On Saturday, 20 July, His Eminence Archbishop Makarios of Australia visited the regional town of Port Pirie in South Australia, about 220 kilometres north of Adelaide, where the first Greek Orthodox Parish-Community of the State was founded in 1924. The Parish-Community of St. George the Trophy Bearer, has served, and continues to serve, as an “ambassador” of the Orthodox faith and spiritual heritage in the local multicultural community of Port Pirie.
To celebrate the centenary of the Parish-Community, an official Dinner was organised on Saturday night, which was graced with his presence and blessed by His Eminence Archbishop Makarios of Australia. Also present at the celebratory dinner were His Grace Bishop Silouan of Adelaide, clergy of the Holy Archdiocese, including Fathers Achilleios Karamanidis, Panagiotis Fotakis and Stavros Psarommatis, who have served in the celebrating Parish-Community, as well as Federal Minister Mr. Rowan Ramsey MP, State Minister Mr. Geoff Brock and Mayor of Port Pirie Regional Council Mr. Leon Stephens.
The cheerful feelings of the evening were temporarily mixed with feelings of deep emotion, as the Archbishop, during the greeting he addressed, made extensive reference both to the pioneers of the establishment of the Parish-Community, and to those who continued their work in the following decades. His Eminence first recalled that in the mid-1920s, about 500 Greek immigrants lived in Port Pirie, most of whom worked in the city’s famous smelter, one of the largest in the world.
“With simplicity, but with deep faith in God, with determination and with hard work, with a sacrificial spirit and ecclesiastical ethos, they fought for the establishment of the blessed Parish and Community of Saint George,” he noted. “It was an effort that God richly blessed,” he pointed out, “because it was an expression of their desire to remain close not only to their Greek traditions and customs, but also to their Creator and the source of their inner strength.”
Then, recalling the recent history of the Greek Orthodox Parish – Community of Port Pirie, His Eminence gratefully mentioned the late priests of blessed memory Father Ioannis Limoyannis and Father Emmanuel Zaikis, both of whom ministered with devotion and self-sacrifice, the first cleric in the early 1960s, and the second from the mid-70s and for 33 whole years. In addition, Archbishop Makarios thanked Bishop Silouan for his care for the Parish, the recently retired Father Achilleios and Father Panagiotis, who covers its current needs, as well as its President, Mr. Fotios Seindanis and all his coworkers.
In conclusion, His Eminence underlined that the development and progress of the Parish – Community of Saint George was achieved thanks to the spirit of love and unity that connected its members throughout time. “When we are united, with each other and with Christ, who is the head of the Church, we literally see miracles happen,” he pointed out. “So I call on you all to keep alive this bond of unity and love, and to stay close to Christ and the Church,” he noted in closing.
