THE GREEK AUSTRALIAN The oldest circulating Greek newspaper outside VEMA Greece JULY 2009 Tel. (02) 9559 7022 Fax: (02) 9559 7033 E-mail: [email protected] OUR PRIMATE’S VIEW THE IMMUNITY OF THE PRIVATELY-OWNED MEDIA (Part 1)

PAGES 4/22 - 5/23

Greek quest for Marbles New Acropolis Museum is the embodiment of many Greek hopes for the return of the Parthenon Marbles. PAGE 10/28

New Acropolis Museum is a ‘treasure house’

From the heart; for locals and tourists made by the hands The opening of the New Acropolis Mu- exhibition hall will rank in importance The Stitches of the Heart exhibition held in seum heralded the beginning of a major alongside other great European muse- Brisbane in June, was a huge success. new era in Greece’s presentation of the ums, including the British Museum, the PAGES 18/36 - 19/37 ancient Acropolis and its monuments. Louvre and the Capitoline Museums. Make no mistake, this magnificent new PAGE 16/34

Mani: Rugged land of towering spirits This southern Peloponnesian region adheres strongly to tradition and keeps alive the memories of centuries past. PAGE 9/27 PAGE 17/35 JULY 2009 2/20 TO BHMA The Greek Australian VEMA

This Day Swine flu is the dominant flu in Victoria New research claims that 99 per cent of Victorians who are down with the flu, almost certainly have swine flu. Head of epidemiology at the Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory, Heath Kelly, says that of the 73 people IInn HHiissttoorryy who tested positive for influenza at clinics monitoring flu viruses during the last week of June, 99 per cent had the H1N1 virus. "It's amazing, swine flu has taken over the flu season," Dr Kelly told The Age. "If you've got the flu, you've almost certainly got swine flu." The research, published in an online edition of the Medical Journal of Australia, also showed the median age of Victori- ans with the virus was between 18 to 22 years. Australia has had 6353 laboratory-confirmed cases of swine flu with 13 deaths, including seven in Victoria. AAP

July 20, 1969 Armstrong walks on moon

At 10:56 p.m. EDT, American astro- naut Neil Armstrong, 240,000 miles from Earth, speaks these words to more than a billion people listening at home: "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind." Stepping off the lunar landing module Eagle, Armstrong became the first human to walk on the surface of the moon.

July 29, 1958 NASA created

On this day in 1958, the U.S. Con- gress passes legislation establishing the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), a civilian agency responsible for coordinating America's activities in space. NASA has since sponsored space expeditions, both hu- man and mechanical, that have yielded vital information about the solar sys- tem and universe. It has also launched numerous earth-orbiting satellites that have been instrumental in everything from weather forecasting to navigation to global communications.

August 2, 1990 Iraq invades Kuwait

At about 2 a.m. local time, Iraqi forces invade Kuwait, Iraq's tiny, oil- rich neighbor. Kuwait's defense forces were rapidly overwhelmed, and those that were not destroyed retreated to Saudi Arabia. The emir of Kuwait, his family, and other government leaders fled to Saudi Arabia, and within hours Kuwait City had been captured and the Iraqis had established a provincial gov- ernment. The same day, the United Na- tions Security Council unanimously de- nounced the invasion and demanded Iraq's immediate withdrawal from Kuwait. JULY 2009 The Greek Australian VEMA TO BHMA 3/21 Editorial The Acropolis is more than the Parthenon

As the Acropolis and its monuments declare to the those in the British Museum for the past 200 years - only the Parthenon but also the Erechtheum, the Temple world, nothing makes a grander statement than a often overshadow the fact that the Parthenon may be of Athena Nike and the Propylaia, while many of its grand building. Thucydides, in his unforgettable chroni- the grandest but is not the only building on the Acropo- treasures are a lot older than the sculptures of the cle of the decline and fall of thens, noted that in the fu- lis. Classical era. The new museum will show the develop- ture people would look on the ruins of his city and con- The “Sacred Rock” as Greeks call it, has a history dat- ment of Greek sculpture by juxtaposing copies of the sider it greater than it was, while the ruins of its great ing back long before the Golden Age of Pericles, when absent pieces with treasures from other buildings and rival, Sparta, would make the Peloponnesian city ap- the ruins that we now see were built. And the natural- other eras on the Acropolis. pear less mighty than it was. Athens’s fortunes have ly fortified hill that allowed prehistoric tribes to settle The generous exhibition space will also allow a new waxed and waned at the foot of the Acropolis for more on this once-fertile plain has a long tale to tell. The appraisal of many overlooked masterpieces that were than 2,500 years and the rocky hill and its monuments saga of the missing Marbles is a chapter in that long in storage or cramped into the tight corners of the old have reflected this. story, one that will end when they return to join those museum. Free people celebrating their triumph over foreign in- in the New Acropolis Museum. For now, the missing The rock of the Acropolis is the touchstone of vaders built the Parthenon and its temples on the Marbles tell the story of the Parthenon during the long Greece’s fortunes. The New Acropolis Museum, built smoldering ruins that a Persian army had left behind night of the Ottoman occupation, when the Greeks after a delay of decades, is a declaration by the people after a debate on whether it would be best to preserve were unable to protect their treasures from destruction of this land that they honor their past not by crying over the ruins as eternal condemnation of the desecration or and theft. lost glory but by protecting it, displaying it in the best to push aside the past and build for the present - The shattered shell of the Parthenon underlines the possible way, and by creating a new public space that and posterity. vulnerability of a nation caught in endless war. The on- will change the way the city, its people and visitors in- The outcome of that argument was decisive in shap- going preservation works tell the story of mistakes in teract with the Acropolis and its treasures. ing our civilization - and in creating a heritage for past preservation projects and the effects of modern And the best way to get the missing sculptures back Greeks through the ages. The Greeks did many great Athens’s chronic air pollution. is to embarrass those who hold them by showing them things in philosophy, medicine and the arts but nothing The new museum highlights the missing Marbles’ ab- up as unwitting players in a story that is so much big- concentrated their achievements more than the build- sence by stressing where they would have been if they ger than them. ings and sculptures on the Acropolis. The polemics were here. This finger-pointing, too, is part of the sto- over the Parthenon and its sculptures - especially ry. But, as every visitor will see, the Acropolis hosts not Source: ATHENSPLUS

