side after good work from Will Mutch down the right created an opening after two minutes.
It was Casserly’s troops that hit the lead however as Okubo opened the scoring by sliding the ball under an advancing Noah James in the 8th minute that stunned Haliti and the home crowd.
Montford gave Olympic a warning moments earlier when rising at the back post to flash a header wide of the woodwork.
Jaden Casella, a recent recruit to the home ranks, forced Ryan Wood into a fine save with a trademark curling effort in the 11th minute as the game began to turn into an end-to-end contest.
But luck wasn’t with Olympic when Ziggy Gordon limped off after 16’ minutes to be replaced by debutante Teng Kuol who immediately slotted in at right-back.
Adam Parkhouse pulled the ball back for O’Donovan midway through the half with the usually reliable striker uncharacteristically almost putting the ball out for a throw from just inside the area. It was a well worked move with only the finish lacking.
Daniel Petkovski, returning to the top-flight after departing Rockdale Ilinden early last season had a tough start to his new career with Hills as the big defender limped off to be replaced by Daniel Belkadi after just twenty-seven minutes.
The match took another twist when former Central Coast Mariners German star Nicolai Muller went in high on Burgess to receive his marching orders, after consultation with the sideline official, reducing Hills to 10-men after thirty-four minutes.
Olympic had been starting to assert some pressure but now had the advantage of the extra man for almost an hour of play. Casella and O’Donovan were both being flagged for offside in an attempt to exploit the resulting gaps.
Yet it was Belkadi who brought a fine save out of James in the 39th minute when he was put through down the right via Sunday Yona as the visitors pushed for a second but failed to capitalise from the corner.
Hills skipper Glen Kelshaw came close with a header in first-half stoppage time for United but the score remained 1-0 at the break for Casserly’s men.
Half-time substitutions were made by both sides, Jackson Bandiera replacing Will Mutch for Olympic and Tommy Makko coming in for Yona on the opposing end.
Olympic were pressing constantly however United looked more than troublesome when hitting on the counter albeit much of the play was inside their own half with tiring legs as the match drew on.
Politis, cautioned earlier, limped off and Burgess made way as Haliti threw on fresh legs with twenty-five minutes remaining hoping to salvage something as his side struggled to break down a ten-men Hills squad.
Oliver Pufflet and O’Donovan probed across the front-line resulting in Wood and his defence pulling off a few valiant saves and blocks with Olympic coming home strongly.
O’Donovan should have done better when going through only for Wood to smother but it may have had more to do with the surface than the home striker in the 70th minute yet the home side were finding openings at regular intervals without putting them away.
A free-kick on the edge of the area in a central position gave Olympic hope in the 73rd minute that Kuol slid under the wall but went agonisingly wide of the post leaving both the player and team-mates with their heads in their hands.
Indeed, desperate defending was the order of the day in the latter stages with everyone threw their bodies in the way of Olympic attacks. A sterling effort from the new kids on the block particularly when Montford chased back to deflect Parkhouse’s shot out for a corner in the 79th minute.
With Hills’ tanks nearing empty, it remained to be seen if they could hold out for the remaining actions of the match and retain the precious three points they held.
It wasn’t to be when Olympic were awarded a penalty with five minutes remaining that saw O’Donovan step up for the spot-kick and plant the ball past the gallant Wood to restore parity.
But if that wasn’t enough for a single ninety minutes, it didn’t end there when the hapless Kuol gave away another penalty at the other end in the 88th minute that was duly converted by Montford for Hills to retake the lead.
In the end, Montford’s penalty proved to be the winning goal of the game.
It was an unforgettable day for Hills United who picked up its first NPL Men’s NSW win defeating one of the league’s heavyweights, something coach Luke Casserly was delighted about.
“I’m delighted for everyone connected with this club,” he enthused.
“Six or seven years ago we weren’t even an NPL status so the work everyone has done over that period to now be in the highest League we can be in and playing a big traditional club like Sydney Olympic and come away with the win, I’m just so rapt for all the fantastic people involved with Hills United.
