Tis the season for vasilopita, with Greeks in Sydney and Melbourne having already attended church events for the cutting of the good luck cake.
Last Thursday the official vasilopita-cutting ceremony of Australia’s Greek Archdiocese took place in the crowded Cathedral of the Annunciation of Our Lady in Sydney.
Archbishop Makarios blessed and cut the cake before delivering his message and wishes for the new year. He described the symbolism behind each piece allocation, including one dedicated to the patriarch.
“If we did not have our Ecumenical Patriarchate, I cannot imagine what the Church here in Australia would be like today,” he said.
During the service, greetings were also delivered by Metropolitan Seraphim, Bishops Iakovos of Miletoupolis and Christodoulos of Magnesia, as well as the Consul General of Greece in Sydney, Ioannis Mallikourtis.
The vasilopita coin was found by Father Dimitrios Kokkinos, Parish Priest of the Church of Saint Ioannis, in Parramatta, Sydney.
In Melbourne on Friday, Bishop Kyriakos welcomed Metropolitan Ezekiel of Dervis and Bishop Evmenios of Chora at the Archdiocesan Church of Saint Eustathios last week for the vasilopita cutting honours.
Among those present were a cohort of students and teachers from Oakleigh Grammar, GCM President Bill Papastergiadis and Patriarch Bartholomew’s brother, Nikolaos Archontonis.
Bishop Evmenios of Chora and Kyriakos of Melbourne also led a ceremony at the Holy Monastery of ‘Axion Estin’.
Attendees included federal member Maria Vamvakinou, and students of St John’s College in Preston and Kosmas o Aitolos College.
The coin was found in the piece of cake cut for congregation member, Marina Katsantoni.
Following the service, a gathering took place at the church courtyard with refreshments and finger food, an opportunity for attendees to socialise and exchange wishes for the new year.