Christian Witness in Secular Society

doms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, consider spiritual pursuits but chooses instead to stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence sleep in, to watch television, to self-righteously of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weak- mourn the death of celebrities and vow to himself to ness were made strong, became valiant in battle, change his ways in the future, when he gets around turned to flight the armies of the aliens... Others were to it. tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might By PETER There is no simple solution to the increasing secu- obtain a better resurrection. Still others had trial of larism of our age. We have become our own god in MAVROMMATIS * mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and im- our own world, forgetting that everything in the world prisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in is a revelation of the Creator - “The heavens declare two, were tempted, were slain with the sword” (Heb the glory of God; and the firmament shows His hand- “Go therefore and make disciples of all the 11:33-37) is not descriptive of all the saints who walk iwork” (Ps 18:2 LXX). We must step back from our nations, baptising them in the name of the the earth today because today we are confronted by blasphemous and egocentric ideals, remembering Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, a ‘faceless’ persecutor known simply as ‘secular in- the story of the Tower of Babel, and submit to the teaching them to observe all things that difference’ and so today more than ever we are Will of the Heavenly Father, hearing and responding I have commanded you” (Matt 28:19-20) called to witness to Christ in the world. to His call to “taste and see that the Lord is good” (Ps In the relative safety of today’s society where all 33:9 LXX), to seek Him and His Kingdom and accept The Great Commission defines the role and re- creeds and confessions are ‘free’ modern man has our responsibilities to “take up our cross, and follow sponsibility of all Christians to be apostles in their ‘come of age’ and determined that secularism is not Him” (Mark 8:34). particular time and place. This call to apostleship is the enemy, not the result of man’s tragic loss of reli- In today’s age where we are more than happy to both a great privilege and an awesome responsibili- gion but some sort of achievement, a ‘liberation’ publically confess to our shortcomings and misde- ty. It is a privilege because we are chosen by God to from a confessing church. Despite this ‘success’, meanors, where we happily face public scrutiny in preach his name as did His holy disciples and clos- modern man lacks direction and seeks to find mean- the name of responsibility, we are called to confess est followers, but it simultaneously is an awesome ing in new age religions, in tarot cards and astrology. Christ and our love for Him through our deeds and responsibility because it presupposes a personal de- Contemporary man is free to pick and choose words remembering the words of Jesus who said, votion to God and an acceptance of one’s responsi- what aspects of faith and culture are important. He “whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also bility to God and one’s fellow man. will take exception if you suggest that he should cel- confess before My Father who is in heaven. But The early Christians were called to witness to ebrate Easter with the Western churches or that he whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny Christ in the face of fierce persecutions first from should take his new born out after dark, but he will before My Father who is in heaven” (Matt 10:32). Let hostile Judaism, then the Pagan authorities, and over be more offended if you remind him that the Divine us proudly and openly declare our faith through the millennia a number of enemies of the faith have Liturgy is celebrated EVERY Sunday and that Orthodox Christian love and good deeds in response to Jesus’ arisen and persecuted Christ and His Holy Church. Christians pray and fast. This is because modern commission “let your light shine before men, that Regardless of the ideology of the persecutor, man, the one who “uses electricity”, as the late Fr they may see your good deeds and praise your Fa- whether it be paganism, atheism, communism or any Schmemann would joke, is industrialised and educat- ther in heaven” (Matt 5:16), remembering that “a little other, the “so great a cloud of witnesses” (Heb 12:1) ed, is “deadly serious”, conscious of his sufferings leaven leavens the whole lump” (1 Cor 5:6). Only in and the blood of these Holy Martyrs nourished the and alienations but not of joy, of sex but not of love, accepting our response to responsible and active Church and rather than discourage the faithful en- of science but not of mystery. He knows there is no discipleship can we truly experience Christian life. couraged them to even greater displays of faith and heaven and so prayer to “Our Father in heaven...” and To comment, agree, or disagree, visit http://peter- virtue. that “heaven and earth are full of Your Glory, Hosan- mav.livejournal.com/ Fortunately or unfortunately, depending on how na in the Highest” do not make any sense to him. one looks at this matter, the time of physical perse- Because of this ‘knowledge’ and ‘freedom’ from * Peter Mavrommatis is a teacher of Orthodox Studies cutions has ended and Saint Paul’s description of the religious commitment modern man does not partici- and Personal Development heroes of the faith who “through faith subdued king- pate in the sacraments, does not pray, does not even at St Spyridon College Senior School Sydney. JULY 2009 4/22 TO BHMA The Greek Australian VEMA Our Primate’s View

