On Wednesday, 3 April 2024, His Eminence Archbishop Makarios of Australia had a cordial and constructive meeting with the Prime Minister of Greece, Mr. Kyriakos Mitsotakis, in Athens.
The meeting took place at the Maximos Mansion, where His Eminence received a warm welcome from the Greek Prime Minister, who expressed a strong interest in learning about the life of the Greek Community and the Orthodox Church in the Antipodes.
On this occasion, Prime Minister Mitsotakis congratulated the Archbishop on the 100th anniversary of the establishment of the Holy Archdiocese of Australia and asked him to convey his wishes to the Christ-loving people of the fifth continent.
He also expressed his undivided support for the Holy Archdiocese, noting the multidimensional work it carries out, as well as personally to His Eminence Archbishop Makarios of Australia, for his God-loving and dynamic pro-Hellenism pastorate. He also expressed special thanks for the decisive contribution of the Orthodox Church in maintaining and deepening the relationship of the Greek Diaspora with the motherland.
For his part, the Archbishop of Australia recognised the undivided interest shown by the Greek Government, with a series of measures and initiatives, for the Greeks of the fifth continent and more broadly for the Greeks Abroad. In this context, he thanked Mr. Mitsotakis for the recent legislative initiative on the establishment of postal voting, for the European elections and the national Referendums, a measure which will facilitate the unhindered exercise of the right to vote by Greek voters who are far from their homeland.
Finally, His Eminence duly wished the Prime Minister of Greece well for the exercising of his responsible duties, while both agreed to maintain a stable channel of communication and cooperation, for the most efficient possible response to the needs of the Greek Community in Australia.
