THE GREEK AUSTRALIAN The oldest circulating Greek newspaper outside VEMA Greece APRIL 2012 Tel. (02) 9559 7022 Fax: (02) 9559 7033 E-mail: [email protected] Media’s impact on our children: MMaassssiivveellyy MMuullttiillaayyeerr OOnnlliinnee GGaammeess ((MMMMOOGG’’ss)) PAGE 7/25

State Heritage Protection for the Cathedral of the Annunciation of Our Lady

Australia’s headquarter Greek Orthodox Ca- thedral has been listed on the State Heritage Register, the NSW Premier Barry O’Farrell an- nounced. PAGE 17/35

$1.9 million grant to Bribie Island youth campus The Gillard Government is providing a $1.9 million grant to the Greek Orthodox Archdio- cese of Australia to help complete the second phase of the Bribie Island Youth Campus. PAGE 17/35

Mt Mainalo The heart of the Peloponnese retains its rustic Christ is Risen! feel amid traditional settlements and fir forests.

PAGE 20/38 APRIL 2012 2/20 TO BHMA The Greek Australian VEMA

PATRIARCHAL ENCYCLICAL FOR HOLY PASCHA

Prot. No. 237 The world that is alienated from Christ endeavors to themselves to eternal death. mass material goods because it bases its hopes for sur- +BARTHOLOMEW vival on them. It unwisely imagines that it will escape Our Risen Lord Jesus Christ came into the world in order By the Mercy of God death through wealth. Deceived in this way to amass that all people “may have life and life in abundance” (John Archbishop of Constantinople-New Rome wealth, supposedly to extend their present life, human be- 10:10). We deceive ourselves if we believe that prosperi- and Ecumenical Patriarch ings disperse death among others, too. They deny others ty in the world can come from destroying one another. To the Plenitude of the Church the financial possibility of survival, often even violently de- Christ raises the dead and invalidates their killing. Christ Grace, Peace and Mercy from the Savior Christ, priving others of life, in the hope of preserving their own has the power to transcend death. Moreover, the fact that Risen in Glory life. he conquered death confirms His contempt of death. Christ leads to life; He re-bestows life, which happens to * * * How tragic! What a huge deception. For life is only ac- be interrupted, because He is “our life and our resurrec- He became the first-born among the dead. quired through faith in Christ and incorporation in His tion.” This is why we, the faithful, do not fear death. Our (Easter Apolytikion, 3rd tone) body. strength lies not in the invulnerability of our existence but in its possibility for resurrection. The experience of the Orthodox Church assures us that Beloved children in the Lord, those united with Christ live even after death, coexist with Christ is Risen! We, too, shall arise! the living, are in dialogue with them, can hear them and If Christ’s Resurrection referred to Himself, then its sig- are often even capable of miraculously fulfilling their re- Therefore, beloved brethren and children in the Lord, let nificance for us would be negligible. The Church pro- quests. us follow the Risen Christ in all His works. Let us come to claims, however, that, the Lord did not arise alone. Togeth- the assistance of those deprived of the means for survival er with Himself, He also resurrected all people. This is This means that it is no longer necessary to search for so that their life may be preserved. Let us proclaim to all how our predecessor, St. John Chrysostom, proclaims this the “fountain of immortality.” Immortality exists in Christ those who are ignorant of Christ’s Resurrection that, great truth in thunderous language: “Christ is risen, and and is offered by Him to all. through this, death was abolished and, as a result, they none are left dead in the grave; for in being raised from too may share in His Resurrection by believing in Him and the dead, he became the first-fruits of all who were There is no need for some nations to be destroyed in following His way. Our own resurrection is only possible asleep.” This means that Christ became the first-fruits of order for other nations to survive. Nor is there any need to when it is offered for the resurrection of others, of our the resurrection of all who have fallen asleep and who destroy defenseless human lives so that other human be- brothers and sisters. Then alone will the triumphant will fall asleep in the future, as well as of their transition ings may live in greater comfort. Christ offers life to all proclamation that “Christ is Risen!” refer to the salvation from death to life. The message is a joyful one for us all people, on earth as in heaven. He is risen, and all those for all of humanity. Let it be so! because, with His Resurrection Christ abolished the pow- who so desire life may follow Him on the way of Resur- er of death. Those who believe in Him await the resurrec- rection. By contrast, all those who bring about death, Holy Pascha 2012 tion of the dead and are accordingly baptized in His death, whether indirectly or directly, believing that in this way + Bartholomew of Constantinople rise with Him and live on in life eternal. they are prolonging or enhancing their own life, condemn Your fervent supplicant for all APRIL 2012 The Greek Australian VEMA TO BHMA 3/21 Editorial

Freedom or death?

By Nikos Konstandaras - Kathimerini, Athens In other words, some are thinking of abstaining while others will vote for something that they don't want, “I heard that many are thinking of not voting in the blinded by their anger and in protest at the lack of op- coming elections, in protest. I have spent my life with tions that they have in terms of policies and politicians. people who were ready to sacrifice their freedom, their Abstention, though, is like suicide. Suicide is punishment, life, for the right to vote,” said George Bizos, the lawyer it is revenge, it is not a way out nor an example to be who is a credit to all Greeks for his tireless devotion to followed. It is only an attempt to flee problems, not to the struggle for democracy in South Africa. “I hope the solve them. We cannot expect others to take the deci- Greeks follow their example,” he added, shaking his sions that we want taken, while we wallow in anger head slowly, visibly moved. and passivity. He must have been thinking of his friend Nelson Man- Clearly, our political system cannot bear the weight of dela, whom he defended when he was being tried for the past nor the difficult present. Those who have gov- his resistance to the apartheid regime that had stripped erned lack credibility, however hard they try to show his people of their rights, and many others, living and that they have changed; if the polls are right and PASOK dead, famous and anonymous. and New Democracy together get less than 50 percent Mandela escaped the death sentence but spent 27 found that one in five voters is thinking of abstaining in the elections, they will not have the legitimacy to car- years in prison. After his release in the early 1990s, (down from one in three a few months ago). ry out all the difficult policies demanded by our loan Mandela said, “Greece is the mother of democracy and Apart from their justified anger at today's situation, agreements. This will oblige the smaller parties to South Africa is her youngest daughter,” Bizos told a con- though, it is crucial that citizens see the issue beyond choose between contributing toward solving the coun- ference on ways to get Greece out of the crisis that that of individual politicians. The way things have devel- try's problems or denying reality and so making the was organized by Ellines.com last week. oped, we have to choose between the difficult road of country even less governable. This was the image that people had of Greece. We remaining in the eurozone or the unknown venture of It is crucial that the true feelings of the voters are ex- may have had our problems and allowed them to lead liberating ourselves from loans and debt and, conse- pressed in the coming elections, without abstentions us to catastrophe, but the rest of the world remem- quently, from Europe and the international economy. Be- and without frivolous decisions. Let's learn where we bered humanity's debt to those few troubled but brilliant sides the apparent number of abstentions and the rise stand and what we want, so that we can know how to years in ancient Athens that gave the world the idea that of extremist groups, the polls also show that a large go ahead. Our politics and our economy are bankrupt free citizens, with equal rights, could be responsible for majority of citizens want Greece to remain in the euro- and need changing, but our citizens cannot be seen as their own fate, for the way in which they are governed. zone. This would suggest that increased backing of par- failures. The question is whether the Greeks, who place Today, among all the ills that have befallen us, is the ties which agree only in their wish to forgo Greece's their freedom above all other values, and the Resurrec- anger of many citizens who are thinking of staying obligations is to a great extent the result of anger and tion above all other holidays, will stay stuck in their pur- away from the elections, or are thinking of casting a disappointment and not the conscious adoption of their suit of dead ends or shoulder the responsibility of “protest” vote. A Public Issue poll at the end of March positions. democracy. AWARD FOR GREEK ORTHODOX TEACHER

The contribution of Greek Orthodox religious educa- tion teachers in State Schools was recognised in a for- mal ceremony held in the New South Wales Parliament House on 29th March 2012. Mrs Helen Magdas was given a special award for sustained and continued contribution to special religious education for the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Aus- tralia. Helen has been involved in the training of Greek Or- thodox special religious education teachers since 1988. She has coordinated the development of a K-Year 7 curriculum with over 300 separate lessons. In March 1990, Helen was also the first lay represen- Mrs Helen Magdas tative of the Greek Orthodox Church on the Inter-Church receiving her award Commission on Religious Education in Schools. from Minister for Education the Hon. Mrs Magdas has continued her personal involvement Adrian Piccoli as a special religious education teacher, high school teacher, catechist and youth leader (while also being a mother of 7). She continues as an active member of the Training and Curriculum Committee of St Andrew’s Greek Orthodox Theological College and provides an the Greek-speaking teacher the classroom teacher said, example of total community involvement in special reli- “You can sense her deep faith and her love for the chil- gious education at every level. dren”. Her award was received from the Minister for Educa- Mrs Magdas pointed out that what is being conveyed tion the Hon. Adrian Piccoli. in special religious education is not simply knowledge Mrs Magdas was one of the opening speakers at this or even a program of how to be a good person. What celebration of Special Religious Education before an au- the Orthodox religious education teacher really commu- dience of Parliamentarians including the Hon Carmel nicates is God’s unconditional love for each and every Tebbutt (Shadow Minister for Education) and an audi- child. ence of around 250 representing all faith groups. tance of God in our lives and the importance of our Fr Constantine Varipatis represented His Eminence She said that in New South Wales there are 36 Greek Greek Orthodox heritage. Archbishop Stylianos at the function and commented Orthodox parishes, most of which organise volunteers She indicated that, much to her surprise, in schools how proud he was to be present at these awards and to go into the local State schools. She mentioned that where there are still Greek-speaking teachers the chil- to see community recognition for the work done by our until recently the majority of our teachers were older dren respond very warmly to them. Mrs Magdas gave volunteers. Greek-speaking ladies. Despite the language barriers, an example from last year of a classroom teacher who however, a great number of these women have com- sat in during a Greek Orthodox religious education class Dr Jim Athanasou municated to the children what many of her parent’s (and who does not understand Greek). This teacher ex- St Andrew’s Greek Orthodox Theological College generation conveyed to their own children - the impor- pressed how much she enjoyed the lesson. Referring to [email protected] 4/22 TO BHMA The Greek Australian VEMA APRIL 2012