On page 16 of our current edition (the that, up until the present moment (from what we ‘VEMA of the Church’), we re-produce from the know, at least), only the responsible governmental Sunday ‘VEMA’ of Athens an outrageous story institution of the Greek State, the ‘National ambitiously presented by the Greek privately- Broadcasting Council’ (E.S.R.), has intervened, albeit owned television channel ANTENNA (ANT1), ostensi- with a tentative but as yet not permanent ban of bly in the service of Greeks both within Greece and the ‘game show’. It should be noted that even this abroad, which, however, reached the point of bla- was achieved in the face of trade union protests, tant conflict and brazen disputation with the and the brazenly ventilated threats by interested National Broadcasting Council (E.S.R.) for radio and parties to appeal the issue in analogous Courts, television. not only of Greece and the European Union, but also of internationally represented Organizations. Very briefly, it involves an unprecedentedly shameless ‘TV game show’ entitled “THE MOMENT Nonetheless, it is quite comforting as to OF TRUTH” which, from January 2008, began airing how courageously the National Broadcasting in the USA through the FOX network, owned by the Council responded through its President, Mr. I. well-known global media magnate, Rupert Murdoch. Laskaridis, to the hypocritically concocted com- As such, the cynicism and adventurism mentary claiming a supposed violation of media of the specific show’s creator, Mr. Howard Schultz, liberties. became evident not only from the examples of On this issue, most characteristic are the questions posed on the ‘game show’ under the pre- crystal-clear statements by Mr. Laskaridis who sumption of an ‘open’ competition (as mentioned made the explicit qualification that, with regard to indicatively by the ‘VEMA’), but also by the unfath- the specific telecast, the television channel ANT1 omable audacity with which this ‘gentleman’ “had been penalized in previous months with signif- attempted in a previous edition of the same icant fines of 200,000 and 75,000 Euro, and despite Athenian newspaper to defend the supposed this, the ‘game show’ continues to violate the Radio By ARCHBISHOP moral and pedagogic value of the monstrosity in STYLIANOS mention, purportedly for the cleansing and matu- THE IMMUNITY ration OF AUSTRALIA of contemporary young people. OF THE PRIVATELY-OWNED MEDIA We are informed that this demonic (Part 1) ‘Catechesis’ has already imposed itself triumphant- ly on thirty nations across the planet. It is plain as and Television Legislation”. daylight that what we are dealing with here is cer- Even though this statement says it all, Mr. tainly not an ‘initiation’ into the gifts of divine Laskaridis did not omit to stress that “the telecast Providence from above, about which St. Kyrillos of devalued the quality of the programme whilst, at the Jerusalem had written those immortal “Mystagogical same time, with the enticement of monetary prizes, Catechisms”, but a complete, alas, absence of lured contestants into making revelations about their restraint on the exhibition of the most perverse personal life, resulting in the degradation of their instincts, to the point of bestial abjection of men personality”. and women. The fact that, initially, the concept is spread- One would, therefore, have to be heavily ing like a hurricane, in the total absence of any sub- prejudiced if, following these explanations by the stantial resistance from the regulatory Authorities of ESR, still considered the penalty of the ‘ban’ exces- the current Government and Society in Greece, in sive, even on the condition that “it should also apply no way constitutes proof as to the value of this to the next series, unless the content of the show already infamous profanity. In any case, it is well changes fundamentally”. known that any form of contagious disease is trans- mitted with lightning speed and, if not confronted In any case, we in distant Australia, having immediately, very quickly turns into a deadly ‘pan- the immediate pastoral responsibility only of the demic’. Orthodox faithful in the Antipodes, would not have had any pressing reason to become involved in The fact, however, that the Church - espe- such an acutely harrowing controversy, even more cially in Orthodox Greece - did not hasten immedi- so since the official view of the Church of Greece ately to ‘press the emergency button’ in the face of has yet to be heard on this issue. a new crime of the wayward and entirely immune Given, however, that most Greek homes in Television media, to the detriment of unshielded Australia by choice mainly follow the programmes Youth, demonstrates not simply an impermissible of the Antenna Radio and Television network on a laxity but, above all, an ungodly betrayal of the daily basis, our silence on the matter would have totality of things holy and sacred which, by defini- been as equally strange as that of the Greek tion, the appointed Ecclesiastical Administration is Church, had we not taken a clear stance on such a obliged to protect at all times (and not merely crucial ethico-social problem. because it is prescribed by the CONSTITUTION of Another most serious reason which the Land!), which the fear of God requires in any demands that we immediately raise a voice of acute case, but under no circumstances in the context of objection, i.e. a self-enunciated censure of worldly policing methods. those who callously take advantage of the weak- nesses of defenceless television audiences (espe- Consequently, it is a matter of justifiable cially the Youth!), is the most scandalous fact and grave concern and shame at the same time JULY 2009 The Greek Australian VEMA TO BHMA 5/23

Cont. from previous page that the ‘game show’ in mention, like others, was introduced to Greece from Abroad, where it is considered that a higher cultural level pre- vails, indeed as the ‘splendid product’ of great educationists and enlighteners of supposedly free consciences. The improbable degree of perversion prevalent in such cultural ‘sub-products’ of the corrupt contemporary world of the Arts, and particularly that of Spectacle, was recently presented in summary, again from the columns of the Athenian Vema, by its special- ist contributor, Mr. I. Zoumboulakis, on the occasion of the Cannes International Film Festival. The title of the relevant article is ade- quately expressive: “Shock and awe at the Festival” (see ‘TO VEMA’, Sunday, 24th May, 2009).

Today, in Part 1 of our article, making the above, somewhat running references to gruesome developments which the unsuspecting average tele-viewer has had to confront for the first time, during the few hours in which he seeks a little ‘relaxation’ amongst his daily stresses (resulting usually in heightened depression!), we need to high- light the important service which the printed and serious Press offers, as in the matter at hand.

In our next edition (Part 2) we shall elaborate and comment appropriately on the information presented to us in the relevant survey conducted by high profile Journalists with commendably sound judgement and boldness, as well as with analogous metho- dicality. As for the case in question, we are obliged to say that it was not just the report of Mr. I. Zoumboulakis that was particularly awakening for the average reader, but also that of Mr. D. Galanis who presented the fol- low-up to the infamous tele-game “The moment of truth”. It was especially informative and particularly spirited, with his restrained yet caustic sarcasm on the apportionment of responsibility in all direc- tions.

In any event, just the originality of his very significant (!) title “Games played with the truth” on this issue, would have been enough for us to congratulate him. Moreover, it should not escape the attention of the reader that the juxtaposed article “Viewpoint”, also containing the authoritative opinions on the subject by Professor D. Haralambis (from the School of Communications at the University of Athens), under the title “Moments of truth”, belongs to the same organic unity as the main body of the report, indeed alliterating verbally with the general title “Games played with the truth”.

(to be continued) Translation by FSS JULY 2009 6/24 TO BHMA The Greek Australian VEMA

It’s not an original notion but it’s proven true again - if you want something done right, do it yourself. The Greek Orthodox commu- nity in Belmore, who felt they had outgrown their school site, band- ed together to build a new $7.3 million building for the students of All Saints Primary School. Their efforts have won the new building the prestigious Sulman Award for Public Buildings in the NSW Architecture Awards. It is the first primary school in 28 years to receive the award. Principal Mr A. Tsoutsas said the project was almost 20 years in the making. Architect Mr Angelo Candalepas, who designed the building, said the project is testament to what communities can achieve. -The Daily Telegraph

All Saints Primary School named best new public building at NSW Architecture Awards

