On Monday, 19 May 2025, His Eminence Archbishop Makarios of Australia, visited the Parliament of the Northern Territory of Australia, in Darwin, and had a cordial and constructive meeting with the local Chief Minister, The Hon. Lia Finocchiaro.
His Eminence was accompanied by His Grace Bishop Silouan of Adelaide, and the clergy, Fr. Savas Pizanias and Fr. Christos Tsoraklidis. The Greek Ambassador to Australia, His Excellency Mr. Stavros Venizelos, also attended the meeting.
The Archbishop first thanked Chief Minister Finocchiaro for her honorary presence at the ceremony of the laying of the foundation stone of the Church of Saint Savvas the New of Kalymnos, in Darwin, as well as for the steady support of the local Government towards the Greek Orthodox community of Northern Australia.
For her part, Chief Minister Finocchiaro recognised the decisive contribution of the dynamic Greek Orthodox community to the social cohesion and progress of the broader society in the Northern Territory, while expressing her appreciation and respect for the Orthodox Church.
During the meeting, various issues of concern for the Greeks of the region were discussed and the common will to further strengthen cooperation between the Holy Archdiocese and the Government of the Northern Territory was declared, while the presence of the Ambassador of Greece, Mr. Venizelos, was also decisive, who expressed his desire, and at the same time the assurance, for further cooperation of the Embassy with the Greeks of Northern Australia.