Outer Freedom and Inner Chains

Everywhere the citizens of affluent countries collaborate the agony at Gesthemane and the withdrawal of comfort In so many ways our “liberation” movements have made in their own subordination. The mainstream discourse is by His closest friends. The Lord is defined only by a deep us slaves without chains. Spiritual wisdom speaks of inner permeated with a consumer conformity pursuing substi- sense of transcendent purpose. There is no narcissistic freedom while political parties speak of outer liberty so tute gratifications through wealth, perfect bodies, celebrity opinion, no longing for “having”, no envy. that as Fromm again says, “The outer chains have simply and status. At the acme of the Passion there is the full strength of been put inside man” with the outer illusion of freedom. For decades we have felt the path to a good society lies freedom, fuelled by unbridled purpose emerging from the The chains are secured by postmodern ethics and per- solely in economic growth and greater materialism. De- absolute. sonal narcissism. Our authentic freedom rests inside us spite this increased material prosperity we seem no hap- At the point of condemnation by the hand of “objects” He waiting for its resurrection as we are invited by life to live pier. is unencumbered in His inner freedom. He is born and be- it faithfully. Although there are multiple challenges with all attempts cause of this there is already a resurrection! Father Dimitri Tsakas to rank happiness among nations, one thing is certain, ma- terial prosperity takes second place to relationships and life purpose. Further, the World Health Organisation states March 22, 2012 depression is on trend to become the 2nd most burden- some disease in the world by 2020 and will overtake STATEMENT heart disease to take 1st place by 2030. OF THE EPISCOPAL ASSEMBLY OF OCEANIA Our civic freedom results from centuries of struggle and socio-political evolution that has overcome manifold overt FOR THE SENATE STANDING COMMITTEE ON LEGAL oppressions, yet inner freedom remains illusive. At this AND CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS, CANBERRA deeply personal level we have surrendered to the rav- ages of a movement called post-modernism. Postmodernism is a way of thinking that focuses on de- constructing meaning in a way that renders it almost Inquiry into the Marriage Equality Amendment Bill 2012 meaningless. It is founded upon the belief that nothing has absolute value in and of itself and that the meaning of any institution, religion, or culture is literally “made up” by peo- Dear Sir/Madam, ple in all its dimensions. Postmodern ethical thinking is in some aspects laudable The Orthodox Christian position on marriage requires an adequate understanding of (as for example in deconstructing patriarchy in gender re- how the term ‘marriage’ is understood not only in our faith community, but also its lationships that allows us to foster a greater freedom for broader societal implications. women in gender relations), but it has reduced our moral sensibility and purpose in life to “simply what I think” or Marriage is regarded above all as a sacrament that has been instituted by God who “my opinion”. If Archimedes famously said, “give me one created man and woman in His own image and likeness (Genesis 1:27-31). There is fixed point and I will move the earth”, we have arrived at a strong biblical basis for this view, and the position of the Orthodox Church a historical juncture with no fixed points and no ability to worldwide (not only in Australia) can never depart from the teaching of Holy move anything anymore. Scripture. The union between a man and a woman in the Sacrament of Marriage Our personal lives descend into a quagmire of paradox. reflects the union between Christ and His Church (Ephesians 5:21-33). For the first time in history, freedom from oppression has allowed many people to engage choice and search for au- Those who freely choose to enter into marriage, enter into a conjugal union which thentic identity. Some do through deep reflection but most ideally leads to procreation. Whilst not every marriage is blessed with the birth of seek a proxy identity through consumption and thus avoid children, every such monogamous union exists to form of a man and a woman a new the most essential of questions, namely “how should I live?” reality of ‘one flesh’ (Mark 10:6-8). At the heart of a struggle for inner freedom, are ques- tions that are fundamentally metaphysical, an arena of ter- The implications of such within society are: ror for most of us. These questions include “What is a hu- man life? How do we die meaningfully? What are the lim- x Marriage is a unique relationship between one man and one woman wherein its of rationalism? What is spirituality?” the human person is made complete through gender complementarity; x Marriage is the very foundation of a family, which in turn is the foundation of We have confused freedom with narcissism and pleas- society itself; ure with happiness. Freedom is not fundamentally about x Confusing the institution of marriage with same-sex unions will have serious doing whatever we want. It is being able to live morally consequences for religious freedom and implications for freedom of and righteously. It is the use of freedom to impose self- conscience; and constraint that endows us with a sense of self. Its use x Children should be afforded every opportunity to start life, grow and develop solely for pleasure is, if unfettered, usually destructive. with both their biological parents, i.e. their mother and father. Freedom without self-control leads to a disintegration of self and ultimately, happiness. Our purpose is not that government legislation should become a ‘tool’ to impose There are two relevant axiomatic modes of orientation Christian ethics upon fellow citizens who do not share our beliefs. This of course toward self and other in this psychological dynamic, “To have” or “To be”. As Eric Fromm aptly reminds us, the would not be legitimate, given that we respect the free will of all. Rather, our concern choice between them determines ultimately how a person is that the very institution of marriage, which has a Christian tradition of two entire thinks, feels, and acts. millennia, should remain as it is, and not be confused with the political debate We live either on the basis of “having” (money, status, concerning the legal status of same-sex unions. people at our disposal and so on), or “being” (fulfilled in meaningful activity of service, love, and reason). In the ab- sence of true self-value, or meaningfulness we become Prayerfully,

“possessed by objects” that provide us with “identity”. Our movement toward inner freedom is a movement through the stages of “I am what I have” to “I am what I do” and finally rests in “I am what I am”. To be free, rather than “secure” is a night terror to anyone who has not mus- tered the courage for the adventure of being. The central task of our journey in life consequently, is to His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion (Russian Orthodox Church) be born. A person’s life is a journey toward the birth of in- ner freedom. The existential tragedy of our time is that most die without being born and under the illusion of a false freedom. If the task of life is “to be born”, we see this most clear- ly in the life of our mystic saints and at its pinnacle, in the Paschal events culminating in Christ’s resurrection. In the events we commemorate through Holy Week, one wit- nesses Christ in the full glory of what it means to be “I am what I am”. Christ is not defined by materialism, or political authori- ty, nor popular support. He is not redefined in identity by APRIL 2012 The Greek Australian VEMA TO BHMA 5/23 Our Primate’s View

EASTER MESSAGE 2012

+ S T Y L I A N O S fied Christ, the sacrificial God-Man, with the very word By the grace of God Archbishop of Australia ‘Pascha’! to all the Reverend Clergy and devout faithful of our holy Archdiocese In other words, what characterises Pascha is nei- ther the time nor the manner of the Feast. The incarnate God, who died and rose for all people, is Himself called Pascha: “Pascha, Christ the Redeemer”! Brother concelebrants and ‘illumined children of the Church’, This is precisely the reason why the Apostle Paul points out to all faithful the direct relationship that exists Behold, before us once again is the blessed between our baptism and the death and Resurrection of Paschal joy. Being the climax of our Church Calendar, it Christ: comes - following the purification of the sacred Triodion period and Great Lent - as a reward for the mourning and “Therefore we were buried with Him through bap- lamentations of Holy Week, through the joyful cry of the tism into death, so that just as Christ was raised By ARCHBISHOP Resurrection “CHRIST IS RISEN”! from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too STYLIANOS should walk in the newness of life” The constant repetition of this traditional sacred OF AUSTRALIA drama also provides great amazement every year to all (Romans 6:4) the people of God, whether Clergy or Laity, who hasten to confess with spiritual gladness that, truly: However, when the Apostle Paul calls us to “walk in the newness of life”, he is not simply suggesting a “A sacred Pascha [Easter] is shown to us today”! more pious life after baptism. The new life through bap- tism, which undoubtedly presupposes the death of our However, the continuation of the Paschal Service previous selfish life, is entirely the ‘life in Christ’. For this is highly eloquent concerning the sentiments not only of reason it is granted to us “by the glory of the Father”, in the holy hymnographer, but equally also of the prayerful- which case we participate in the Resurrection of Christ, ness of the faithful: becoming ‘co-inheritors’ of His kingdom.

“...a new and holy Pascha, a mystic Pascha; To the Lord of life and immortality, who for all peo- an all-venerable Pascha; ple suffered and rose, be all honour and worship to the Pascha, Christ the Redeemer; ages. Pascha without blemish; a great Pascha; Pascha of the faithful; Amen! Pascha, that has opened to us the gates of Paradise; Pascha sanctifying all the faithful.” EASTER 2012 With fervent prayers in the Risen Christ At any rate, the Biblical word Pascha, which as Archbishop S T Y L I A N O S we know means ‘passage’ (from one state to another), could not express the mystery of the salvation of all humankind, unless our Easter hymnology had not identi- [Translation from the original Greek by DK]

Greek unis eyeing foreign collaborations

Greek state universities and technical colleges are the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Moldo- in turn, has come to an arrangement with the China looking all the way to the Far East for collaborations with va for collaborations. Youth University for Political Sciences. According to the institutions there in a bid to attract students from over- The rector of the University of the Peloponnese, vice rector in charge of the institution’s academic affairs, seas and hopefully bring some revenues into their crisis- Theodoros Papatheodorou, revealed that he has already Giorgos Vasilakopoulos, the Chinese university boasts a hit coffers. signed a deal with the Jiao Tong University in Shanghai, number of high-ranking politicians and businessmen Most rectors are eyeing China as a likely source of which is one of the oldest in China (founded in 1796), as among its graduates, while the collaborations signed overseas students, while a few are exploring ways of well as one of the biggest. concern exchanges of students and teaching staff, as drumming up business with Chinese companies that are “We have agreed on exchanges of students, profes- well as the development of joint research programs. active in Greece, such as shipping giant Cosco. sors and researchers, on developing political, economic At the Agricultural University of Athens, authorities are Meanwhile, universities are also forging ties with insti- and technological departments in Greece and China, and waiting for the license to be issued for Greece’s first tutions in other countries, such as Russia and the United establishing permanent bodies for the study and re- university branch overseas, which is to be located in the Arab Emirates, the latter of which is expected to inaugu- search of Chinese and Greek culture respectively,” Pap- UAE. Rector Constantinos Feggeros said that the depart- rate the first overseas branch of a Greek university in atheodorou said. Within the framework of the same ment will be working closely with the Hail Agricultural 2013. agreement, the Greek university will host an institute of Development Company, which is active throughout the There also seems to be some interest from neighbor- Sino-European studies that will be aimed at undergradu- region, and it is expected to go into operation in 2013-14 ing countries such as Cyprus, Bulgaria, Romania, Albania, ate and postgraduate students. The University of Piraeus, in Abu Dhabi and Dubai. APRIL 2012 6/24 TO BHMA The Greek Australian VEMA

April0064 Letter from Maroubra As the bus meandered down the peninsula…

Not too far south of Maroubra in a barren stretch of coastal land is the Botany Cemetery. It is not exactly the topic of many dinner party conversations but it is a part of the lives of many Greek-Australians. You may know the large Orthodox section at the southernmost part, as it slopes down to the Chinese market gardens that were established around 1918-23. By the late 1970s, this Orthodox section was filled and Source: http://sydney-eye.blogspot.com.au/2011/10/paying-ones-respects.html Greek Orthodox were then buried in adjoining areas and then along the eastern side near Bunnerong Road. Tell me something - when they were still young play- So here am I, son of an Odysseus blown by winds far Even these sections filled and more plots were made ing in fields near their village or swimming in the azure from the Dodecanese to the Antipodes. I pause for a available where the Bunnerong Power Station once s- waters of the Aegean, how many of them could have moment before a grave that I knew - “Here lies NGP of tood. imagined that one day their final resting place would be Kastellorizo, died 26th December 1962, aged 80”; and New buildings, modern cafes and luscious gardens on the opposite side of the world? below this inscription: “The ever-memorable mother and now decorate the grounds. The stonemasons have giv- At Botany, people of all ages and walks of life come grandmother R, departed 24th July 1990, age 92”. They en way to things called condolence centres. It seems by to pay their respects. It is often on a weekend when had five daughters and two sons, 14 grandchildren. A that one cannot even die in peace without feeding fu- the business of the week is past. It is a moment when few metres away was their daughter, “died 1.5.74, age neral directors and then a horde of relatives and their thoughts turn to their duty as a husband, wife, son 48”. One by one those who might have come to pay friends. As though there is not enough for grieving fam- or daughter. their respects have also gone their own way. ilies to cope with; there are now elaborate funeral They take a few moments out of their daily life to re- There were many others that I knew. Some were arrangements and catering extravaganzas. member their archetype, their DNA. people who strode this world like giants. They com- Anyway, this road from Maroubra to Botany has often You may not realise that this example of respect im- manded others and established reputations but in the fi- been travelled by Greek Orthodox. The departed find presses others. Here is what one blogger, Sydney Eye, nal analysis it does not count for much. I have yet to see their resting place near the tranquil shores of Botany wrote: a headstone that lists one’s occupation or bank balance. Bay. They can see ships from every corner of the world As the bus meandered down the peninsula, it Almost all refer to father, mother, son, daughter, hus- unloading their cargo. When the wind is in the right di- increasingly filled with passengers who, to me, band or wife. rection they can look in the direction of the north-south were all very similar. I took a wild punt that they There is much to learn by the shores of Botany Bay. runway and maybe catch a glimpse of jets taking off to were going my way. And sure enough, the bus For today, it was a return journey but the day will also faraway destinations. emptied at the Botany Cemetery stop. come when I get a one-way ticket to a coastland not too It is a little ironic in some cases that they will see peo- Mostly the other passengers were in their 70s, far south of Maroubra. ple on their way to Greece. This was the homeland they short and a little overweight, wearing black. Pre- dominantly they were female, but not exclusively. left in their youth but in many cases never returned to The views expressed are those of the author and not neces- visit. They left because of hunger, poverty or wars and I followed them; they were all in a jolly mood; sarily those of the VEMA or St Andrew’s Greek Orthodox Theo- put their faith in Australia. It could not have been easy. and, they all seemed to know each other well. logical College. This article was prepared prior to and independ- They were heroes. Mostly, they were Greek. Am I supposed to say ently of any petition to expand the Botany Cemetery. They came; they stayed; they married; and had fami- ‘of Greek extraction’? Anyways, they were Greek. lies. Some prospered; others survived. They continued They led me to the most beautifully maintained until the day when the eternal footman called and said, section of any cemetery I have ever visited. “Sir, madam it was time.” (Reprinted with permission, Sydney Eye) [email protected] Seven Wonders of the ancient World This list accompanies the the article Travel, tourists and Temple of Artemis (Ephesus) Lighthouse of Alexandria guidebooks in ancient Greece. An enormous Ionic temple, Constructed after 280BC by the Egyptian ruler Ptolemy I around 60m by 115m, built around Soter, the lighthouse (pharos) stood at least 120m tall, Statue of Zeus at Olympia 550BC by Chersiphron, his son marking the entrance to Alexandria’s harbour and produc- A seated, chryselephantine fig- Metagenes and Theodoros of Sa- ing a light visible for at least 40km. ure of Zeus, 12.40m high, created mos, paid for by King Croesus of Great Pyramid of Giza around 430BC by the Athenian Lydia, burned in 356 BC by a glory- Completed around 2560BC, a 146.5m-high tomb for the sculptor Phidias for the temple of seeking madman, then rebuilt. Pliny 4th Dynasty Egyptian Pharaoh Khufu (Cheops); it was the Zeus. Strabo commented that wrote that the huge door lintel was tallest manmade structure in ancient times. The structure viewers of this enormous statue, reputedly laid in place by Artemis contained nearly 2.3 million stone blocks. Herodotus notes whose head nearly touched the herself. that Cheops was succeeded by his brother Khafre (Khep- roof, were given the impression hren), who also built a pyramid, but the latter’s “is smaller that “if Zeus arose and stood Mausoleum of Halicarnassus than his brother’s. I have measured it myself”. erect, he would unroof the tem- The monumental tomb of the Per- ple”. sian satrap Mausolus of Caria, 46m Hanging Gardens of Babylon high, on a 38m square podium, built Still the least known of the seven wonders, the “hanging Colossus of Rhodes 353-350BC, containing carved my- gardens” were established either by King Nebuchadnez- A gigantic iron-bronze-stone statue of Rhodes’ patron thological scenes, including the zar II around 600BC in Babylon, or by Assyrian king Sen- god Helios (Sun), over 30m tall on a 15m pedestal, creat- Amazonomachy, and as many as nacherib at Nineveh (“Old Babylon”) around 700BC. An in- ed around 280BC by Chares of Lindos to celebrate the end 300 statues at three different scales vention like the Archimedean screw, a rotation pump, was of Demetrius Poliorcetes’ unsuccessful siege in 304BC. on six different levels, with a pyra- reputedly used to carry water up to the gardens, which Mediaeval artists envisioned the Colossus as straddling mid-shaped roof and a four-horse decorated an artificial mountain of pillar-supported ter- the city’s harbour entrance. chariot on top. races rising above the city’s walls. APRIL 2012 The Greek Australian VEMA TO BHMA 7/25