Greek Orthodox ‘All Saints’ Primary School at Belmore has been named NSW’s best new public building at the 2009 NSW Architecture Awards Jury Citations Australian Institute of Architects’ 2009 NSW Architecture Awards. Public Architecture - Sulman Award for Public Architecture The school, by Candalepas Associates was an- All Saints Primary School - Candalepas Associates nounced winner of the prestigious 2009 Sulman Award for Public Buildings at a special awards ceremony at the This primary school serves the Greek Orthodox community based around the All Saints Church. It is the first Sydney Hilton on Thursday 18 June 2009. stage in a master plan that will include further institutional and educational buildings. The building is a simple, All Saints is the first primary school in NSW to receive four-storey linear block. It is positioned on the site to create large public spaces along a road on the western the major award in 28 years, and it marks a first time boundary, and moreintimate garden spaces to the residential eastern boundary. The block is roughly divided in Sulman win for Angelo Candalepas of Candalepas As- two: the eastern half of the plan contains the classrooms and offices, while the western half is a breezeway sociates. that serves as both circulation and social space. The diagram easily allows cross ventilation and natural light- In awarding the prize, NSW Architecture Awards Jury ing. It is then elaborated to provide moments of delight. Chairman Sam Marshall said the project serves the The roof profile is designed to provide soft natural lighting to the spaces below. On the west, the facade can- Greek Orthodox community based around Belmore’s All tilevers out to create outdoor rooms shaded with fine timber screens. Saints Church and offers “moments of delight”. He said: Facades on the east use large sunshields to both moderate the lighting and give privacy toresidential neigh- “It has an unassuming civic quality that is appropriately bours. At the lower ground level, the library opens to an intimate protected garden, stepped seating and ter- institutional, with a refinement and scale to the detailing race. Public spaces along the road take full advantage of the sloping site, working the ground levels to create that is right for children and families”, with the building playgrounds and assembly areas that are alternately exposed to, and sheltered from the public domain. The already having “taken its place in the heart of the com- school is restrained and of high quality, yet elegantly economical. It has an unassuming civic quality that isap- munity”. propriately institutional, with a refinement and scale to the detailing that is right forchildren and families. It The school was one of three educational facilities strikes exactly the right chords, and has already taken its place in the heart of its community. dominating this year’s public buildings awards - with Architecture Awards also presented to the University of Sydney’s Faculty of Law, Library and Teaching Complex Faculty of Law, Library and Teaching Complex also re- to the Snowy Mountains and from toilet blocks to multi- by fjmt (Francis-Jones Morehen Thorp) and the Jane ceived an Award for Sustainable Architecture and a million- dollar public buildings - with the jury awarding Foss Russell Building at the University of Sydney by John Commendation for Urban Design (with Jeppe Aagaard 41 awards and commendations across 10 categories. Wardle Architects in association with Wilson Architects Andersen, Tinka Sack). All up, a record 200 architectural Award winners are now in contention for the Nation- and GHD. projects were entered in this year’s awards, ranging al Architecture Awards, to be announced in Melbourne In a multiple win for fjmt, the University of Sydney’s from projects at Casuarina near the Queensland border on Thursday 29 October. JULY 2009 The Greek Australian VEMA TO BHMA 7/25 Windows to Orthodoxy Elijah: A Story of Flight, Deconstruction and Finding God

