Archbishop Makarios of Australia has been conferred an Honorary Doctorate by the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA), in recognition of his contributions to theology, ecclesiastical leadership, and his service to the Orthodox Church and global Hellenism.
The honorary title was jointly awarded by the Department of Theology and the Department of Social Theology and Religious Studies during a formal ceremony held on Wednesday, in the university’s packed Great Hall. The event was graced by the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, Archbishop Ieronymos of Athens and All Greece, and a host of senior clergy, government officials, diplomats, and academics.
Among the notable attendees were former Greek President Katerina Sakellaropoulou, former Prime Minister Panagiotis Pikrammenos, academic and former Deputy PM Evangelos Venizelos, and the Australian Ambassador to Greece, Alison Duncan, representing Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
The university’s Rector, Professor Gerasimos Siassos, welcomed Archbishop Makarios, praising him as a figure who “embodies the combination of faith and knowledge, tradition and progress.” Dean Emmanuel Karageorgoudis also highlighted the Archbishop’s role in bridging academic theology with lived spiritual practice.
Following the formal reading of the decree and the presentation of the doctoral gown, Archbishop Makarios delivered a keynote address titled “Vox Populi on the Internet: The contemporary threat to ecclesiastical and democratic thought.”
In his speech, the Archbishop warned of the distortion of public discourse in the digital age, where online toxicity, hate speech, and misinformation often overshadow genuine community voices. He noted that although a loud minority dominates internet discourse, the majority remains silent—making it difficult to discern the true “voice of the people.”
He called for a renewed focus on empowering this “silent majority” to foster a healthier, more truthful digital culture, stating, “Evil grows when good people do nothing.”
The evening concluded with a formal dinner held in honour of His Eminence at the Grande Bretagne Hotel.
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