Ecumenical Patriarch, Bartholomew I, said that Neos Kosmos upholds the values and vision of its founder, the late Dimitrios Gogos, during a visit to the newspaper’s Port Melbourne offices on Thursday afternoon. Accompanied by the Archbishop of Australia, Makarios, the Patriarch highlighted the commitment and leadership of Christopher Gogos, who continues to steer the publication with “determination, consistency, and dedication.”
The patriarch talked about the evolving role of the Greek Diaspora press, stating, “Today, the face of the Greek Diaspora is different; the social environment, the means, the opportunities, and the needs have radically changed. However, the press holds, and we believe should continue to hold, an important role within the diaspora, considering the new circumstances and realities.”
He concluded by congratulating chief editor Sotiris Hatzimanolis and the newspaper’s entire team for their “multifaceted work and contribution to the Greek community.”
The Patriarch also provided a historical overview of the Greek-Australian press, noting that the 1950s were a pivotal time not only for immigration to Australia but also for Greek-language media. In 1956, the strict pre-war regulations, which had imposed suffocating restrictions on the circulation of non-English-language press, were abolished.
“In this generally favourable environment, there was a surge in publishing production and the founding of new newspapers, including Neos Kosmos, which would evolve into the largest Greek-Australian newspaper,” he added, then turned his attention to the personality of the late Dimitris Gogos.
Undoubtedly, he said, “he was not only the founder and publisher of Neos Kosmos, but also a true patriot, a pure democrat, and a fighter for the rights of immigrants and the interests of the Greek community.”
“For the Greek diaspora, particularly in earlier times when the internet and social media were unknown realities, the press played a crucial role in preserving the Greek language and culture.
“It served as an important link and bridge to the homeland, almost the only source of information about events in Greece, and informed the readership about the community’s achievements, problems, and prospects. It shaped trends and opinions and played a significant role in the occasional tensions and conflicts within the diaspora,” he said.
When welcoming the Ecumenical Patriarch, our publisher, Christopher Gogos, acknowledged the significance of the visit, stating that “it is a great honour and privilege to meet the head of the Orthodox Church in person, and even more so to welcome him to our ‘second home,’ the Neos Kosmos newspaper.”
“It is true, Your All-Holiness,” Christoforos Gogos continued, “that the offices of Neos Kosmos, during the long history of our newspaper, have hosted many important and distinguished personalities. We need only consider that our journey in the field of journalism began in 1957.”
“It was started by my late father, Dimitrios Gogos, with the collaboration of Nondas Pezaros, Christos Mourikis, and dozens of other Greek-Australians,” he said.
He added that it was the paper’s founders’ goal was to create an independent, responsible, and objective voice for Greek immigrants.
“The newspaper answers only to its readership. It does not belong to political parties, business interests, or organisations.
“While it supports institutions, it also reserves the right to criticise when it deems it necessary, in the best interest of Hellenism in Australia.”
Gogos pointed to the “significant figures from Australia, Greece, and the international arena” that have been featured on the printed and digital pages of Neos Kosmos.
“Many have honoured us with their visits, as you have today. But rest assured that on the ‘front page’ of our memory, your presence here today will always hold a prominent place. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for the honour you have bestowed upon us, both personally and on behalf of all our collaborators at Neos Kosmos.”
Gogos referred to the decision of the Ecumenical Patriarchate to entrust the leadership of the Holy Archdiocese of Australia to Makarios, which he called “a young, capable, and dynamic Hierarch, whose many qualifications and gifts I would single out for his sincere concern and determination to ensure the unity of Hellenism in the fifth continent.”
“This is something our fellow Greek-Australians need, especially the retirees who struggled so much in the difficult early years of immigration… but it is also needed by the younger generations, who are our hope for the future,” he said.
He reminded the patriarch and his fellow clerics, that Neos Kosmos “has conducted many campaigns on the so-called ‘ecclesiastical’ issue” and said, “We are pleased that today Archbishop Makarios is striving to create and maintain an environment of harmony, unity, and cooperation within the local Church and our Greek community.”
“This is a guarantee that Hellenism will rise to meet the challenges of our time and continue to thrive in Australia, making both us and our compatriots in Greece proud—and of course, you, who take pride from the Holy Seat of the Phanari, in your spiritual children around the world.”