Growing up fast and furious Media’s impact on our children Massively Multilayer Online Games (MMOGs)

By Fr George Liangas Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist School Chaplain, All Saints Grammar, Sydney

“I write to you, young people, because you are strong and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.” 1 John 2:14, NRSV

Massively Multilayer Online Games (MMOGs) are games that can support a large number of people play- ing at the same time. An internet connection is required; hence these games have traditionally been played on computers. However, given that newer games consoles such as Xbox 360 and Wii have access to the internet, MMOGs can now be also played on these. They are in- creasingly been played on mobile phones as well. MMOGs allow players to interact, cooperate and com- pete with each other in a large scale and with people all over the world1.

Some games are free-to-play (other than the cost of the required software), some require a monthly subscrip- tion, and some are ‘freemium’, where much of the con- tent is available for free, but players pay for extra con- tent or added perks2. About half of the gamers pay real money to play MMOGs. In the US, gamers pay about $3.8 billion per year.

There are various types of MMOGs. The most common type is the Role-Playing games, commonly known as MMORPGs. The most popular such game is World of Warcraft, with over 10 million subscribers worldwide3. As with other MMORPGs, a player controls a character avatar, which is the user’s online alter ego or character. Players choose a realm, profession and other skills for actions; they may have social anxiety, loneliness, or oth- This is at odds with Jesus’ words to “deny ourselves” their character. Their aim is to complete various quests er social difficulties6. They may feel more accepted in (Luke 9:23). The purpose of the Christian life is to get to in a fantasy world of Orcs, Trolls, ghosts, dragons, zom- the on-line world, or gaming may be an escape from know ourselves; especially in relation to our Creator; to bies and werewolves. Other MMOG types include First- their real-life troubles. do away with the old, sinful self, and be alive to God Person Shooter games (MMOFPS), Real-Time Strategy (Romans 6:11). God has given us enough time in this life games (MMORTS), simulations (e.g. World War II Online), Escapism as we need, hence we need to “redeem the time, be- sports, racing, casual games and social games (e.g. Online gamers have to do a lot of hard, repetitive work cause the days are evil” (Ephesians 5:16). In this context, Second Life). to progress to higher levels, the sort of work that is of- the youth are the ones fighting a most intense spiritual ten avoided in a 9-to-5 job. One research paper asked, battle (1 John 13-14, 1 Timothy 4:12). Any sense of iden- Addiction “What is it about online games or the player that makes tity is formed through fighting this battle, rather than any According the research studies, playing MMOGs be- such work so compelling?”7 They concluded that in the virtual, self-elevating battle. For a young person, a life comes a problem when it is done excessively. This may virtual world hard work gets rewarded in a more cer- away from Christ can be mundane, and the virtual world not be a small proportion. In one sample of online tain way than it gets rewarded in real life. In another ar- only intensifies, not alleviates, this mundane-ness. gamers, 67% were playing for more than 20 hours per ticle comparing real marriages to virtual marriages, week4. In such cases, online gaming can lead to Prob- some player responses justifying virtual marriages in- lematic Internet Use, the formal name given to ‘internet cluded, “It’s just for fun, it’s different from the reality, addiction’. These games have several features making having a lot of fantasy - besides, it saves money. It’s them addictive. Firstly, the story line evolves over time horrible to get married in reality”, and “in real life we 1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Massively_multiplayer_online_game. Acces- and the time frame in which something important oc- are afraid to get married, but in the game, we can do sed 30th March 2012. curs is unpredictable. The gamer is enticed to play something we are afraid to do and take no responsibil- 2 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_MMORPGs. Accessed 30th March 8 2012. more, thereby increasing the chances of ‘striking lucky’. ity for it” . (These games, incidentally, are not totally in- 3 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_of_Warcraft. Accessed 30th March Secondly, the acclaim and positive attention that one nocuous, as in some cases have “destroyed real-life 2012. gets from others in the game interactions is a very marriages”). 4 Griffiths MD, Davies MNO, Chappell D. Breaking the stereotype: The case strong driver of addictive behaviours5. of online gaming. Cyberpsychology and Behaviour 2003; 6:81-91. Consumerism 5 Charlton JP, Danforth IDW. Distinguishing addiction and high engagement in the context of online game playing. Computers in Human Behavior Studies show that many online gamers do show addic- Some authors have written that MMOGs are a reflection 2007; 23:1531-1548. tive behaviours. For example, in one study, 40% or more of modern consumeristic culture. Using the developing 6 Caplan S, Williams D, Yee N. Problematic Internet use and psychosocial of study participants had the following addictive behav- China as an example, one author notes that both con- well-being among MMO players. Computers in Human Behavior 2009; iours: ever-increasing time spent on the game, social sumerism and MMOGs allow “new ways for people to 25:1312-1319. 7 9 Consalvo M, Alley TD, Dutton N, et al. Where’s my montage? The per- life suffering as a result of gaming, gaming contributing build their identities from the ground up” in a way that formance of hard work and its reward in film, television, and MMOGs. to arguments at home, and sleep being affected. Males the self and the expression of self are greatly elevated. Games and Culture 2010; 5:381-402. were much more likely to play these games and show This is contributing to a moral crisis. 8 Wu W, Fore S, Wang X, Ho PSY. Beyond virtual carnival and masquerade: addictive behaviours. In-game marriage on the Chinese internet. Games and Culture 2007; 2:59- A scriptural perspective 89. 9 Golub A, Lingley K. “Just like the Qing Empire”: Internet addiction, MMOGs, People more likely to be excessively involved with One of the strongest reasons for the popularity of on- and moral crisis in contemporary China. Games and Culture 2008; 3:59- MMOGs are those with difficulties in their real-life inter- line gaming seems to be the artificial elevating of self. 75. APRIL 2012 8/26 TO BHMA The Greek Australian VEMA Windows to Orthodoxy Jesus Christ, Liberator of Prisoners

By Guy Freeland *

Thou didst descend into the deepest parts of the earth, and did shatter the everlasting bars that held fast those who were fettered, O Christ. And on the third day, like Jonas from the sea monster, Thou didst arise from the grave.

(Ode 6, Canon of Paschal Mattins. The Pentecostarion, Holy Transfiguration Monastery.)

Men at some time are masters of their fates: The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, But in ourselves, that we are underlings.

(Shakespeare, Hamlet, act 1, scene 2.)

The Paschal Icon One and the same icon is proper to both Great Saturday and Easter Sunday, The Descent into Hades. The icon ac- tually depicts Christ’s ascent from Hades - His Resurrec- tion - rather than His descent. The icon, however, is paint- ed in what is called episodic time. Christ is portrayed as the radiant, transfigured and res- urrected Lord raising up Adam (often also Eve), with the righteous dead of the Old Testament standing either side. But the descent, what in the West is called The Harrowing of Hell, is also signified on many icons by the wreckage of the prison and the shattered chains and broken locks from which the dead had been released. While all the prisoners have been freed, it is the subterranean gaoler, Satan, who is often depicted as having been bound in chains by Christ. That the harrowing was only achieved because Christ had suffered death on the Cross, taking upon Himself the sins of the world, is signified not only by the Cross itself, which Christ holds on some icons, but also by the cross formed by the unhinged doors of Hades. In other words, the icon comprehends the whole Paschal Mystery - the Cross, the Descent into Hades, the Resurrection - as a continuous integrated episode. There is a great deal to be said about this icon but it is what can be seen in the dark cavern of Hades, the de- spoiled prison and the shattered chains, that I wish to fo- cus attention.

St Peter’s Chains Enshrined in a crystal and bronze reliquary in the ancient Roman church of St Peter ad Vincula/in Vincoli (St Peter in Chains) are ominous-looking iron chains. The reliquary ac- According to the Acts of the Apostles 12:1-11, St Peter Dispensation to the New / the foreshadowing to the fulfil- tually contains two sets of chains, chains with which, it is was arrested after Herod had beheaded St James, broth- ment - is missed by most Orthodox. claimed, St Peter was shackled when imprisoned in er of St John. But then: Of the three narratives of miraculous unshacklings from Jerusalem by Herod Agrippa I and chains with which it is “Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with Acts, the first, Acts 5:12-20 (release of the Apostles), is said that he was constrained when imprisoned in Rome, two chains, and sentries - were guarding the prison; and read at the Divine Liturgy on the Sunday of Thomas and the where he was martyred. behold, an angel of the Lord appeared, and a light shone third, Acts 16:16-34 (Paul and Silas), on the 6th Sunday of According to the Menaion (the work which gives the in the cell; and he struck Peter on the side and woke him, Pascha, Sunday of the Blind Man. The second passage, liturgical texts for the fixed feasts) it would seem that one saying, “Get up quickly.” And the chains fell off his hands Acts 12:1-11 (St Peter), is not read on a Sunday of Easter- of the Jerusalem chains was at some time sent from (12:6b-7,RSV).” tide. It is, however, read at the Liturgy on St George’s Day, Rome to Constantinople (whether it still exists I do not There are two other accounts in Acts of the miraculous April 23. know). The Canon of the feast bears witness to the im- unshackling of prisoners. Acts 5:17-20 tells of the release Although, as a result of the discrepancy between the Ju- portance of the festival in the Eastern capital. Ode 7 - of the Apostles after they had been thrown into prison by lian and the Gregorian calendars, New Style St George’s which invokes the surely unique metaphor of St Peter as a the High Priest, and Acts 16:16-34 tells how Paul and Silas Day often falls before Bright Week, it is intrinsically a ma- racehorse - will serve as an example: were imprisoned at Philippi by the magistrates: jor Paschal festival, with readings from Acts and the Gos- “Peter, the horse and Apostle of Christ, issued from “But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and pel appointed for Eastertide, John. The Gospel reading, Palestine as out of a starting-gate and preached unto the singing hymns to God, - and suddenly there was a great John 15:17 - 16:2, tells of Christ’s promise of the sending whole world: and while he made rest in the first Rome, he earthquake - and immediately all the doors were opened of the Holy Spirit, which took place on the Jewish feast of gave his chain to the New Rome to be worshipped.” and every one’s fetters were unfastened (16:25-26).” Pentecost. (The Menaion, January, Holy Transfiguration Monastery.) Originally the Divine Liturgy had three, not just two, The Church, then, associates the miraculous unchainings The feast of St Peter’s Chains is kept on January 16 by scriptural readings: an Old Testament passage, the Epistle of Acts with Pascha. The three Paschaltide readings of the the Orthodox Church and on August 1 in the West. and the Gospel. However, during Eastertide/Pentecoste release of leaders of the Apostolic Church relate directly The building of St Peter ad Vincula, consecrated in 439, (Easter Sunday through Pentecost) readings from the Acts as antitypes to Christ’s loosing of the prisoners in Hades, was financed by the Empress Eudoxia, daughter of Theo- of the Apostles replaced the Old Testament reading. To- the type. (And in its turn, Christ’s descent into Hades is dosius II and wife of Emperor of the West Valentinian III, to day, the first reading is omitted except during Eastertide foreshadowed by Old Testament types, most notably the house the Jerusalem chains sent to her by her mother Eu- when Acts is read followed by the Gospel, and it is the story of Jonah and the whale, and even by pagan types, docia/Athenais. Originally the church was known as the Epistle which is omitted. notably the myth of Theseus and the Minotaur.) Titulus Eudoxiae after its founding patron. The site of the This reduction to two readings means that the symbol- We are all, metaphorically speaking, shackled with church was chosen because it was close by the prison ism of the transition from Old Testament readings, so chains and in prison/Hades and Christ alone can unshack- (then still in use) where tradition says that the Apostle was marked a characteristic of the services of Great Lent and le and release us. By means of the sacramental signs of held. Holy Week in general, to the Acts of the Apostles - the Old APRIL 2012 The Greek Australian VEMA TO BHMA 9/27

