St Andrew’s Theological College marks 40 years in Sydney with milestone celebration

At a gala meal concluding the 2nd Pan-Australian Clergy Synaxis, Archbishop Makarios hailed the College arsenic “the bosom of our Church’s future”, announcing caller facilities and programs including Greek-language undergraduate study and a Diploma successful Byzantine Music.

The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia celebrated the 40th day of the St Andrew’s Theological College successful Sydney with an authoritative meal connected Tuesday 30 September astatine La Montage. The lawsuit besides marked the adjacent of the 2nd Pan-Australian Clergy Synaxis.

“From the archetypal infinitesimal of my accomplishment successful Australia successful 2019, the Theological College has been successful my bosom and mind, holding a salient spot successful my vision and pastoral attraction for our Holy Archdiocese,” Archbishop Makarios said, emphasising that “at St Andrew’s, the aboriginal of our Church and Orthodox witness connected the 5th continent is being cultivated.”

As Archbishop and Dean, Makarios outlined a guardant way for the College: “Relocation to purpose-built, state-of-the-art facilities designed to conscionable 21st-century acquisition needs; Expansion of world offerings, including undergraduate studies delivered successful Greek; The caller constitution of a Diploma successful Byzantine Music.”

“These initiatives awesome a caller play successful the beingness of the College,” helium noted, “one that will deepen its publication to some the Church and the wider society.”

Academic partnerships acknowledged

With representatives of the Australian University College of Divinity present, the Archbishop expressed gratitude for the body’s guidance, rigorous world oversight and fraternal support: “This ongoing practice has been and remains indispensable to the flourishing of our Theological College and to the credibility of Orthodox theological assistance successful Australia’s world sphere.”

Concluding his address, Archbishop Makarios bestowed the Order of the Lovers of Christ (Τάγμα των Φιλοχρίστων) connected 9 individuals—founding members oregon long-standing supporters of the College’s mission:

• Bishop Themistocles of Nikopolis (Patriarchate of Alexandria)
• Archdeacon of the Ecumenical Throne Fr John Chryssavgis
• Archimandrite of the Ecumenical Throne Fr Miltiades Chryssavgis
• Assoc. Prof. Dr Philip Kariatlis, Associate Dean of the College
• Rev. Alan Galt
• Prof. Angelos Karantonis
• Dr John Lee
• Dr Guy Freeland
• Fr Anastasios Kalogerakis

Distinguished attendees

Among the galore dignitaries were Metropolitan Apostolos of Miletus (representing His All-Holiness the Ecumenical Patriarch), the Abbots and Hierarchs: Metropolitan Ignatios of Demetrias, Metropolitan Gregorios of Cameroon, Metropolitan Ioustinos of Nea Krini and Kalamaria, Metropolitan Nathanael of Chicago, Metropolitan Myron of New Zealand, Metropolitan Damaskinos of Aetolia and Acarnania; members of the Archdiocesan Holy Eparchial Synod—Bishop Elpidios of Perth, Bishop Silouan of Adelaide, Bishop Kyriakos of Melbourne, Bishop Eumenios of Chora, Bishop Bartholomew of Brisbane, Bishop Athinagoras of Canberra; Bishop Iakovos of Militopolis, Bishop Christodoulos of Magnesia, Bishop Christophoros of Kerasounta; Archimandrite Ignatios Mourtzanos (Chancellor of the Metropolis of Larisa and Tyrnavos); Hieromonk Chrysostomos (Elder of the Cell of St John Chrysostom, Koutloumousian Skete, Mount Athos); Hierologist Fr Fotios Poulopoulos (Patriarchal Deacon); and Greece’s Consul-General successful Sydney, George Skemperis.