By Revd Dr Doru Costache* Elijah looked around, and there by his head was a cake the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are try- of bread and a jar of water. He ate and drank and then ing to take my life too.” The month of July occasions for the Orthodox the lay down again. Always like Adam (cf. Genesis 3:10), Elijah was not yet remembrance of a Christian saint, Prophet Elijah (Elias) If you don’t eat from below, a meal from above will fully aware of the meaning of his quest (see also the who lived before the Lord’s incarnation. Perhaps one of be served. So, don’t you worry and focus on the quest. expression of his sorrow: I have had enough). His was the most enigmatic figures in the entire Bible, Elijah Why did Elijah fall asleep again? It’s simple: an angel not the proper answer to God’s fundamental question. remains the image of the saint par excellence, illustrat- cannot be the answer. The angel is just the presenti- Nothing surprising though since, according to St Silouan ing through his life the paradoxes of spiritual becoming, ment of the answer... the Athonite, even the saints can be wrong. Therefore, as experienced by those who love God above all. In cel- The angel of the Lord came back a second time and you should not despair when your own answers are ebration of his tremendous memory, I will ponder a touched him and said, “Get up and eat, for the journey inaccurate. moment of his life, as depicted in 3 Kings (in the is too much for you.” So he got up and ate and drank. The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in Septuagint; 1 Kings according to the Hebrew canon) Strengthened by that food, he travelled forty days and the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass 19:3-13, which is one of my favourite biblical passages forty nights until he reached Choreb, the mountain of by.” and utterly relevant to any experience of awakening God. You willingly entered the cave and the darkness, but and renewal. Rendered in italics, the version offered Elijah was right. The angel cannot bring an answer there is no knowledge/answer in your own humility. You below represents a retelling that combines the though you might expect from an angel at least to tell accomplished your task, becoming humble and putting Septuagint and the Hebrew rendition. I simply write you where to look for the answer... After so frugal a behind all prejudice. Now you’re ready to receive the down my thoughts along the lines of the scriptural nar- meal, and there’s no actually need for more (Matthew wisdom from above: God is neither knowledge nor rative, inviting you to come along with me on the jour- 4:4), he proceeded for his journey. There’s no true jour- knowable. God is presence, alive, life to be partaken. ney... ney without proper preparation: leave your servant Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains Elijah was afraid and got up and went away for his behind (assume solitude), go into the desert for one day apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his (look into your heart), rest under a tree (find the gate), Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an servant there, while he himself went a day’s journey don’t absolutise the angels (focus on the quest, don’t be earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. into the wilderness. disturbed by images or ideas), and eat (assimilate your After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not Running for your life, or some other reason, no human findings, know who you are). Only after you may move in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper, and help is sufficient and you distrust even your earthly side. towards the most difficult part of your experience. the Lord was there. Therefore, it’s better to leave behind your servant, this There he went into a cave and lodged there. Powerful wind, earthquake, fire. All tree elements are body, and allow your inner self to stretch its morning The cave, like a womb, represents the matrix of one’s violent, and you know what they are... They represent wings and fly towards the Rock. Fly into the desert for a rebirth (cf. John 3:3-7). In the cave there’s always night, the stages of chaos and turmoil you consciously day’s journey. The desert, where there’s no place to that inner face of a day, another powerful symbol of the embraced when you began to work on your rebirth. But hide and no chance of disguising, the mirror in which mystery of one’s regeneration. Elijah voluntarily returned God is not to be found during the violent stages of your you can clearly see yourself, alone and naked, before into his inner darkness (cf. Genesis 1:2), abandoning any deconstruction. He will be there, at the end of your God. previous knowledge and virtue, and becoming a foetus painful journey, where/when you will not struggle any- He came to a broom tree, sat down under it and anew (a foetus may claim neither knowledge nor virtue) more, where/when - radically reconstructed - you will prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, Lord,” he in the womb of his mother, the heart. For Elijah is the serenely and grateful sit under the Tree. He will come, said. “Take my life; I am no better than my forefathers.” conscious side whereas the cave of his heart, the moth- the Comforter, gently caressing your heart, like the Then he lay down under the tree and fell asleep. er, is his subconscious (like in Annick de Souzenelle’s whisper of a soft wind. The Tree is a symbol of revelation, with its shadow hermeneutics). The cave, the womb... Reborn by becom- When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face cast on you like a fuzzy refraction of the enlightening ing humble (see 3 Kings 18:42), by acknowledging your and went out and stood by the cave. Then a voice said truth from above... There, under the Tree, there’s the ignorance, insecurities and weaknesses... to him, “Why are you here, Elijah?” best place in the world for expressing your fears, for And the word of the Lord came to him: “Why are you He knew now. He knew he was wrong, running for his shedding your tears... There you could anesthetize your here, Elijah?” life. This time, he was ready. After running for his life, senses and your mind, getting ready, waiting for the Only by renouncing your vanity you can hear the inaudi- after travelling through the outer deserts and climbing answer (Genesis 2:21-25)... Isn’t it interesting, how Elijah ble. The Merciful One will come again to Adam, asking up the mountains, after facing the dark night of his soul, didn’t actually want to eat from the Tree? He was the most basic question of all: are you aware of what Elijah realised that the answer was already there, inside, strong. He knew that the truth lies beyond the Tree you seek? Do you know who you are? (see Genesis 3:9). under the Tree, where whispers were heard... itself. The Tree was just a foreshadow of another real- He replied, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God ity... Almighty. The Israelites have forsaken you, broken * Revd Dr Doru Costache lectures in Patristics at St Andrew’s Someone touched him and said, “Get up and eat.” down your altars, and put your prophets to death with Theological College, Sydney Panteleimon the Great Martyr and Healer July 27 This Saint, who had Nicomedia as his merciful." On one occasion, when he re- the Holy Unmercenaries, and is held in homeland, was the son of Eustorgius and stored the sight of a certain blind man by special honor among them, even as Saint Eubula. His father was an idolater, but his calling on the Divine Name, he enlightened George is among the Martyrs. mother was a Christian from her ances- also the eyes of this man's soul to the tors. knowledge of the truth. It was through her that he was instruct- This also became the cause for the mar- Apolytikion in the Third Tone ed in piety, and still later, he was cate- tyrdom of him who had been blind, since Panteleimon, saintly champion and heal- chized in the Faith of Christ by Saint Her- when he was asked by whom and in what er, intercede with our merciful God to molaus and baptized by him. manner his eyes had been opened, in imi- grant our souls remission of sins. Being proficient in the physician's voca- tation of that blind man of the Gospel he tion, he practiced it in a philanthropic man- confessed with boldness both who the Kontakion in the Plagal of the First ner, healing every illness more by the physician was and the manner of his heal- Tone grace of Christ than by medicines. ing. For this he was put to death immedi- O Champion and Martyr of God, imitating Thus, although