Cont. from previous page

Baptism the chains of sin fall away as we are resurrected with Christ. During Eastertide in early times those who had been baptised at the Paschal Vigil received further instruc- tion, explaining the nature of the Mysteries they had un- dergone. The physical chains of the Acts narratives would thus have had deep significance for the neophytes, the newly-baptised, and so provided a basis for post-bap- tismal homilies. Of course the neophytes still have to accommodate to themselves in their lives what Christ has already sacra- mentally achieved for them through the Mysteries of Initiation. There still has to be a synergy, a co-operation with Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit, to live as re- leased prisoners enjoying their freedom in the Risen Sa- viour.

Breaking the Chains of Necessity Hades is not a physical place located in the bowels of the earth (or anywhere else) but a state of being. Christ’s descent into Hades was a reality, but one couched in metaphorical or allegorical language. At one level, Hades is the prison we make for ourselves through our self-centredness and its accompanying state of despair; a state in which we vainly attempt to loosen our chains through addictive escapism or through a lust for wealth, possessions or power over others. The more we struggle for release through such sinful ways the fur- ther we alienate ourselves from God and the tighter the shackles bind and wound us. Under this interpretation, Hades is located in our own heart and mind. Christ’s descent is thus His descent into the very depths of our being and it is from the chains of that self-made Hell that He releases us. But the allegory can be understood on a different level. There are not only chains we forge for ourselves but ones that are imposed on us by external forces. These are the chains of necessity, and from these chains too Christ re- leases us. In the Church’s liturgy we pray for forgiveness of the personal sins we have committed and ask God’s help to keep us free from sin, but we also pray for deliverance from external forces and constraints for which we are not personally responsible: Reliquary of St Peter’s Chains, St Peter ad Vincula, Rome. Photo: Wikipedia. “For our deliverance from all affliction, anger, danger and necessity, let us pray to the Lord.” Reliquary of St Peter’s Chains, St Peter ad Vincula, Rome. Christianity was for the Ancient world. Christ through the From affliction imposed by the actions of others, the fury Photo: Wikipedia. Paschal Mystery broke the chains of necessity and set hu- of civil powers (all too common in the Byzantine world and guide and guard the faithful and reflect the glory of God. manity free from slavery to pagan gods or to angels. dictatorships, even sometimes liberal democracies, today), However, we do not believe that chemical reactions, ce- The modern belief that human beings can progressively dangers posed by natural disasters and human negli- lestial motions and natural forces are caused by angelic gain control of natural phenomena through the advance of gence, from all such forces beyond our control we pray powers but are governed by natural laws. scientific understanding owes a great deal to the rise of for deliverance. But why is “necessity” (anagkes/anangis) We learn from the New Testament that many early Christianity. But however extensively we manipulate the added to the list of external constraints? And what exact- Christians carried the worship of the controlling angels of ambient world and our own biology, we are still natural ly does it mean? The answer takes us deep into the mys- the cosmos into their new faith. St Paul in Galations 4:1-3 organisms embedded in natural processes, cosmic cycles tery of the Harrowing of Hell and the theology of the New and Colossians 2:8,15-23 does not dismiss the theory of and the ebb and flow of history. Individual freedom in Testament. angelic control of natural phenomena outright but takes Christ can still be curtailed by the external forces of afflic- In the Ancient world it was believed that human beings the line that this angelology has, since the Incarnation, be- tion, anger, danger, and necessity but from such con- were not free but that their lives were shackled by forces come devoid of relevance. There is no place in Christiani- straints we can, with God’s grace, be liberated. There is beyond their control: Necessity. Of particular importance in ty for worship of what Paul calls the “elemental spirits of no chain of iron that Christ cannot break asunder, no determining the destiny of individuals and nations were the universe”. With the Incarnation, Christ, as Pantocrator, prison from which He cannot release us. the heavenly bodies. For the pagans fate or fortune (Ty- takes complete control of all things. (A similar view to that che/Fortuna) was determined by the arbitrary whims of of Paul is taken by the author of Hebrews, see 2:5-9.) the gods with whom the heavenly bodies were identified. * The author is an Honorary Lecturer at St Andrew’s Greek Orthodox Ancient conceptions of necessity might linger on in Theological College, Sydney. So it is that in English each day of the week is named for forms such as astrology, but modern science has in reali- one of the seven planets (including the sun and moon) of ty swept away Ancient beliefs in the governance of natu- A collection of thirty-three of Guy Freeland’s Vema articles is sched- the Ancient model of the universe and the deity with which ral phenomena by controlling gods, demons or angels. It is uled for publication by ATF and St Andrew’s Orthodox Press in June, it equates (the equivalent Teutonic god to the Roman is therefore difficult for us to appreciate just how liberating under the title Windows to Orthodoxy. substituted for four days): Sunday, Sun; Monday, Moon; Tuesday, Tiw (Mars); Wednesday, Woden (Mercury); Thurs- THE GREEK AUSTRALIAN The oldest circulating Greek day, Thor (Jupiter); Friday, Fria or Frigga (Venus); Saturday, newspaper outside The Greek Australian VEMA Greece MARCH 2012 Tel. (02) 9559 7022 Fax: (02) 9559 7033 E-mail: [email protected] Saturn. The day names derive from the Ancient planetary Media’s impact on our children: Depressiion astrological cycle which was believed to control the lives PAGE 7/25 of men and women. GREECE VEMA In the early Christian world there was, however, anoth- ON ROAD Kytherians establish cultural home er conception of necessity. For the Jews, being monothe- in Sydney TO RECOVERY The realisation of a dream to establish a spir- itual home for Kytherians in the diaspora was German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble (pic- finally celebrated with the official opening of tured) said he was confident Greece was on the right the New Kythera House path for recovery after tough decisions to secure a sec- PAGE 12/30 ond bailout package. However, he warned there could be no guarantee of success. ists, necessity could not be governed by planetary or zo- "I am confident the difficult measures decided with the government in Athens will put it on the road to recovery,» Schaeuble said in an interview in Sunday's La Republica newspaper. Greece averted the immediate threat of an uncontrolled default on Friday when private creditors agreed on a The oldest circulating Greek newspaper diacal gods. Instead they developed an involved system of bond swap that will cut the country's public debt and clear the way for a new 130-billion euro ($170.55 billion) bailout. Schaeuble said he was sure the best decisions possible had been taken against a backdrop of uncer- tainty. "But it wasn't easy and I cannot give a 100 percent guarantee of success,» he said. angelic control. The four Ancient elements (earth, water, Schaeuble said the need for another aid package for The fun begins! Greece could not be ruled out, but said «it is not the time to speculate but to approve the second package for sion, he said, adding structural reforms were now need- Athens." The austerity programmes did not create reces- ed to relaunch growth. The 2012 Sydney Royal Easter Show runs from outside Greece Thursday 5 April to Wednesday 18 April and showcases the best in Australian agriculture air and fire), the forces of nature and the motions of the including home-grown produce and prize-win- ning animals. heavenly bodies were, it was believed, governed by an- PAGE 19/37 gels. Tel: (02) 9559 7022 Fax: (02) 9559 7033

Orthodox Christians of course believe as an article of Mt Ziria ST ANDREW’S THEOLOGICAL COLLEGE Just a couple of hours’ drive from Athens, the TH mystical mountain birthplace of the ancient god ENTERS 27 YEAR OF TEACHING Hermes awaits PAGE 2/20 Email: [email protected] faith borne out by experience in the reality of angels who PAGE 20/38 APRIL 2012 10/28 TO BHMA The Greek Australian VEMA

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Fewer visitors to museums but more to ancient sites

There was a dramatic drop in the number of visitors to museums in Greece last December, according to data released earlier this month by the Hellenic Statistical Authority (ELSTAT), which showed that 13.9 percent fewer people visited the country’s museums compared to the same month in 2010, leading to a 16 percent drop in revenues year-on-year. As a result, in the whole of 2011 there was a 2.4 percent decline in visitor numbers and a 5.5 percent contraction in receipts. However, the picture was very different regarding archaeological sites, which last year posted a 17.5 percent increase in visitor numbers and a 6.7 percent rise in revenues, according to figures released by Greece’s inde- pendent statistics service earlier this month.

The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia and its community have funded the building of a sacred Greek Church, The Resurrection of Saint Lazarus, on the bank of Bunurong Memorial Park’s ‘Peace Lake’. Home to many varieties of water birds, this usually peaceful and natural environment will host a bustling major opening 7KH5HVXUUHFWLRQRI6DLQW/D]DUXV on Saturday 12 May 2012 with His Eminence Arch- bishop Stylianos of the Greek Orthodox Church of Australia presiding. &HPHWHU\&KXUFK2IILFLDO2SHQLQJ The idea of building a cemetery church was con- ceived during the 1990’s by the then Cheltenham Re- gional Cemeteries Trust, the Greek Orthodox Archdio- cese of Australia and the Department of Human Serv- 6DWXUGD\0D\ ices. As is common with such visionary, community-fo- cused projects, there are many phases that need to take place, such as negotiations between parties, lo- gistics and funding; this means projects of this size can take some years to come to fruition. Therefore, it was- n’t until 2008 that the foundation stone was laid and the construction could officially begin. In the presence of a large gathering of the faithful on 17 May 2008, the foundation stone for The Resurrec- tion of Saint Lazarus Greek Orthodox Church was laid by His Eminence Archbishop Stylianos and The Hon. Daniel Andrews MP. The concrete foundations for the building were completed on 14 October 2009 and the first steel erected in July 2010, providing the eagerly awaited visible sign of the building project now under- way. Through the generosity of Melbourne’s Greek com- munity, the Archdiocese has raised over $1million through fundraising activities such as raffles and walk- a-thons. At a community event, held at The Entrance of Our Lady in North Balwyn on 1 April 2012, the formal announcement of the Official Opening Ceremony was given and His Grace, Bishop Iakovos, called the project a “phenomenal achievement” by Melbourne’s Greek community. ;OLVMÄJPHSVWLUPUNVM)\U\YVUN4LTVYPHS7HYR»Z¸;OL9LZ\YYLJ[PVUVM:HPU[3HaHY\Z¹JLTL[LY`JO\YJO^PSS Jonathan Tribe, CEO of Southern Metropolitan Ceme- teries Trust, the organisation that allocated the land on [HRLWSHJLVU:H[\YKH`4H`;OL(NPHZTVZHUK6WLUPUN^PSSMVSSV^PTTLKPH[LS`HM[LY[OL+P]PUL which the church has been built, said, “the develop- 3P[\YN`JVUK\J[LKI`/PZ,TPULUJL(YJOIPZOVW:;@30(56:VM(\Z[YHSPH ment of a sacred site less than 30km from Greek com- -VY`V\YJVU]LUPLUJLI\ZLZMYVT`V\YSVJHSWHYPZOHYLH]HPSHISLMVY[YH]LS[VHUKMYVT[OLJLTL[LY` munity hubs like Oakleigh and Hughesdale allows us to provide a vital service to the Orthodox community.” MYLLVMJOHYNL7SLHZLJVU[HJ[`V\YSVJHSWHYPZOWYPLZ[I`4H`[VHYYHUNLZLH[ZSVJHSWHYPZO New graves dedicated for the Greek community, KLWHY[\YLPZH[HTHUKYL[\YUPUNH[WT(S[LYUH[P]LS`WSLHZLHYYP]LUVSH[LY[OHU HTH[ prominently located near the Church and surrounding area have gone on sale with prices ranging from )\U\YVUN4LTVYPHS7HYR -YHURZ[VU+HUKLUVUN9VHK+HUKLUVUN:V\[O=PJ $5,000 - $18,000. ;VJVPUJPKL^P[O[OLVMÄJPHSVWLUPUNVM[OLJLTL[LY`JO\YJOUL^S`LZ[HISPZOLKTVU\TLU[HSNYH]LMV\UKH[PVUZ The Official Opening and Blessing will be held: HYLUV^H]HPSHISLMVYZHSL.YH]LZHYLWYVTPULU[S`SVJH[LKPUMYVU[VM[OLJO\YJOHUKZ\YYV\UKPUNHYLHZ^P[O Saturday 12 May 2012 WYPJLZYHUNPUNMYVT   :LJ\YL`V\YMHTPS`»ZÄUHSYLZ[PUNWSHJLPU[OPZWYPTLSVJH[PVU Bunurong Memorial Park, 790 Frankston Dandenong -VYTVYLPUMVYTH[PVUVU[OLW\YJOHZPUNVMNYH]LZVY[OL6MÄJPHS)SLZZPUNWSLHZLJHSS9V\SHH[ Road, Dandenong South, VIC 3175 (Melway Ref 128 A5) )\U\YVUN4LTVYPHS7HYRVU    VYLTHPSITW'ZTJ[VYNH\ Bus transport is available from your local parish. For seats, booking is essential. Please contact your local parish priest by 5 May 2012 (bookings are essential). ;OL:V\[OLYU4L[YVWVSP[HU*LTL[LYPLZ;Y\Z[HKTPUPZ[LYZ)YPNO[VU.LULYHS )\U\YVUN4LTVYPHS7HYR*OLS[LUOHT4LTVYPHS7HYR*OLS[LUOHT7PVULLY For more information on the purchasing of graves or +HUKLUVUN7\ISPJ4LSIV\YUL.LULYHS:WYPUN]HSL)V[HUPJHSHUK:[2PSKHJLTL[LYPLZ the Official Blessing, please contact: Roula at Bunurong Memorial Park on (03) 8558 8283 or email bmp@ smct.org.au ^^^ITWZTJ[VYNH\ 12/30 TO BHMA The Greek Australian VEMA APRIL 2012