Christoforos Gogos’s address was followed by the exchange of gifts, with the Ecumenical Patriarch and the Archbishop of Australia particularly delighted by a framed front page of Neos Kosmos from Thursday’s Greek language print edition, showing the two of them seated next to the statue of His All-Holiness Bartholomew, which now stands prominently at the heart of the Holy Metropolis of Chora, at the facilities of the Holy Monastery of Panagia ‘Axion Esti’ in Northcote.
The full speech of the Ecumenical Patriarch during his visit to the Neos Kosmos headquarters is as follows:
“Your Eminence Archbishop Makarios of Australia, dear brother Hierarchs,
Honourable Mr Christoforos Gogos, owner of the historic and most widely circulated Greek newspaper in Australia, Neos Kosmos, Honourable Mr Sotirios Hatzimanolis, Editor-in-Chief of the newspaper, dear Journalists and staff of the newspaper, distinguished guests,
It is with great joy that both I and my honourable entourage make this visit to the offices of Neos Kosmos, the largest newspaper in Australia, within the realm of the Greek Diaspora press. We express our heartfelt thanks to its publisher, the honourable Mr Gogos, and to all the employees of this esteemed newspaper for the very honourable and warm welcome, and for the kind and generous words of respect and love for my humble person.
The story of the Greek-Australian or, as it is otherwise known, the Diaspora press is a long one, as the first Greek-language newspaper was published on July 6, 1913, by Eustratios Venlis, originally from Lesvos, who was born in Egypt in 1882 and came to Australia at the age of 22.
The “father of the Greek press in Australia,” as he was aptly described by Neos Kosmos in a commemorative article marking the 100th anniversary of the publication of the first Diaspora newspaper in Melbourne, was a man of intellect, cosmopolitan, and multilingual. He recognised the value of the press for the then small Greek community.
Of course, founding a newspaper at that time was a challenging endeavour, but the late Venlis was the trailblazer who planted the seeds for the subsequent flourishing of the Greek press in Australia.
The 1950s marked a milestone for the Greek community in Australia, as its population rapidly grew following the end of World War II. What is perhaps less known is that during the same period, significant developments took place in the field of Diaspora journalism, especially after the abolition, in 1956, of the strict pre-war regulations that imposed stifling restrictions on the circulation of non-English-language press. Additionally, advances in printing technology contributed to the overall rise of the Greek Diaspora press in Australia.
It was within this generally favourable environment that a significant number of publications emerged, and new newspapers were founded, among them Neos Kosmos, which was destined to evolve into the largest Diaspora newspaper in Australia. At this moment, we pray for the repose of the soul of its founder, the late Dimitrios Gogos, a migrant from the fragrant island of Chios, who was the heart and soul of Neos Kosmos for many years. He dedicated himself to this creation, his intellectual offspring, and had the good fortune to see it reach the top position in circulation among the newspapers of the fifth continent.
Undoubtedly, Dimitrios Gogos was not only the founder and publisher of Neos Kosmos but also a genuine patriot, a pure democrat, and a fighter for the rights of immigrants and the just causes of the Greek community. His work and contribution to the Greek Diaspora and to Australian society as a whole were immense, which is why he was rightfully honoured by both the Australian and the Greek governments.
The press, particularly for the Diaspora, played a crucial role in the past, especially in times when the internet and social media were unknown realities. It was instrumental in preserving the language and Greek education, served as an important link and bridge to the homeland, and was almost the sole source of information about what was happening in Greece. It also informed the readership about community issues, challenges, and prospects, shaped opinions and attitudes, and played a significant role in the occasional tensions and disputes within the Greek Diaspora.
Today, the face of the Greek community in Australia is different; the social environment, media, opportunities, and needs have changed drastically. However, we believe that the press still holds, and should continue to hold, an important role within the Diaspora, taking into account the new conditions and realities.
Within this new framework of modern Australian society, Neos Kosmos continues its mission with determination, consistency, and dedication to the ideals and principles of the late Dimitrios Gogos, under the leadership of his son, the honourable Mr Christoforos Gogos, and with the care and attention of its distinguished Editor-in-Chief, the honourable Mr Sotirios Hatzimanolis. To them and their distinguished colleagues, we extend our warmest congratulations for their multifaceted work and contribution to the Greek Diaspora.
We once again warmly thank you for the gracious reception and kind words, and we bestow upon all of you, brothers and children, our heartfelt patriarchal blessing and prayer, wishing you abundant grace and strength from the Lord in your mission for the common good.”