his parents had named ately. the Merciful and bearing from Him the him Pantoleon ("in all things a lion"), be- Panteleimon was arrested also, and hav- grace of healing, cure our spiritual ills by cause of the compassion he showed for ing endured many wounds, he was finally your prayers, and set free from the temp- the souls and bodies of all, he was worthi- beheaded in the year 305, during the reign tation of the eternal enemy those who ly renamed Panteleimon, meaning "all- of Maximian. Saint Panteleimon is one of ceaselessly cry out, "Save us, O Lord." JULY 2009 8/26 TO BHMA The Greek Australian VEMA Facts & Stats More Australian One in four prisoners kids attend private schools is indigenous Nearly a third of Australian children at- tend private schools as more families opt out of the government system, new statis- One in four prisoners in Australia is indigenous and their tics show. over-representation in the jail system is only getting worse, Australian Bureau of Statistics figures re- a new report states. vealed 70 per cent of students were en- Aborigines are 13 times more likely to be locked up than rolled in government schools in 1998. But other Australians, while the proportion of indigenous women by last year that number had fallen to 65.9 being incarcerated has tripled in the past 20-odd years. per cent, despite class sizes comparing Half of the 10- to 17-year-olds in corrective institutions are favourably with those at private schools. indigenous. There were 15.6 students for every “The fact is, every year it gets worse,” Australian National teacher in government primary schools in Council on Drugs (ANCD) executive director Gino Vumbaca 2008, while their independent and Catholic told AAP. counterparts had 16.4 students for every “The investment in prison cells is clearly flawed. It’s not teacher. working. Private schools reclaimed the advantage “If you build more prison cells, invariably you’ll fill them when it came to secondary education. They with more indigenous people.” had 11.6 students for every teacher, while In the decade to 2007, the number of indigenous Aus- in public high schools there was one tralians in prison rose by 6.7 per cent a year, on average. teacher for every 12.3 students. The num- Aboriginal people went from comprising 18 per cent of the ber of school teachers has risen to prison population to 24 per cent. 279,700, compared with 230,800 in 1998. The situation is worst in the Northern Territory, where 83 Women continue to flock to the profession, per cent of the prison population is indigenous. making up 70 per cent of all educators In Western Australia, it’s 41 per cent. around the country. The data also suggests Victoria has the lowest proportion of Aboriginal prisoners Australians are getting smarter. - six per cent of that state’s inmates are black. High school retention rates appear to The statistics are collated in the ANCD’s National Indige- with a chance of recovery - which leads to less re-offending. have stabilised, with 74.5 per cent of Aus- nous Drug and Alcohol Committee (NIDAC) report Bridges “Indigenous Australians increasingly fill our country’s pris- tralian students staying on until their final and Barriers - Addressing Indigenous Incarceration and ons and juvenile detention centres at alarmingly dispropor- year - a 2.9 percentage point increase on Health. tionate rates,” he said. a decade ago. Mr Vumbaca says the report proves tinkering around the “Treatment is simply far more effective in terms of out- Once finished school, more people are edges of the problem hasn’t worked and it makes economic comes and costs than imprisoning people.” going on to further study too. More than 35 sense to invest more in rehabilitation. The report recommends making diversion programs more per cent of 25 to 64-year-olds have a “What we need is greater investment in things like resi- accessible for indigenous Australians, while simultaneously diploma, while 25.5 per cent of those in the dential treatment services so judges, magistrates and the establishing a network of indigenous-only residential rehabil- same age group have a bachelor degree. police have options other than incarceration.” itation centres as alternatives to jail. Labor spent $66.1 billion on education The report estimates it costs governments $269 per day to It also suggests every young Aboriginal person be given last year, or 5.8 per cent of Australia’s lock up a prisoner. an individual education fund “to assist and promote their par- GDP. That’s compared to just $98 per day for someone in resi- ticipation and retention within the education system”. AAP dential rehabilitation. NIDAC chair Ted Wilkes says treatment provides people AAP Crisis costs Australians 36pc Angry bank customers hit web instead of tellers of their wealth Angry bank customers have found a new place to de- Because so many people were online, it was an easy posit their anger. way for them to ask each other about their banks’ per- It’s been revealed that Australian house- They are hitting the world wide web instead of their formance. holds have lost 36 per cent of their finan- bank branch and are venting online about sloppy service “It’s not necessarily that people are going online specifi- cial wealth since the economic crisis be- and interest rate rises. cally to talk about it, but it’s people who are already online. gan. A new Nielsen Online study reveals social networking When the topic comes up, it’s like a match to tinder wood,” Estimates from the Australian Bureau of sites such as Twitter are booming with people publicly ex- Mr Higginson said. Statistics put combined household wealth pressing their displeasure. “The major spike has been in the past few weeks over at just short of $787 billion at the end of The study measured consumer-generated media, or the CBA rate rise.” And although other banks were soon to March, down from a peak of $1,246 billion “buzz”, around the big four banks and found online discus- follow the CBA rate rise, going by the data the Common- in September 2007, Fairfax newspapers sion spiked following specific incidents related to banks. wealth took the flak for the hike, he said. report. The total includes household wealth The Commonwealth Bank of Australia’s (CBA) surprise Most of the banks were aware of the online backlash, held in cash, bank deposits, bonds and interest rate rise of 0.1 of a percentage point to 5.74 per but Mr Higginson did not know if they were addressing the shares. Significantly it excludes wealth held cent in June, and the story of a New Zealand couple who problems. in the form of superannuation and real es- made off with $10 million that Westpac mistakenly de- Media outlets are increasingly posting breaking news on tate, and both of these have also dived posited into their account sparked a frenzy. Twitter and in the case of one journalist about shoddy cus- since the crisis began. Financial wealth per Fifty-three per cent of negative comments about West- tomer service from the CBA. household as measured by the Australian pac in May 2009 related to the New Zealand couple and A spokesman from the CBA told AAP the bank has em- Financial Accounts has slid from $159,000 included comments such as: “I’d love to see them get away braced the new communication channels and regularly to $98,000 - its lowest point for more than with it.” monitors the threads that discuss them. three years. Per person it has slipped from During April 2009, 12 per cent of online discussion about He said the journalist who “tweeted” about shoddy serv- $58,900 to $36,200. Westpac was negative compared with 34 per cent in May ice was contacted by their customer service manager, “It’s the result of the collapsing share- after the $10 million deposit drama. Half of all comments when they saw the post, and was helped. market,” said Savanth Sebastian, a Com- about the CBA were negative after its rate hike. “We have rectified an issue from Twitter,” he said of the monwealth Securities economist. “Aus- Nielsen Online director of analytics Mark Higginson told incident. “We do have people who regularly log in to Twit- tralians are more exposed to shares than AAP the statistics showed people who were getting no sat- ter to keep abreast of the issues, which gives us a chance the citizens of virtually any other country. isfaction from traditional methods were going online to to interact with them, and we will always look at new AAP seek sympathy, support and a little revenge on the banks. ways of interacting with our customers.” JULY 2009 The Greek Australian VEMA TO BHMA 9/27 JULY 2009 10/28 TO BHMA The Greek Australian VEMA

