Archbishop Makarios of Australia has issued a message to mark National Reconciliation Week 2025 held annually from 27 May to 3 June, calling on all Australians -particularly Orthodox Christians- to stand in solidarity with the nation’s First Peoples and commit to a shared journey of justice, unity, and healing.
Reflecting on the landmark moment of May 28, 2000, when thousands of Australians walked across Sydney’s Harbour Bridge in a powerful gesture of reconciliation, Archbishop Makarios described it as a defining symbol of a united nation.
“Tens of thousands of people – Aboriginal Australians, Torres Strait Islander peoples, and non-Indigenous Australians – walked side by side and raised their voices together, proclaiming that a truly united nation is one in which no one is left behind,” he said.
Each year, this symbolic walk is echoed through the events and reflections of Reconciliation Week, which begins on May 27, the anniversary of the 1967 referendum, and ends on June 3, the anniversary of the High Court’s historic Mabo decision in 1992.
“These two milestones represent both the progress made and the ongoing journey towards justice and recognition for the First Peoples of this land,” Makarios said.
He urged Australians to approach this year’s Reconciliation Week with empathy, openness, and a willingness to learn from the “dark chapters of the past” as well as the hopeful strides of recent decades.
“This challenge concerns all of us who share a common present and the responsibility for a common future in this blessed land of Australia,” he said. “Even more so, it concerns us Orthodox Christians, for the Gospel of love, peace, and justice compels us to dismantle barriers, tear down the walls of discrimination, and build bridges that unite and reconcile people.”
The Archbishop encouraged members of the Orthodox community to deepen their understanding of the land they live on and the cultural and spiritual significance it holds for its First Peoples.
“Let us seize this opportunity to grow in our understanding of the sacred land in which God has placed us to live, to deepen our relationship with its First Peoples, and through our prayers, our words, and our actions, to leave our own mark on the journey toward a fairer and truly reconciled Australian society.”
