Fr George Frangos had worked tirelessly for seven years at the Dormition of Our Lady, the Greek Orthodox Church of Altona and Districts until last year. At the end of the year, he moved on to the larger parish of the Transfiguration of Our Lord, Thomastown. The son of Fr Sinesios and brother of Fr John, he pursued a career in corporate finance before joining the clergy.
“I guess you can say that I always had a calling, and it was within me to do it, but there was fear of the unknown that caused the delay,” he told Neos Kosmos in a previous interview to explain his 10 years of corporate experience as a cash flow analyst and credit manager before heading to to Mount Athos for further studies.
We caught up with him to discuss the current crisis:
What have you been reading?
A stack of books on various topics: Shades of Blue by Joyce Nankivell Loch (the Australian living in the tower of Ouranoupolis Halkidiki circa 1920’s), a series of books for my Theological studies and I’m about to get stuck into Archbishop Makarios’s book Lord and Master of My Life.
What are you watching?
Masterchef on commercial TV and the occasional movie on Stan or Netflix whenever possible.
What music are you listening to?
I don’t really listen to music much these days, mostly talkback radio.
What are you cooking?
I’ve tried a decent sour dough bread a few times which worked out well, but mainly, Macaronia with Kima (Spaghetti Bolognese) for the kids… my speciality!
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- Life in Lockdown: Q&A with Bill Papastergiadis, President of the Greek Community of Melbourne
How have you been staying fit?
Fit? How does that work exactly???
What is keeping you sane at the moment?
My amazing wife’s multitasking abilities and avoiding news programs and focusing on the positive community initiatives in our Archdiocesan district’s COVID-19 relief program.
What is work like for you now?
Busier than it’s ever been! The spiritual and material needs of people grow stronger in times of crisis.
What’s something positive you’ve witnessed or experienced since COVID-19 entered our lives?
People’s community spirit and their willingness to help others in need. The priceless time people have spent with their families and the strengthening of their family relationships.
What have you learned about yourself during COVID-19?
I’ve learned that the simple things in life are the most meaningful.
READ MORE:
- My Life in Lockdown: Q&A with author Dmetri Kakmi
- My Life in Lockdown: Q&A with Monash University Senior Lecturer Maria Gindidis
What’s your advice for others to cope with the crisis?
Calm down, relax, pray, do something constructive and beautiful. Fill your souls and lives with light.
Embrace your partner, your children, share some beautiful moments, share conversation, laugh, watch a movie, read a book, exercise.
Pray, talk to God via your prayers, leave to God your fears and insecurities. And finally, that no matter how diverse and challenging our world or situation becomes, remember to love unconditionally.
Where’s the first place you’d like to visit in Greece once travel is allowed?
My happy places….. Halkidiki and Mount Athos!