Greek quest for Marbles

Even before its opening date, it ap- Owns Antiquity?” and “Whose Culture?” - suggest official recognition of the British for the Marbles is gaining momentum and peared that the New Acropolis Museum, two books that examine the thorny issue Ambassador Lord Elgin’s decision to re- that the space in the new museum set the 130-millioneuro embodiment of many of ownership of cultural property. move the Marbles from Greece in the ear- aside for the sculptures will not be wast- Greek hopes for the return of the “It is often said that turning the sculpture ly 19th century. To recognize British own- ed. “The pressure will mount. It’s 207 Parthenon Marbles, would have a limited fragments over to the New Acropolis Mu- ership, Culture Minister Antonis Samaras years [since they were taken]; that’s a long impact in shifting an international debate seum would be to restore them to their told British newspaper the Guardian this time,” he said. that has been raging for more than 200 proper context, but that context is not the week, “would be tantamount to accepting Source: ATHENSPLUS years. Despite the enthusiasm in Greece Parthenon itself, nor even their original site that what Elgin did was right.” Samaras ap- New mueseum is a “treasure house” for about the new museum, its opening is be- - that context would be another museum, pears convinced that Greece’s argument locals and tourists.... Page 16/34 ing greeted cautiously by the British Muse- and a museum dedicated only to the um, which has sent a rather low-key rep- sculpture of the Acropolis,” he said. resentation, consisting of Deputy Chairman “In the British Museum, visitors from of the Trustees Bonnie Greer and Lesley around the world can view these objects Fitton, keeper of the Greek and Roman De- in the context of other sculptures, those partment, to this weekend’s inauguration. that preceded and succeeded the Par- “The opening of the New Acropolis Mu- thenon sculptures and those from cultures seum is warmly welcomed by the British that neighbored or were distant from Museum. It is a great achievement and Athens. The Parthenon Marbles are signifi- should be rightly celebrated,” Hannah Boul- cant for the world. They needn’t be in ton, a spokesperson for the British Muse- Athens to make that point,” said Cuno. um, stated. “However, it doesn’t alter our Despite the evident gulf between the view that the sculptures in the Museum’s Greek stance and that of the world’s uni- collection should remain here as part of versal museums, there are at least signs the unique overview of world cultures that that both sides have not given up on forg- the British Museum exists to present.” ing a meeting of the minds. Boulton re- From the Greek perspective, the opening vealed that discussions with Greek author- of the museum strengthens the argument ities are ongoing and that the two sides for the Marbles to be returned. The Inter- recently set out their arguments at a UN- national Association for the Reunification of ESCO-sponsored meeting. the Parthenon Sculptures, which repre- A UNESCO spokesperson said that both sents committees from 16 countries, wrote sides have invited Director General of UN- to the British Museum and the British gov- ESCO Koichiro Matsuura “to assist in con- ernment last month arguing that the New vening necessary meetings between them Acropolis Museum is a more suitable with the aim of reaching a mutually ac- place to display the Marbles than the Du- ceptable solution to the issue of the veen Gallery in London. It also suggested Parthenon Marbles.” that more people now visit the Acropolis Greece has recently had some success each year than see the Marbles in London. in securing the return of fragments of the But as far as the British Museum is con- Parthenon - permanently from the Univer- cerned, Boulton said, the lack of a proper sity of Heidelberg and on loan from Paler- place to house the Marbles in Greece has mo in Italy and the Vatican. The British Mu- never been a stumbling block. “The Muse- seum is open to the idea of lending the um does not argue that Greece had Marbles so they can be put on display in nowhere to display the sculptures in its the New Acropolis Museum, Boulton said. collection,” she said. “The Trustees of the “The Trustees have always said they Museum argue that the sculptures, which would consider any request for any part of have been on public display in London for the collection to be borrowed for a limited nearly 200 years, are a vital part of the period and then returned,” she said. “But Museum’s unique worldwide collection. the precondition is that the borrowing in- There is a huge public benefit to visitors to stitution acknowledges the British Muse- be able to see the world under one roof.” um’s ownership of the objects.” This is a point of view shared by James Here, the different points of view seem Cuno, president and director of the Art In- to be irreconcilable. The Greeks have his- stitute of Chicago and author of “Who torically balked at any action that could JULY 2009 The Greek Australian VEMA TO BHMA 11/29

Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia

THE ST SPYRIDON PARISH OF SOUTH EAST SYDNEY

is pleased to announce

The Foundation Blessing Ceremony

of the NEW SPORTS & PERFORMING ARTS CENTRE Senior Campus 1130 Anzac Parade, Maroubra

on

Tuesday 25th August 2009

commencing at 9.30am

We are honoured that His Eminence Archbishop Stylianos of Australia will conduct the Blessing Service and lay the Foundation Stone.

We thank the Commonwealth Government for its funding assistance of the new project under the P21 of the Building Education Revolution.

RSVP Sophie Balayannis on 9311 3340 or [email protected] JULY 2009 12/30 TO BHMA The Greek Australian VEMA

ÉÅÑÁ ÁÑ×ÉÅÐÉÓÊÏÐÇ ÁÕÓÔÑÁËÉÁÓ ÇÌÅÑÇÓÉÏ ÅËËÇÍÏÑÈÏÄÏÎÏ ÄÉÃËÙÓÓÏ ÊÏËËÅÃÉÏ ÁÃÉÁÓ ÅÕÖÇÌÉÁÓ K-12

School Mission Statement That within a dynamic Orthodox Christian framework, a student may strive to achieve academic excellence, a love for learning, social responsibility, spiritual growth and respect for a healthy mind and body.

ENROLLING NOW FOR KINDERGARTEN 2010 Limited positions are available in some grades. For further enquiries please contact the School Secretary on 9796 8240. JULY 2009 The Greek Australian VEMA TO BHMA 13/31 Health

presents complaining of swelling or tenderness in the Dehydration, increasing age, a history of previous calf without a history of injury or trauma to this region. DVT and a family history of DVT are all associated with In addition the doctor will consider what risk factor this increased risk of DVT. person may have for a DVT. Some medicines including the oral contraceptive pill The doctor will arrange a venous Doppler ultrasound and hormone replacement therapy can increase the HEALTH to look at the flow of blood through the deep veins. risk of DVT. This simple painless procedure uses ultrasound to ex- amine the flow of the blood in the veins to determine What are the dangers of a DVT? NEWSNEWS whether there is evidence of obstruction to the blood A large DVT can “travel” or send off smaller clots flow. Such obstruction to blood flow would indicate that (called emboli). These emboli may lodge in the lungs WITH DR. THEO PENKLIS * a “clot” or “thrombosis” has formed. causing a pulmonary embolus. A large untreated pul- monary embolus can lead to death. What causes a DVT? A DVT forms when the normal clotting process that Treatment of DVT Deep Venous stops bleeding in an injured blood vessel occurs in cir- The aim of treatment is to prevent a pulmonary em- cumstances when it shouldn’t. There are several risk bolus from occurring. Treatment involves “thinning” the factors for DVT i.e. there are certain conditions in blood with medication in effect to “dissolve” the clot Thrombosis (DVT) which DVT is more likely to occur. and prevent it from travelling. Anti-clotting medication known as anti-coagulants ini- A fifty year old businessman came to see me this What are the risk factors for DVT? tially in an injection called Enoxaparin will be used to week, having returned from Europe three weeks ago. The risk factors for DVT that most people are aware thin the blood and prevent the thrombus from pro- He had flown to London for a business meeting and re- of are following a long plane flight or long car or bus gressing and then tablets such as Warfarin are used to turned to Sydney within a week. He is a heavy smoker trip. In these circumstances, the thrombosis occurs be- keep the blood thin for a longer period of time. Treat- and overweight. He admitted to having “a few drinks” cause of prolonged inactivity which leads to sluggish ment is usually required for three months, but in some on the flights and may have been dehydrated. He com- blood flow through the vein and a greater chance of circumstances it may be life long. plained of swelling and pain in his right calf and I clin- clot occurring. During the treatment time the patient will need to ically suspected he had a Deep Venous Thrombosis. Similarly patients who are confined to bed for pro- have blood tests to monitor “how thin” the blood has A Deep Venous Thrombosis or DVT is a blood clot longed periods of time, especially after major abdomi- become. The work of the anticoagulant medication is that forms in the deep veins of the body, usually the nal surgery and operations to replace large joints such that if the blood is too “thin” then bleeding can occur. calves, but they can occur higher in the large veins of as the hip and knee are at risk of DVT. the thighs or pelvis. Injuries that disrupt blood vessels such as a broken Prevention of DVT leg and the treatment of that injury; if it involves sur- Doctors try to minimize the risk of DVT in patients What are the symptoms of DVT? gery or a plaster where the leg is immobilised for a who may be at risk of DVT. For example, patients who The usual symptoms of a DVT are pain and swelling long period can lead to DVT. are having major operations or those who may require in the calf or lower leg. People who have a DVT may A number of medical conditions including some types a prolonged period of bed rest will be given a low not always be aware of the symptoms. Symptoms of cancer, heart failure, some auto-immune disorders dose of anti-coagulants or advised to wear compres- however are more likely if the clot extends further up and some inherited conditions that make blood clot sion stockings. the leg than the calf. The higher up the leg the DVT oc- easily such as Factor V Leiden Mutation, Protein S Defi- People who are taking a long flight are advised to: curs the more obvious the swelling will be in the low- ciency, Protein C Deficiency and Anti-thrombin III defi- drink plenty of non-alcoholic fluids during the flight, er leg. Not only will the calf look swollen but it may feel ciency. regularly move their ankles and massage their calves warm, red and tender; and the person may have a People who are obese or smoke have increased risk and wear loose, non-restrictive clothing. fever. of DVT. Pregnancy increases the risk of DVT, as clotting fac- * The information given in this article is of a general nature How is a DVT diagnosed? tors are increased in pregnancy, and further the grow- and readers should seek advice from their own medical practi- The doctor usually suspects a DVT in a patient who ing uterus can disrupt the flow of blood and veins. tioner before embarking on any treatment. Aussie kids no fatter today than a decade ago: GP report

