After extensive restoration and renovation, the oldest Greek Orthodox Church in Australia and the Southern Hemisphere reopened its doors last Sunday. Holy Trinity, in Sydney’s Surry Hills reopened with the Thyranixia and the Divine Liturgy led by Archbishop of Australia Makarios longside Bishop Iakovos of Miletoupolis and Bishop Elpidios of Kyaneon.

Archbishop Makarios delivered a warm greeting at the end of the Divine Liturgy, praising the renovation and reopening of the church.

He stressed the importance of unity between the Church body and the wider Hellenic community, saying “the history of the Greeks has shown that we progress with unity and love”.

Archbishop Makarios added that unity is not a given but rather “a conquest for which we must constantly strive”, and then congratulated and thanked the GOC NSW, its president Harry Danalis, and the board, for their efforts and also for the spirit of cooperation.

Danalis reiterated this sentiment in his own address, stating that the relationship between the GOC and the Archdiocese has been more substantial since Archbishop Makarios took up his post.

All photos: Supplied

“Our cooperation is excellent and that is why we wish that God will grant you many days on the throne of the Archdiocese of Australia to lead the Church with a spirit of love and unity,” Danalis said .

Ioannis Mallikourtis, the Consul General of Greece in Sydney, also offered a greeting at the service, praising the history of the church which was established by the GOC NSW in 1898, in the same year the Community was founded.

He then expressed that “the words of His Eminence are a practical, tangible proof of the importance of unity and peace”, and that the solidarity shown by the Archdiocese and the GOC NSW “is crucial in moving forward.”

Mallikourtis congratulated the Community and the Holy Trinity Restoration Committee for their efforts in renovating the heritage-listed church.

Among those in attendance was the Secretary of the Archdiocesan Council and Secretary of Greek Orthodox Archdiocese Of Australia Consolidated Trust, Nikolaos Pananastasiou.

An official feast followed the service, during which Archbishop Makarios thanked the Priest of the Surry Hills church, Father Thomas Yantzis for his pleasant and ecclesiastical ministry and contribution.