On Tuesday 8th October, His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew held a meeting with the heads of Christian Churches in Australia in Sydney.
The meeting took place in a hall at the International Convention Centre (ICC Sydney), prior to the official dinner hosted in honour of the Patriarch by the Archdiocese of Australia.
The Ecumenical Patriarch thanked the church leaders for their favourable acceptance of his invitation, praised the exemplary harmonious coexistence among the religious communities in Australia, and emphasised the importance of maintaining and promoting dialogue as a guarantee for fostering a spirit of mutual respect and understanding among people and communities, thereby preventing intolerance and violence.
His All-Holiness Patriarch Bartholomew was accompanied at the meeting by His Eminence Archbishop Makarios of Australia. Also participating from the Patriarchal entourage were Their Eminences, Metropolitan Kyrillos of Imbros and Tenedos, and Metropolitan Philotheos of Thessaloniki, the Very Reverend Archimandrites Gregory The Grand Protosyncellus, and Aetios, The Grand Ecclesiarch, Director of the Personal Patriarchal Office, the Reverend Patriarchal Deacon Evlogios, Codifier of the Holy and Sacred Synod, the Righteous Nun Iakovi, Abbess of the Holy Monastery of the Holy Forerunner in Akritochori, the Honourable Archon Didaskalos of the Nation Mr Konstantinos Delikostanis, Director of the First Patriarchal Office, and Archon Didaskalos of the Church Mr Theodoros Yiangou, Professor of the Theological School of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki; the distinguished Mr Nicholas-George Papachristou, Director of the Patriarchal Press and Communication Office, and Mr Themistocles Karanikolas, from the Patriarchal staff.
Also present were Their Eminences Metropolitan Ezekiel of Dervis and Seraphim of Sevasteia; The Venerable Bishops of the Holy Archdiocese of Australia; The Ambassadors in Australia of Greece Mr Stavros Venizelos, of Turkey Mr Ufuk Gezer, of Georgia Mr Beka Dvali and of Romania, Mr Radu Gabriel Safta; the High Commissioner of the Republic of Cyprus in Australia Mr Antonis Samoutis; the Consul Generals in Sydney of Greece Mr Yannis Mallikourtis, of Turkey Mrs Belgin Ergüneş, of Serbia Mrs Jasmina Pekmezovic and of the USA, Mrs Christine Elder; the Deputy Consul of Romania Mr Ioan Gheorghe Crisan; the leader of the Liberal Party and Leader of the Opposition in the Federal Parliament of Australia, Mr Peter Dutton; the State Minister for Industrial Relations, and Minister for Work Health and Safety (NSW) Ms Sophie Cotsis; the State Minister for Finance, Domestic Manufacturing and Government Procurement and Natural Resources (NSW), Ms Courtney Houssos; the State Senator (South Australia), Ms Connie Bonaros; and the Local Councillors Ms Paula Masselos and Fiona Douskou.