PM advises Greeks to choose right path at elections Crucial polls to take place on May 6

Outgoing Prime Minister Lucas Pa- fore the elections as several outstanding pademos advised Greeks Wednesday 11 issues, including the recapitalization of April to invest in “building, not taking apart” Greek banks, still have to be settled. when they go to the ballot box on May 6 Outgoing Prime Minister The premier also reminded his ministers as he confirmed the date of one of the up- Lucas Papademos that the election campaign, albeit kept to coming elections. the minimum 25 days permitted by the Papademos gave a televised address constitution, should not lead to the unravel- Wednesday night after talks with President ing of the government over the next few Karolos Papoulias. His speech was deliv- weeks. “We have a duty to hand over a ful- ered as the latest Public Issue poll for Skai ly functional state to the government that TV and Kathimerini indicated that the polit- arises from the elections,” he said. ical landscape is fragmented. The announcement of the election date The survey suggested that as many as prompted New Democracy leader Antonis nine parties would make it into Parliament, Samaras to issue a statement in which he compared to the five that won seats at the attacked his PASOK rival Evangelos Venize- last elections in 2009. It also indicated that los. “Some people will try to convince you 52 percent of Greeks favor some kind of that whatever happened was for your own coalition government but that there is no good,” he said. “Do not believe them. We great backing for a unity administration had problems but we ended up here be- made up of PASOK and New Democracy. cause of the unbelievable mistakes, the ND saw its support slip to just 19 per- the upcoming elections. With this in mind, ter the election but Greece’s course in populism and the irresponsibility of the cent, while PASOK garnered 14.5 percent. Papademos adopted a conciliatory tone in decades to come. government of [George] Papandreou, with These levels of support would not be e- his address, warning that voters should “The last months proved that faced with whom Mr Venizelos identified totally.” nough for Greece’s two main parties to “choose the path that would secure the great problems and huge risks we can co- Venizelos presided over the drafting of form a coalition government with a parlia- country’s place in the eurozone and the Eu- operate and overcome our differences,” he his party’s candidate list, which will include mentary majority. ropean Union.” added. Alternate Defense Minister Yiannis The poll underlined that many voters are “Greece is in the middle of a difficult Speaking to his ministers earlier, Papa- Ragousis, with whom the PASOK leader expressing the intent of voicing their dis- path,” he said in the prerecorded speech. demos stressed that his interim govern- clashed this week. George Papandreou pleasure with the political establishment “The choices we make will not only deter- ment’s work was not done. The Cabinet is will stand for election in Achaia, the Pelo- and the deteriorating economic situation at mine which government will be formed af- due to meet two or three more times be- ponnese.

‘We have found the Messiah’ - Apostle Andrew (John 1:41)

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An initiative of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia APRIL 2012 The Greek Australian VEMA TO BHMA 13/31

The CGL in WA reaches a milestone!

The Centre for the Greek Language and recognition of achievement in these bers: Mr Pavlos Iosifidis, Mrs Evridiki Politi, language competencies as it also intro- (CGL) in Western Australia has this year examinations by Greece’s Ministry of Mrs Katerina Reklitis, and Mrs Eva Tsapazi). duced a new level (A1) for children aged 8 reached a milestone! It has registered its Education, Life-long Learning and Religious However, the bulk of the organisational to 12 years. 100th CGL Exa-mination candidate; an Affairs. Over the years, support for the CGL and administrative work is carried by the At the other end of the spectrum, it was achievement of no-te seeing as the CGL in has remained intact, both from the Consul CGL Director. now able to cater for candidates possess- WA is only in its 8th year of operation! of Greece (currently The Honourable Ms In turn, the preparatory classes in the lead ing highly proficient Greek language skills Sofia Choli) and from St Andrew’s Gram- up to the examinations are taken by Mr with the new challenging level known as Foundation of CGL in WA mar where the CGL Examinations are con- Iosifidis. The same persons are invigilators G2. The CGL commenced in 2005 with its first ducted. of the examinations and examiners/mark- ever examination candidates (7 candi- ers of its oral component. 2012 CGL Examinations dates), operating out of St Andrew’s Greek Growth In 2012, the 15 candidates will be sitting for Orthodox Grammar School. It was initiated Within three years of its birth in WA, the Direct Benefit to All Educational all but one of the 7 levels on offer. This through the efforts of Mr Pavlos Iosifidis CGL grew to 19 candidates in 2007, after Providers presents a busy examination schedule but and Dr Angela Evangelinou-Yiannakis, and which it was deemed that the venture was While the CGL is of direct benefit to stu- also a most rewarding experience for all was supported by the Consul of Greece at a success and that a Committee could now dents of St Andrew’s Grammar and the concerned. the time, Mr Theodore Michaelopoulos, and be formed. In 2008, a CGL Committee was Centre for Hellenic Studies, WA, it also pro- As the candidates prepare for their exam- the School’s administration for its direct established and some of the workload vides a service to students of other Greek inations in May, and the formal registration benefit to the students; that is, direct ac- involved was thereafter shared by the five language providers such as the after-hours process is completed, work lies ahead in cess to Greek language examinations set Committee members (Director: Dr Angela Greek School of the Evangelismos Greek terms of coordination of examination by Greece through the CGL in Thessaloniki Evangelinou-Yiannakis; Committee Mem- Orthodox Community, and The University of rooms and timing. Nonetheless, the mo- Notre Dame. Furthermore, it offers the op- mentum continues and the anticipation of portunity to candidates who study the what lies within each sealed examination Greek language privately to sit for exami- package grows! Identity in the Sand Concert nations at a level most suited to their com- petency in the Greek language. In other words, the CGL is open to all persons from For more information regarding the annual George Moudanidis family arriving all all in Australia in 1969. educational providers and of ages! CGL Examinations, please contact the Director of the CGL on 0402 400 367 or at: Examination Levels [email protected] In 2010, the CGL offered 7 different levels of examinations (in contrast to only 4 in previous years). As a result, it was now Dr Angela Evangelinou-Yiannakis able to cater to a greater variety of Greek Director of the CGL in WA

Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia An initiative of the Greek Orthodox Parish and Communities of St. Paraskevi and St. Barbara - Blacktown and St. Ioannis – Parramatta in collaboration with St. Andrew’s Theological College

As part of the Greek Festival of Sydney this year there will be a concert of original music and lyrics by George Moudanidis and Eleni Elefterias. It is a musical and pho- The series will be held each Thursday evening tographic journey through our identity as Greeks in Australia (both migrants and fol- from May 17th till June 21st 2012, 7.30 (sharp) – 9.00 p.m. lowing generations) from the viewpoints of George as a first generation migrant at St. Ioannis Church Hall, 11 Hassall St, Parramatta. from Greece and Eleni as a second generation Australian of Greek heritage. George Moudanidis is a well-known performer of over 40 years in the Greek Mu- (No fees. Parking in the council car park in Hassall St is free from 7pm) sic scene. He has been involved as Choir director in a number of choirs in Sydney. He has also composed the music to various poems including ten poems of Stylianos A COMPREHENSIVE COURSE IN ENGLISH WHICH SEEKS TO Harkianakis, otherwise known as the Primate of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of BRING US CLOSER TO OUR FAITH Australia, Archibishop Stylianos, in the CD Ανθρώπινες Αισθήσεις. He has also pro-

duced another three CDs of his and other popular songs, one in conjunction with gui- Thursday 17th May tarist and singer Dimitris Arseniou. “HOW DO THE GOSPELS PORTRAY JESUS” Eleni Elefterias is a teacher of Modern Greek and a songwriter who is passionate Tasos Kalogerakis, Registrar St Andrew’s Greek Orthodox Theological College about the continuation of the Modern Greek language in Australia. She has recently é opened a Greek Bookshop Caf in Hurlstone Park. th The name Identity in the Sand is a concept of Eleni and can have many meanings. Thursday 24 May “The citizenship of Christians” When one travels to a new land as a migrant one adopts a new identity. This path "THE CITIZENSHIP OF CHRISTIANS" has an identity of its own. Dr John Psarommatis, Preacher of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese and President Greek Orthodox The same goes for those born in Australia where some accept their “Greekness” Christian Society while others keep away from it and try and assimilate. Most find a middle path but even then, depending on who they are with their identity is always challenged. Iden- Thursday 31st May tity can be problematic, especially when nationality and even nationalism is involved Also performing with George and Eleni are many performers both of 1st, “Orthodox Christianity and Bio-ethics” 2nd and 3rd generation Greek heritage such as Felicia Harris, who is also the musi- Fr Dimitri Kokkinos, Parish Priest at St. Ioannis Church, Parramatta cal director of Eleni’s songs, Students from Earlwood Public School and their teacher and choreographer Charoula Themistocleous, Irene Vacondios, Hellen Arestides, Thursday 7th June Joanne Mayson, Dimitri Politis, Marina Thiveos, Tania Lindou, Peter Carantinos, Di- “Death and Dying” mitri Haremis, Dimitra Tzodouris, George Tseros, Dimitri Arseniou, Con Kostakidis, Fr Nicholas Stavropoulos, CEO St Basil’s Homes Vicki Pappas, George Caramalis and Phillip Kaloudis. Also appearing will be aborigi- nal performer GAMAROY. Thursday 14th June The concert will be in Greek with ENGLISH SURTITLES and will be presented in Eng- “Holy Eucharist, the Sacrament of Sacraments” lish. Fr Sotirios Papafilopoulos, Parish Priest at St. Paraskevi Church, Blacktown Identity in the Sand Friday 18th May at 7.30pm st Paddington Uniting Church, 395 Oxford St, Paddington Thursday 21 June Tickets $22 and $18 concession. Book your tickets at THE PLAY SPACE Bookshop “Our mystical vision of God: an experience of “dazzling darkness” Café, 861 New Canterbury Rd, Hurlstone Park or call 02 9559 4424 Dr Philip Kariatlis, Lecturer, St Andrew’s Greek Orthodox Theological College APRIL 2012 14/32 TO BHMA The Greek Australian VEMA

