Three retired clergymen with many years of fruitful ministry and invaluable contribution to the Orthodox Church and Hellenism of the fifth continent were honoured by His Eminence Archbishop Makarios of Australia during his visit to the capital city of Western Australia.
The Protopresbyters Fr. Theoklitos Tsachouridis and Fr. Georgios Litas and the Presbyter Fr. Panagiotis Dimitrakos were awarded by His Eminence with the order of the Christ-Loving. The awarding of the medals, which is the highest distinction of the Holy Archdiocese of Australia, took place on Sunday, 14 July 2024, during the official celebratory lunch for the centenary of the foundation of the Church of Saints Constantine and Helene in Perth.
The Archbishop spoke with words of gratitude for the three older clergy, who adorned the holy altar and led countless souls to Christ, serving with divine zeal the high office of the priesthood. In addition, His Eminence emphasised to the younger generation the importance of recognising the efforts and contributions of the older generations, those who secured for us much of what we take for granted.
“We live in an age,” His Eminence observed, “where people do not like to acknowledge others and do not easily say ‘thank you’.” “We, in honouring our Greek Orthodox heritage”, he argued, “must regularly use the words ‘thank you’ and ‘sorry’”.
