Archbishop Makarios may soon be the proud resident of a recently-purchased 266m2 luxury apartment at upmarket Millers Point.
The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese Consolidated Trust poured $6.5 million from its coffers for the 3-bedroom apartment with harbourside views though it has not been confirmed whether the purchase was made with the intent to be the new residence for the archbishop.
The whole-floor residence is located in an enviable position, wrapped in spectacular dual perspectives east across the harbour overlooking the Sydney Opera House and city icons and west to the Blue Mountains. After a day of preaching about the divine, the Archbishop will be surrounded by the divine architecture of Ercole Palazzetti’s landmark The Georgia, which includes signature design principles and refined European construction.
Hardly an ascetic existence, however Archbishop Makarios was unable to answer the questions posed by Neos Kosmos as he was in Istanbul for the Holy Synod. Sources of Neos Kosmos from the Archdiocese stated that the decision to purchase the new home, possibly for the Archbishop, had been decided upon last March prior to former Archbishop Stylianos death on 25 March, 2019. This has been denied in a letter to Neos Kosmos by the nephew of Archbishop Stylianos, lawyer Nikolaos Kalliouras, who wishes to protect the memory of the late archbishop. The letter states that the former hierarch had never considered such a purchase, not even as an investment nor to live.
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Archbishop Stylianos had lived on the premises of the Archdiocese in Redfern, however there were hints by Archbishop Makarios that this was not appropriate. He had recently stated: “The Holy Archdiocese no longer has the capacity to fit us. The numbers of our people have increased, and our needs have increased.”