The Premier of Queensland at the Midnight Paschal Service of the Greek Orthodox Church of St George, South Brisbane The newly elected Premier of Queensland attends the Resurrection Service at the Church of St George in Brisbane

The Hon. Campbell Newman, Premier of Nichols, and Speaker Fiona Simpson, on Queensland and Mrs Newman, along with behalf of His Eminence Archbishop Stylia- the State Treasurer, the Hon. Tim Nicholls, nos. Father Dimitri wished the new govern- and the Speaker of the newly elected ment, wisdom from above and every God- Queensland Parliament, the Hon Fiona ly blessing for its mandated leadership of Simpson attended the Midnight Paschal the State. Service of the Greek Orthodox Church of St Premier Campbell Newman came for- George, South Brisbane on Saturday night, ward to receive the Paschal light at mid- 14th April. night and along with the other dignitaries They were joined by the Hon Consul- joined the Clergy for the proclamation of General of Greece, Mr Jim Raptis. the Resurrection outside the Church. The Midnight Service, which celebrates Premier Newman, Treasurer Nichols and the Resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, Speaker Fiona Simpson greeted those brings together over 5000 worshippers to around them with the traditional greeting the Parish-Community. of “Christ is Risen”. The Premier, Treasurer, and Parliamen- This occasion provided the first opportu- tary Speaker were greeted by Mr Raptis nity for Mr Newman to meet the Greek and the Vicar-General of our Archdiocese Orthodox people of Brisbane as Premier. for Queensland, Rev Father Dimitri Tsakas. The people’s Paschal joy was compli- After delivering the Archbishop’s Paschal mented by the presence of Mr Newman encyclical, Father Dimitri welcomed Pre- who won the Queensland election in mier Campbell Newman, Treasurer Tim March with an unprecedented swing. (l to r): The first female Speaker of a Queensland Parliament the Hon Fiona Simpson, the Christian Dior, Fendi, Gucci Queensland Treasurer the Hon Tim Nichols, Mrs Lisa Newman (Premier Newman’s wife). KaterinaKaterina ++ KyriacosKyriacos MavrolefterosMavrolefteros

874 Anzac Parade, Maroubra Junction (at bus stop, on RTA block)

TTeell:: ((0022)) 99331144--00339933 font La Jaguar, ic!-berlin, Ray ban, Rodenstock, Bolle ban, Rodenstock, Ray [email protected] Premier Campbell Newman and his wife Lisa, with the Vicar-General of our Archdiocese for Queensland, Rev Father Dimitri Tsakas and the Hon Consul-General of Greece, Maui Jim, Nina Ricci, Oakley Mr Jim Raptis. APRIL 2012 The Greek Australian VEMA TO BHMA 15/33 Health

way leads to the cessation of breathing. Breathing cessa- The study involves the attachment of electrodes to the tion or apnoea in Obstructive Sleep Apnoea by definition body to monitor brain waves, muscle movements, eye is for at least ten seconds but can be for up to two min- movements, breathing, snoring, heart rate and leg move- HEALTH utes. ments. During this time, the brain recognises that there is a lack A band is applied around the chest and abdomen to of oxygen and signals the body to wake up. The person measure breathing and a clip on the fingers will measure NEWS suffering sleep apnoea does not recognise this because heart rate and oxygen level. In some cases, the person the arousal is slight. Someone with sleep apnoea may will be videotaped sleeping. wake several hundred times during the night and this WITH DR. THEO PENKLIS * wakening therefore fragments sleep such that the suffer- Treatment of Obstructive Sleep Apnoea er will be sleep deprived and feel sleepy and lethargic the next day. As a result they may become flat and de- Sleep apnoea can be treated in a number of different pressed. ways. The sleep physician will recommend different op- tions according to the cause of the obstruction. The most SLEEP APNOEA What are the symptoms of sleep common way of treating Obstructive Sleep Apnoea is with apnoea? Continuous Positive Airway Pressure or CPAP (pronounced CeePap). Most people think of people suffering from sleep ap- Along with loud and irregular snoring, periods of paus- CPAP delivers air to the airway under slight pressure noea as being people who snore . As many people who es during sleep and excessive daytime sleepiness, other through a nasal mask. The upper airway is splinted open snore, and are overweight do suffer from sleep apnoea. symptoms may include severe morning headaches, ex- by an ‘air splint’ which prevents apnoea and snoring. The Are you a snorer? Is your snoring loud and repetitive? cessive night sweats and choking at night. use of a CPAP machine is a long term commitment. With- Does you snoring follow a pattern of loud snoring with People with Obstructive Sleep Apnoea may have so out the CPAP machine the sleep apnoea will recur. pauses, or episodes of silence followed by gasps of much difficulty staying awake during the day such that Oral devices that reposition the jaw and tongue can al- breath? they may fall asleep easily watching television, or at their so be used to reduce snoring in milder cases of Obstruc- If so, you could be suffering from sleep apnoea! desk at work or while driving a motor vehicle. tive Sleep Apnoea. Again, these devices act as splints. Sleep apnoea may manifest in other ways. Over the Obstructive Sleep Apnoea may be associated with intel- However, generally with age, the airway collapses and so past several months a patient of mine has been investi- lectual and personality changes, mood shifts such as in- the oral devices or physical splints are often temporary. gated for lethargy, tiredness, depression and the sensa- creased irritability, and depression. Surgery is sometimes recommended for a small pro- tion of shortness of breath. His work up has included ex- Obstructive Sleep Apnoea is often associated with im- portion of Obstructive Sleep Apnoea sufferers. However, tensive cardio-respiratory examinations without a cause potence in men and menstrual irregularities in women. it should always be considered carefully as the risks need for his symptoms. He initially was slow to respond to an- Obstructive Sleep Apnoea often occurs in obese people to be weighed against the benefits. ti-depressant medication. Following a sleep study he was because excessive fat deposits around the neck tissue found to have sleep apnoea. The sleep apnoea has been can contribute to collapsing the airway. Furthermore, ex- The person with Obstructive Sleep Apnoea must: successfully treated and his symptoms have eased. He cessive weight on the abdomen makes the muscles asso- • if overweight, lose weight as obesity does contribute has more energy, is more motivated, no longer tired and ciated with breathing, function less efficiently. to the condition. lethargic and is less depressed. • stop smoking as smoking damages the lungs and so This is a rare but important example of how disturbed reduces lung capacity and therefore can restrict oxy- sleep can affect a person’s function and ability to cope How do you tell if someone has Obstuctive SleepApnoea? genation of blood and hence exacerbate sleep apnoea. with activities of daily living. • Avoid alcohol and sleeping tablets because both de- press breathing reflexes and so can exacerbate sleep What is sleep apnoea? Usually one can suspect if someone has Obstructive apnoea. Sleep Apnoea by listening carefully to the pattern of snor- ing while they sleep. Loud snoring will be heard followed Sleep apnoea, or correctly speaking, Obstructive Sleep Don’t ignore snoring!! Apnoea is a medical condition which is characterised by by a period of silence when they stop breathing, and then a loud gasp as they start breathing again. repetitive pauses in breathing during sleep, due to the ob- Obstructive Sleep Apnoea if left untreated is potentially There people should consult their general practitioner struction or collapse of the upper airway. This results in a life-threatening and should not be ignored! for referral to a Sleep Disorders Clinic for a Sleep Study reduction in the oxygenation of the blood saturation and But remember it is not always snoring and the risk of Assessment. leads to an awakening to breathe. obstruction that can be a concern. As we have seen in A Sleep Study is a recording of the pattern and behav- Normally during sleep, the muscles which control the some cases, significant mood shifts such as increased ir- iour o one’s sleep. tongue and soft palate hold the upper airway open. In ritability, and depression can be caused by disturbed Sleep can be characterised into a number of different some people, these muscles relax, the airway becomes sleep associated with sleep apnoea. stages including: narrow, and so breathing difficulties may begin to occur, Talk to your doctor today about your snoring and risk of • Drowsiness causing snoring. When the airway becomes so blocked Obstructive Sleep Apnoea! that breathing cannot occur or is obstructed, then an ap- • Light sleep noeic episode may occur. Apnoea means ‘to stop breath- • Deep sleep • ing’. Rapid eye movement (dream) sleep * The information given in this article is of a general nature and Therefore, Obstructive Sleep Apnoea is a condition A Sleep Study is an analysis of one’s stages of sleep readers should seek advice from their own medical practitioner be- which occurs during sleep where obstruction of the air- and will determine whether a sleep disorder is present. fore embarking on any treatment. Dementia report scathing of aged care By Belinda Cranston care home. er diagnosis. Opposition health spokesperson Senator Aside from a lack of adequately quali- Pointing to improvements that had al- Concetta Fierravanti-Wells said it was A damning new report has found Aus- fied staff, the use of physical and chemi- ready been made, Mr Butler said aged- typical of the Labor government to re- tralia's aged-care system is overwhelm- cal restraints, including antipsychotics at care funding had increased by two thirds lease bad news over the Easter long ingly failing the needs of dementia suf- some facilities, often distressed families in the past five years, while the number weekend. ferers and their carers. and carers. of home-care places had increased by "Older Australians deserve a response Alzheimer's Australia surveyed 1000 While many wanted to keep sufferers 40 per cent. as to what changes, if any, the govern- people affected by the condition across at home for as long as possible, that was But much more work was needed to ment is going to make to the aged-care the country and concluded an extra $500 not always practical, as the current sys- reform a system that was devised in the system," she said in a statement. million was needed to fight the dementia tem didn't provide enough support and mid-1980s, he admitted. The report was commissioned by the epidemic, often made worse by inade- assistance for them to do so. "It's much more than a question of ad- Department of Health and Ageing in re- quate residential aged-care facilities. Demand for help is growing rapidly. ditional money. It's a question of very sponse to the Productivity Commission's "For many older Australians dementia There are 280,000 Australians with de- complex system reform," he said. review, Caring for Older Australians, re- specific care is matched by the reality of mentia, with the number set to reach He did not let on if an extra $500 mil- leased in August. locked wards," Minister for Mental Health 400,000 within 10 years. lion would be found in this year's budget At the time of the report the commis- and Aging Mark Butler said on Monday. Diagnosis of the condition is another to address the problem. sion recommended reform be carried out The report found it was not uncommon major problem - in some instances fami- "I'm not in a position to speculate about over five years. for the health of sufferers to decline rap- lies waited for more than three years af- budget matters," he said. Alzheimer's Australia predicts it is idly once they were admitted to an aged ter the onset of symptoms to get a prop- Questioning the timing of the report, more likely to take 10 years. APRIL 2012 16/34 TO BHMA The Greek Australian VEMA

