His Eminence Archbishop Makarios of Australia conducted a short pastoral visit to Western Australia on the 14 and 15 January 2024, in order to preside over the Funeral Service of the late Madgaleni Souris, mother of Archimandrite Makarios Souris, and at the same time to communicate with the Clergy and the People of the city of Perth.
Upon his arrival at the city’s airport, His Eminence received a warm welcome from the Archiepiscopal Vicar of Perth, His Grace Bishop Elpidios of Kyanea, and the clergy and laity from the flock of Western Australia.
During his stay there, a Clergy Synaxis was held, in which the Archbishop analysed the course of the local Church during the past hundred years and spoke about the visions and perspectives of the future. At the same time, he informed the Clergy of Perth about the visit of His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew to Australia and organised, in collaboration with His Grace Bishop Elpidios, the participation of the faithful people of Western Australia in the 100-year anniversary celebrations and events in Sydney.
More specifically, His Eminence emphasised, among other things: “God has reserved for us this great joy, honour, blessing, but also responsibility, to be the ones who will close the first hundred years and begin to write the history of the second century. I ask of you, let us start the new page of our Archdiocese united and not divided. Let us overcome and forget the mistakes and passions of the past, because only with unity can we move forward and make progress.” His Grace Bishop Elpidios and the clerics who participated in the Clergy Synaxis, all made similar insertions and expressions of thoughts.
During the funeral service of the Late and beloved Magdaleni, His Grace Bishop Elpidios of Kyanea spoke, in which he read her biography, and then His Eminence Archbishop Makarios of Australia conveyed the blessings and sympathy of His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew to the son of the deceased, Father Makarios and to other relatives and friends. Archbishop Makarios emphasised, among other things, that “the Late Madgaleni was a person who said little but felt a lot”.
Immediately after the funeral service, His Eminence Archbishop Makarios of Australia left for Sydney, where he had scheduled meetings with Government officials on matters concerning Hellenism and the Church.