“The work ethic from the team after the sending off cannot be praised highly enough, how strict and disciplined we were in our structure was brilliant.
“We felt the penalty against us was a little tough, a ricochet in the box but our heads didn’t drop in adversity and we went up the other end and got one of our own so it was a crazy finish to the match that will be talked about but credit to the boys for sticking to the task in hand, persevering for long periods against a strong Olympic side and battling for the win.
“I’m a very proud Coach this afternoon.”
Sydney Olympic FC coach Labinot Haliti was unavailable post-match with is parting words being “No Comment.”
The Independent Authority against Corruption of Cyprus has enlisted the expertise of Australian lawyer Gabrielle Louise McIntyre to lead the inquiry into allegations against former President of the Republic, Nicos Anastasiades.
McIntyre, an experienced legal professional renowned internationally, has agreed to investigate the allegations outlined in the book “Mafia State” by journalist/investigator Makarios Droussiotis, which were brought before the Authority by presidential candidate Andreas Mavroyiannis during the last election period.
Initially encountering difficulties in securing local legal representation, the Authority broadened its scope after learning of the book’s translation into English, enabling the recruitment of foreign lawyers.
Nicos Anastasiades. Photo: SBS.
Following preliminary assessments and discussions, McIntyre was selected for the role, demonstrating her commitment by reviewing the book in English before finalising the agreement with the Authority. She will be compensated at a rate of 800 euros per working day and will be supported by three Greek Cypriot lawyers.
The investigation will delve into various issues, including the involvement of Russian oligarch Dmitry Rybolovlev and subsequent events in Cyprus following his divorce.
The book sheds light on the relationship between Anastasiades and a prominent law firm, parliamentary processes surrounding legislative amendments, court decisions favouring Rybolovlev, and capital transfers.
The Greek Minister of Culture, Lina Mendoni, has voiced her outrage following a London Fashion Week show held in front of the Parthenon Marbles exhibit at the British Museum in London, the United Kingdom.
Designer Erdem Moralioglu selected the striking backdrop of the Parthenon Marbles showroom at the British Museum to debut the autumn-winter 2024 collection of his eponymous brand Erdem, drawing inspiration from Greek singer Maria Callas and her portrayal of the opera Medea in 1953.
Mendoni condemned the decision, stating, “By organising a fashion show in the halls where the Parthenon Sculptures are exhibited, the British Museum, once again, proves its zero respect for the masterpieces of Pheidias.”
The fashion show held at the British Museum sparked controversy. Photo: A News.
She further criticised the museum directors for trivialising and insulting both the monument and the universal values it represents, emphasising the deteriorating conditions of display and storage of the sculptures in the Duveen Gallery.
The Parthenon Marbles, stolen from the Parthenon temple at the Acropolis in Greece in the early 19th century by British diplomat Thomas Bruce, have long been a point of contention between Greece and the UK.
While Athens asserts that the marbles were stolen, the UK maintains they were obtained legally, citing the 1963 British Museum Act which prohibits the removal of objects from the institution’s collection.
The match started with both teams playing tough defenses, as a result of which the score remained low. In the second quarter, Panathinaikos equalised and took the lead.
In the third quarter, Panathinaikos entered better. The “greens” initially reduced to 30-29 with Nan and Mitoglou, while after Fal’s one accurate shot, Mitoglou brought his team ahead with a three-pointer at 32-31. Kanaan answered with a 3-pointer of his own and Lessor then tied the game at 34-34. Kanaan with another three-pointer gave Olympiakos a three-point lead, with Grigonis answering for 37-36. Fal scored again, while Mitoglou equalised again with a three-pointer (39-39). The third quarter ended like the first two.
A three-pointer by Sloukas in the 32nd minute seemed to wake up Panathinaikos, but with Wright starring in the opposing racket (8 personal points) and Petrusev providing solutions, Olympiacos shot the difference to +10 for the first time time (46-56 in 35′) and in 37′ they wrote the irreversible 48-62.