SIFNOS INCLUDED Private islands around Greece IN NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC on sale at bargain prices TOP 10 LIST By Nikos Roussanoglou - Kathimerini One of the islands of Western Cyclades, Sifnos, a Following a three-year period during which no pur- balance of beautiful beaches, nightlife, white Cycladic chases were recorded, major activity is currently being villages, low-impact tourism and maybe the best food observed in the sale and development of Greece’s pri- in the Cyclades, is listed in the Top Ten Islands under vate islands. According to experts operating in this singu- the Sun. Sifnos Island, located in Western Cyclades, lar market, a number of owners, especially those who in- was included in National Geographic's "Top Ten Islands herited the island properties, are trying to sell them off under the Sun" list, alongside destinations such as Ba- due to recently introduced high taxation. hamas, Seychelles and French Polynesia. As a result, asking prices have dropped considerably, The Greek island came in 9th on the list, published in while in cases of serious offers, it is estimated that the the luxury edition "Journeys of a lifetime - 500 of the owners are willing to make some substantial conces- World's Greatest Trips." The caption of the magazine sions. This is the case in the alleged sale of Oxia, an is- featuring the island states "Bullets in the ocean, that land owned by the Greek-Australian Stamoulis family, to are difficult to distinguish on the map. But if you are members of Qatar’s royal family. there, you will feel that there is no other place like this The island, which has a surface area of approximately on earth". The journalist can't help remarking that 1,236 acres, was initially advertised at 6.9 million euros. Sifnos is one of his favorite islands in Greece, while he The property’s final price, however, is said not to have points out that riots often occurring in big Greek cities exceeded 5 million euros. The island is located in the Ion- are extremely unlikely to take place in Sifnos and oth- ian Sea, near Ithaca. er similar peaceful Greek islands. While a major portion of Oxia is protected as a part of the Natura 2000 ecological network, part of the island may be developed, according to sources. ATHENS CLASSIC The sale of Patroklos island, off the tip of Attica and 3 kilometers from Sounio, might be nearing. According to a well-informed source, the property’s owners, the Gia- MARATHON 2012 trakos family, are currently working in tandem with a Canadian investor and collaborating with local authorities The sale of Scorpios has run into difficulties given that the in a bid to clarify which part of the island may be com- will of the late shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis forbids the mercially developed. Given Patroklos’s major develop- sale of the island, unless its maintenance is unfeasible. ment potential and its proximity to the capital, it is esti- mated that the price will exceed the 100-million-euro rently belongs to Athina Onassis, is situated opposite the mark. village of Nydri, Lefkada, in the Ionian Sea. Nevertheless, previous attempts to sell the island have The Onassis heir is citing financial reasons for putting come up against obstacles due to the lack of a clear ur- Scorpios on the market. According to Kathimerini sources, ban-planning and land-use scheme, as well as a series however, the sale has run into difficulties given that Aris- of archaeological issues. The Giatrakos family is making totle Onassis’s will forbids the sale of the island, unless all possible efforts to put the aforementioned matters to its maintenance is unfeasible, which is what the mag- rest in order to finalize the island’s transfer. nate’s granddaughter claims. Given this legal complica- A well-known private island, Scorpios, has also been tion, the owner is actively pursuing the option of a 99- up for sale for the last few years. The island, which cur- year lease to an investor. THE ANTIKYTHERA SHIPWRECK The National Archaeological Museum of Athens launched a temporary exhibition on April 6 headed The An- tikythera Shipwreck: The ship - the Treasures - the Mechanism, to run until April 28, 2013. All antiquities recovered Greece has been getting a pounding from econo- in 1900-1901 and 1976 from the legendary shipwreck off the islet of Antikythera, south of the Peloponnese, will mists in recent months, but millionaires' magazine be presented for the first time in this temporary exhibition. The recovery of the shipwreck itself was the first ma- Forbes has named the Athens Classic Marathon as one jor underwater archaeological expedition. It was undertaken by sponge divers, with the assistance of the Greek of the must-run marathons abroad for its more ener- Royal Navy (1900-1901). Correspondence, press, photographs and films will document the story of its discovery getic and time-rich readers. The Athens race, which and recovery and the methods used. The second underwater research was carried out in 1976 by the Greek Ar- begins in the town of Marathon and finishes inside the chaeological service and J.-Y. Cousteau's oceonographic "Calypso". The wreck is dated approximately in 60-50 BC, Panathenaikon "Marble" Stadium in Athens - whose though its cargo from the 4th to the 1st century BC. history, as Forbes points out, is how the 42.195k event gets its name - is one of just ten marathons worldwide highlighted by the rich-list magazine. Potential entrants for the Authentic Marathon, as it is "ALLIANCE FOR GREECE" GLOBAL INITIATIVE known internationally, would do well to get online. The race from Marathon to Athens is, of course the The initiative "Alliance for Greece" under the aus- original marathon event, first run in 1896, initially a tri- pices of GNTO and the Greek Ministry of Culture and al for the Greek Olympic team, then for the first Tourism has printed 7 million placemats featuring the Olympic Games of the modern era. The last 30 years work of 20 Greek visual artists, in a joint campaign. the same course has been used for the Marathon The collaboration of Greek Diaspora forces, through event of the 1982 European Athletics Championships Greek restaurants, members of Pan Gregorian Enter- (where the legendary marathon runner Rosa Mota ran prises and their 7-million customer base, is the main the first ever official IAAF women's marathon), for the objective of a new initiative to promote Greek tourism 1997 IAAF World Championships, and of course, for the to the United States. 2004 Athens Olympic Games. The initiative will be launched this month, in restau- In tandem with the race's 30th anniversary, it is also rants located in New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, the 30th anniversary of the founding of the Association North and South Carolina, and Maryland. The 20 artists of International Marathons (AIMS), which opened its in- who granted the intellectual rights to their artworks liroi Marouda, Maria Philopoulou, D. Andreadakis, S. ternational office in Athens last year. The many invitees are; Daphne Aggelidou, Maria Anastasiou, Chryssa Georgiadis, K. Georgiou, D. Koukos, S. Koursaris, P. for this year's race will include marathon luminaries Vergi, Erietta Vordoni, Maria Yannakaki, Tanya Deme- Beldekos, C. Pallantzas, A. Razis, P. Samios and D. Sar- and legends of the past. trakopoulou, Sophia Kalogeropoulou, Rena Kana, Kal- asitis. APRIL 2012 The Greek Australian VEMA TO BHMA 17/35

Bribie Island youth campus one step closer thanks to $1.9 million grant

The Gillard Government is providing a ed in 1986, is the only civilly accredited Or- $1.9 million grant to the Greek Orthodox thodox tertiary institution of its kind in the Archdiocese of Australia to help complete southern hemisphere. the second phase of the Bribie Island Bishop Seraphim, Sub-Dean of St An- Youth Campus, Minister for Transport, An- drew's Greek Orthodox Theological Col- thony Albanese announced. lege stated to Neos Kosmos newspaper The announcement of Government sup- that the funding provided an enormous cat- port was made during Greek Independ- alyst to complete the Bribie Island campus ence Day celebrations in Sydney and its retreat facilities but that the funding Funding will be provided to the Saint An- did not take away the need for fundraising drews Greek Orthodox Theological Col- efforts on the part of the community to ful- lege, which has been developing the youth ly realise the project. facility since construction began in 1997. The Bishop took the opportunity to thank The completion of a multi-purpose youth the Kastellorizian Association of Queens- and community retreat and education cen- land for their donation of the first accom- tre on Bribie Island has been a long-held modation cabin, and to express his grati- dream of the Australian Greek community tude to all smaller donors and supporters since the first bequest for that purpose who continue to give their time and their was made in 1971 by Brisbane man Tom energy to the unique Orthodox retreat. Lemnos. Since then the community has worked THE INTERVIEW tirelessly to turn this vision into a reality. The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese was Can you tell me your and your col- granted a five hectare Crown lease on Bri- leagues response to the news of the bie Island by the QLD Government in the funding? 1990s and work on the facility has been underway for almost 15 years. Our first reaction was that this funding Paniyiri celebrations on Bribie Island So far Stage One - a church and ameni- from the Federal Government will be an ties block - has been completed. The fund- enormous catalyst to complete the Bribie alised. You can read more about Tom and Orthodox Theological College, we envisage ing provided by the Gillard Government Island campus and its retreat facilities. This the history of the project by visiting the that over the next two years, we will be will help the church complete Stage Two, is a project that has been underway for dedicated website: gobribieisland.org able to build the auditorium, accommoda- which includes 20 camp sites, further ame- approximately the past 15 years but The Kastellorizian Association of tion quarters and other facilities that are nities, a self-contained accommodation unit fundraising has been difficult in uncertain Queensland must also be mentioned for needed in order to hold intensive courses and a caretaker’s residence. economic times. The funding announced by their generous donation of the first accom- on site, amidst the beauty of the natural The Bribie Island Youth Campus will be Mr Albanese does not take away the need modation cabin, for which we are truly surrounds, as well as theological confer- used as a retreat for young members of for fundraising efforts on the part of our grateful. The smaller donors and support- ences. The site will be served by a chapel the Orthodox Church and will include edu- community, but it in fact is a stimulus to our ers who donate their time and their ener- which has already been built. One needs cational, physical and cultural activities. The steering committee to increase its efforts gy, including their skills and expertise, are to remember that the College is a tertiary facilities will also be available for use by to continue the good work and complete just as important and too numerous to institution, and the only one of its kind in the wider community. the project. mention individually. For example, Commu- Australia, so we would like to welcome “The Greek community has played a vital nity Radio 4EB has just run a radiothon people from around Australia who may not role in the development and success of What other major donors have raising $18,000. be in a position to study for four years full- Australia. The rich history and heritage of been supporting the development of time, but who have an interest in learning Greece has helped foster our diverse and the youth facility Can you tell me specifically what much more about the spiritual treasures of modern society and it is very pleasing to the funds will be used for, and what Orthodox Christianity. be able to mark Greek Independence Day The first and outstanding donor was the difference the funding will make to This facility reaches out not only to the by providing support for such a worthy late Tom Lemnos who passed away in the work of St Andrews? Orthodox community but also strengthens project,” Mr Albanese said. 1971. It was his vision and generous be- bonds with the wider Australian communi- St Andrew's Theological College, found- quest that enabled the project to be re- As a campus of St Andrew’s Greek ty. STATE HERITAGE PROTECTION FOR THE SEAT OF GREEK ORTHODOXY IN AUSTRALIA Australia’s headquarter Greek Orthodox Cathedral has grant community where Greek customs, traditions and been listed on the State Heritage Register, the NSW Pre- language could be shared. mier Barry O’Farrell announced. “It’s an important early ecclesiastical design by the ac- The listing of the Cathedral of the Annunciation of Our claimed colonial architect, Edmund Blacket, and its Deco- Lady coincides with Greek Orthodox Easter and National rated Gothic style became one of the established archi- Heritage Week. The announcement was marked on Sun- tectural models for parish church construction throughout day April 15 at the end of the Easter Service alongside NSW. the Primate of the Church in Australia, His Eminence Arch- “While the architecture is markedly different to the tra- bishop Stylianos and other religious and community lead- ditional style that normally denotes Greek Orthodox ers. churches, the combination of the Byzantine iconography “I am delighted to make this announcement as it is im- inside and the sandstone outside is a fitting symbol of the portant that the State Heritage Register reflects the diver- migrant experience”, the Premier stated. sity of cultures that continue to contribute so much to the The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia has wel- making of NSW. This Cathedral began life in 1848 as an comed the listing, saying it’s a powerful gesture to the Anglican Church and following World War II and the shift congregation. in the demographic of the region, it changed hands to the “It is the ‘heart’ of the church in Australia and this list- Greek Orthodox Church. ing is broader recognition of the journey of the Greek Or- Premier Barry O’Farrell announcing that the Cathedral “Since then it has become the official seat of Greek Or- thodox community as a whole,” His Eminence Archbishop of the Annunciation of Our Lady has been listed thodoxy in Australia and became a focal point for the mi- Stylianos said. in the State Heritage Register APRIL 2012 18/36 TO BHMA The Greek Australian VEMA Arts, Food & Wine Editor: Imogen Coward Reading about Music

By Taliesin Coward accurate, this book is one of the most enjoyable ways to performance practice. As an umbrella term, historically begin educating yourself, or your children on the lives of informed performance practice is concerned with the With music, as with any subject, beyond the music itself the great composers. investigation of how pieces were performed at the time there is a wealth of literature and interesting debates on they were written. The arguments forwarded under this the subject available for those who wish to further their New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians / umbrella range from the benign and sensible: the urging knowledge. This happy situation does have a downside: Oxford Music Online: Grove Music Online of performers to do some research on the pieces they are where should one start? Not all books are equal, and with to perform (so as to make informed decisions); to the such an abundance of choice it is just as easy to pick up Published by Oxford University, this is the ultimate, serious extreme: a piece should only be performed in the manner a poor, misleading book as it is to pick a well written and music reference for the English-speaking world. From his- it was at the time of writing. Taruskin points out some of accurate one. In this article I hope to give a few pointers torical analyses of the development of music from ancient the logical flaws in these more extreme arguments rang- as to some valuable books in the field of music. times to today (including Greece), to composer biogra- ing from historical anachronisms, such as the lack of an phies, information about musical instruments, styles and authentic audience (how many people who heard Bach David W. Barber, Bach, Beethoven and the Boys: almost anything else connected with music, this is the perform knew of the Beatles?), to the lack of diverse inter- Music History as it Ought to be Taught, (Toronto: starting point for anyone wanting a more in-depth under- pretations. The issues Taruskin deals with provide valu- Sound and Vision), 1996. standing of everything connected with music. Although the able food for thought. entries are written by specialists in the topic, perhaps the Okay, so this isn’t a serious music history book. Rather, it most valuable aspects of this dictionary are the extensive Louis Sphor, Louis Spohr’s Violin School, translat- is a brilliant entry-point for anybody with an interest in bibliographies on each subject. Many university libraries ed by John Bishop, (London: R. Cock’s & Co.), music, but who couldn’t be bothered wading through para- hold a printed copy of this dictionary (which runs to over c.1850. graph after paragraph of (too often deadly boring) aca- 25 volumes), or subscribers can access it online under the demic prose. It presents short, humourously written biog- title Grove Music Online (www.oxfordmusiconline.com). This one’s a bit of a speciality for the music historian, or raphies of the great composers of Western music, rang- New South Wales residents who join the NSW State Library violinist. Louis (originally Ludwig) Spohr, a pivotal figure in ing from Johann Sebastian Bach to John Cage, including (free membership- visit www.sl.nsw.gov.au) have free violin history, was a respected performer and composer some better, and less well known episodes from their online access to Grove Music Online via the NSW State (whose works include a particularly beautiful violin-viola lives. For example, doctors testified in court that Library website, as well as access to numerous other duet). He was credited with: the creation of rehearsal let- Schoenberg’s music caused neurosis after a fight broke online academic and scholarly resources covering a wide ters for scores (e.g. marking sections on a score with let- out in the audience... again. The book suggests that the variety of fields and interests. For residents of other states ters to aid the rehearsal - “everybody play from section award for strange names probably goes to Vaughn and countries, contact your local, state and/or national ‘D’.”); the founding of the German school of violin playing Williams’ operetta ‘The Galoshes of Happiness’, only nar- libraries to find out what access is offered to resources. (each school presenting different techniques and urging rowly beating Stravinsky’s ‘Polka for 50 elephants’ and different approaches to musical interpretation); and the Shostakovich’s ‘Love for Three Oranges’. Being factually Richard Taruskin, Text & Act: Essays on Music and invention of the violin chin-rest. Available online for free Performance, (Oxford: Oxford University Press, (google ‘petrucci library’ and follow the ‘search by com- 1995). poser’ tab until you find ‘Spohr’), this illustrated manual is regarded as one of the most important treatises on violin This book presents a number of essays by Taruskin, an playing, a major influence on the German style of violin academic and musician who is at the centre of significant playing, and modern violin playing in general. For those Écoutez! current arguments musicians and music academics with who are interested, this gem is well worth the read. regards to historically informed, or so-called ‘authentic’, Arts Review The Contemporary Past: FFoooodd && WWiinnee The Magazine Extra Virginity: The Sublime and Scandalous World of Olive Oil by Tom Mueller of Art 1895 (London, Atlantic Books, 2012)

The beauty of antiquarian booksellers is that you might Extra Virginity gives an insightful and rich account of the history and importance just discover a forgotten treasure trove in their vast of olive oil, focussing on the present struggle between artisan oil-producers collection. Have you ever wondered how people in the around the world from the Mediterranean to Australia, and the billion-dollar wide- Victorian era regarded neo-classicism or why a 19th spread fraud which endangers their livelihoods and the quality of olive oil available century theatre designer from France might travel to to consumers. Along the way, Mueller shows facets of the culinary and cultural im- Greece to study the ancient amphitheatres? The portance of olive oil and some of the many different faces involved, from an Ital- Magazine of Art, an illustrated British monthly journal ian Nonno, to criminal organisations, scientists and big business. Mueller delves in- published from 1878 to 1904, is available in collections to the scientific side of oil fraud only sketchily, preferring to strike an easy balance bound by year, in various booksellers around the between readability and enough scientific, technical and legal information to spark country (e.g. Elizabeth’s bookstores). Several volumes curiousity (the appendix offers some suggestions of resources for further reading). are also available online via the wikipedia website What stands out, though, is the passion and commitment of Mueller, who lives in (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Magazine_of_Art). Liguria, Italy and the various family artisan oil producers whose stories enrich the The beauty of these collections is that each has a very book. Beware though, once read, you’ll never look at a bottle of oil the same way different focus, depending on the events of the year. again (or buy cheap olive oil!). Some focus on exhibitions in what were then the I.C. British colonies, while others offer insights into con- temporary depictions of military events and figures. While we may think of the Victorian era as populated GREEK ORTHODOX ARCHDIOCESE OF AUSTRALIA with influential artists such as Rossetti and Turner, this collection reveals the immense and diverse artistic world of the times, and now forgotten artists who Visit were an integral and influential part of 19th century art. Reading the accounts of contemporaries who talk with enthusiasm and familiarity about the art and artists of the day (before the artists became revered masters our website and historical figures) is fascinating. The collections also provide a wealth of finely reproduced artworks and preparatory sketches by artists, many of which www.greekorthodox.org.au will never be shown in public galleries. L.C. APRIL 2012 The Greek Australian VEMA TO BHMA 19/37

Papademos: Drachma II would be 'devastating' Lucas Papademos has warned voters that a return banking system would be severely destabilised, to the drachma would be "devastating", in a precam- there would be many bankruptcies, and unemploy- paign attack on splinter parties that have vowed to ment would increase. A return to the drachma would A file photo showing the then Bank of Greece governor Lucas rewrite or scrap bailout deals. increase social inequalities, favouring those who Papademos showing off the The prime minister told the Italian business news- have money abroad." new 5,000 drachma banknote, paper Il Sole 24 Ore: "The consequences would be The prime minister refused to rule out the possi- 24 June 1998 (Reuters) devastating; a return to the drachma would cause ble need for a third EU-IMF rescue package in 2015, high inflation, an unstable exchange rate and a loss but insisted his government was doing "everything of real value of bank deposits." possible" to prevent the need for additional rescue He added: "Real incomes would drop sharply, the money. Asmussen sees Greece growing by 2014

Greece could expect to see itself moving in a positive growth direction by 2014, at least according to European Central Bank policy maker Joerg Asmussen. (photo: Reuters)

The Greek economy should start grow- ing again in 2014, European Central Bank policy maker Joerg Asmussen was quoted saying, as the country where the euro cri- sis began struggles through its fifth year of recession. In an interview which appeared in the Rheinische Post newspaper, Asmussen said it was the ECB's goal to keep Greece in the euro zone and help it return to cap- ital markets step-by-step by 2015. "I expect positive growth in Greece from 2014 with the implementation of the austerity measures," Asmussen was quot- ed saying. "The costs of Greece leaving the euro zone are incalculable." Asmussen, a member of the ECB's Ex- ecutive Board, also urged markets not to count on any further extension of the cheap 3-year funding that the ECB has pumped out in two operations totalling a trillion euros ($1.3 trillion) since December. "The important thing is that the ECB's extraordinary measures are only for a lim- ited period of time and no one should as- sume that we will do that for a third time only because we have twice carried out such a refinancing operation," he said. After the ECB's last policy meeting on April 4, ECB President Mario Draghi dis- missed a German-led push for the bank to start planning a retreat from emergency crisis-fighting, but stressed it was keeping a close eye on price pressures which German policymakers fear will ultimately be fuelled by the huge cash injection. APRIL 2012 20/38 TO BHMA The Greek Australian VEMA Travel Mt Mainalo Pan’s playground The heart of the Peloponnese retains its rustic feel amid traditional settlements and fir forests BY H. ARGYROPOULOS beautiful iconostasis. Dimitsana (850 m, 60 km): Built Mount Mainalo occupies a at the top of a gorge of the large part of the central Pelo- Lousios River, it has a superb ponnesian district of Arcadia, a view of the plain of Megalopoli verdant area of about 1,500 and Mt Taygetos to the south. Its square kilometers with a richly medieval layout, cobbled alley- varied landscape, from the ways and stone-built houses Tripoli plateau to the Lousios Riv- and mansions are worth explor- er and the artificial Lake Lado- ing. Four kilometers away is Za- nas. It is a blessed mountain, not touna (a name with Slavic roots, so much in terms of height (Os- meaning “the village beyond the trakina, its highest summit, is river”), which boasts the best just under 2,000 meters) but in views in the area, from the terms of vegetation and water. Church of Profitis Ilias. Stemnitsa Its fir forest, one of the country’s (1,050 m, 75 km): One of the Pe- densest and largest, covers 65 lo-ponnese’s most attractive tra- percent of the alpine zone, while ditional settlements. From Otto- its water table is the most boun- man times until the early 20th tiful in the region. Mt Mainalo is century, it flourished as a silver on the European Natura 2000 list and goldsmithing center and of protected areas. such as Stemnitsa and Zygovisti. (700 m, 8 km): At the foot of the lation of 700. One of the two trading post, while its bell mak- According to mythology, it was Thanks to its relatively short dis- mountain, with about 500 peo- clocks on the bell tower of the ers were among the best in the home of the god Pan - pro- tance from Athens (about two ple. The nearby cave is well Church of Taxiarchis, on the hill- Greece. It also features excel- tector of shepherds and their hours and 30 minutes) and its worth visiting. Levidi (850 m, 25 top, shows the time when the lent examples of traditional ar- flocks - which reflected its an- picturesque villages, it is an ide- km): A head village with a popu- Germans blew it up during chitecture with wood and stone cient animal farming tradition. al place for short escapes, with World War II to prevent the lo- and its highlights include a folk Beside inspiration for folk ta- tourist infrastructure that has cals from alerting the guerrillas history museum and the small les, Mainalo also prompted Vir- grown significantly in recent with the bells. historic Monastery of Zoodo- gil to assert that Arcadia was years. A circular, counterclock- Vytina (1,033 m, 44 km): chos Pigi. the home of pastoral simplicity wise tour of Mt Mainalo can Known for its excellent climate Eight kilometers from Stemnit- and happiness, and inspired the start from the Nestani junction, a and a cool summer resort. Prox- sa is Elliniko, near the the Lou- 17th-century French painter Ni- few kilometers after exiting the imity to the Mainalo skiing cen- sios River gorge and a base for colas Poussin for his two paint- Artemisio Tunnel, and take in ter (15 km) is an additional plus. exploring the area. A further six ings titled “Et in Arcadia ego.” Kapsia, Levidi, Vytina, Dimitsana, Magouliana, 12 km from Vytina, kilometers away is ancient Gor- Arcadia was invaded by Slavs Stemnitsa and Tripoli - a total of is the village with the highest al- tyna, the starting point of re- around the 7th century, which 110 kilometers (altitude and dis- titude in the Peloponnese (1,367 stored trails in the gorge. explains why so many places tance from the city of Tripoli are m), with only 80 inhabitants, me- have names of Slavic origin, listed in parentheses). Kapsia dieval ruins and a church with a ATHENSPLUS

1 2 3 4 5 Where to stay Transport Where to eat What to see Activities

In Levidi: Mainalia (tel 27960.29029), A car is a must for a tour of the You are unlikely to find substandard The excellent Hydromotion Museum Besides offering skiing, snowboar- Artemis (tel 27960.22422); in Vytina: area, otherwise one has to rely on cuisine in this part of the Peloponnese and the old gun powder mills near ding and snowmobile, Mainalon Ski Archontiko Nikolopoulou (tel 27950.22 taxis and local buses, which can be - it ranges from the decent to the su- Dimitsana; the Ladonas River dam and Center (tel 6979.911.506, 210.578.18 274), Vytina House (tel 27950.29014); infrequent. From the Corinth-Tripoli perb. In Vytina, try Klimataria and the artificial lake good for amateur 80), 30 kilometers from Tripoli, has a in Alonistaina: Platanitis (tel 2710.431 highway, take a right toward Levidi Arhontiko tis Athinas for classic Greek angling; the pretty settlements of La- skiing school (6979.911.501) for all 100), excellent choice, Theoxenia (tel and Vytina at the Nestani junction. and grilled dishes; in Dimitsana, Tho- gadia, Chrysovitsi and Karytaina (its ages. The daily pass costs 8 euros on 2710.431363); in Stemnitsa: Mpelleiko Vytina is 202 kilometers from Athens los; in Magouliana, non-vegetarians medieval fort used to be known as weekdays and 15 euros on weekends (tel 27950.81286), great service and and the road is very good for the go to Iosif’s, who, as a stock breeder/ the Greek Toledo); the historic Filoso- and holidays. There are four lifts and location, Filoxeno Spiti (tel 27950.295 most part. Tripoli can be reached butcher/restaurateur, will make you a fou Monastery, 8 km from Dimitsana, eight trails, ranging from 100-800 me- 05); in Dimitsana: Xenon Kazakou (tel from Athens by bus (tel 210.513.2834, meat enthusiast; buy chestnuts and an old religious education center; the ters. Trekking Hellas (6974.459.753, 27850.31660); in Lagadia: Kentrikon on average one per hour) and train walnuts; in Vytina you will find good 12thcentury Aghios Ioannis Prodro- 27910.25978) offers river sports in (tel 27950.43221); in Elliniko: Elaion (tel (tel 1110, journeys take much longer). honey, feta, trahana, hylopittes; in mos Monastery between Dimitsana the Lousios River as well as archery 27910.31400). Local bus station: tel 2710.222.560; Stemnitsa, don’t miss the diples (fried and Stemnitsa, built on the side of a and trekking programs in the area in tourist info: tel 2710.222.243; police: pastries). vertical bluff. a number of combinations. tel 2710.222.519.