By Julian Drape "GPs are detecting twice as many new cases of Type 2 diabetes than in 1998, arranging 30 per cent more (relat- Australian children haven't gotten any fatter over the ed) tests ... and referring patients to allied health profes- past decade, contrary to recent media reports, a new sionals at twice the rate of a decade ago," she said. decade-long study reveals. The management of other chronic diseases including Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) figures heart disease and hypertension contributed to the spike show the prevalence of overweight children attending as well. general practice didn't change in the decade to 2008. General Practice in Australia states the increase in "Recent high levels of media attention on increasing lev- pathology ordering costs to the Medicare Benefits Sched- els of childhood obesity in Australia are not supported by ule was $700 million. national BEACH data over the 10 years," the AIHW report, Pathology costs in the seven years to 2007/08 costs General Practice in Australia, states. jumped from $1.2 billion to $1.9 billion. Bettering the Evaluation and Care of Health (BEACH) da- While these costs have been driven up by attempts to ta is collected from around 1,000 GPs every year. improve patient care, there could be cost savings down The percentage of children who were overweight or the track, the report said. obese barely budged from 27.9 per cent in 1998 to 28.7 more pathology tests than ever before, placing an in- "It is possible that these evidence-based policies may per cent in 2008. creased burden on the health system and increasing the reduce long-term health costs in other areas of the health But the report stresses that figure is still far too high. likelihood of false positive results. budget while increasing pathology expenditure in the "It is very important to recognise that based on all re- GPs ordered 51.3 million tests each year between 2006 short term," it stated. cent Australian data, the levels of overweight/obesity in and 2008, 17.7 million more per annum than in the three But the testing as part of general check-ups is "likely to children are unacceptably high, and present a major pub- years to 2002. increase false positive results". lic health problem that needs to be tackled." The 35 per cent increase was in part due to health Apart from managing more chronic diseases, the report Increased media attention was welcome because it agencies upping the ante in the fight against Type 2 dia- finds GPs are also spending more time with older patients highlighted the problem and led to governments paying betes. as the average age rises. more attention, the report stated. Tests for the disease were responsible for eight per Doctor visits by patients aged under 15 years dropped It found, however, that adults visiting their GPs were cent of the national increase. Pathology tests ordered for from 15.8 per cent of all consultations to 11.8 per cent. heavier in 2008 compared with 1998. Type 2 diabetes-related problems jumped 42 per cent. Encounters with patients aged 45 years and over in- The percentage of overweight adult patients rose from Health Minister Nicola Roxon said GPs were an essen- creased from 48.4 per cent to 55.4 per cent in the decade 33 to 35 per cent, while the number of obese adults rose tial component of a strong primary health care system, to 2008. from 19 to 24 per cent. with the data showing they were managing more chronic The BEACH data also shows that doctors are ordering disease. AAP JULY 2009 14/32 TO BHMA The Greek Australian VEMA

St Nicholas Cabasilas and the Life in Christ Part 2

By Anthony Papantoniou through Holy Chrism we are anointed with Christ. In the 3:17) is followed. Thus even these may be done ‘to the glory Eucharistic celebration, we partake of Christ as food and of God (1 Cor. 10:31). St Nicholas writes, ‘At every hour invoke drink. The Eucharist for St Nicholas is ‘the perfection of the life him, he who is the object of our meditations, in order that our The contributions of Baptism, in Christ; for those who attain it there is nothing lacking for spirit may be always absorbed in him and our attention each Holy Chrism and the Eucharist the blessedness which they seek. It is no longer death and day centred on him. To call upon him there is no need for any the tomb and a participation in the better life which we lengthy preparation in prayer, nor for some special place, nor to the Life in Christ receive, but the risen One Himself.’21 However, all three for reiterated groans. In effect he is nowhere absent; it is sacraments are interdependent - ‘the first Mystery (Baptism) impossible that he should not be in us, for all those who seek In the same way that Christ was born within history taking clearly needs the middle one (Chrismation), and that in turn him he is closer than our own heart.’ 31 flesh from the Virgin, he is born a second time within every stands in need of the final Mystery.’22 human person through baptism. Simultaneously, man also is Even though the thought of Cabasilas emphasizes that the life born again through the baptismal waters that graft him into The Eucharist is the sacred feast in which we partake of in Christ is lived here and now, his orientation is towards the the side of Christ. The whole of the human person’s biologi- Christ’s deifying flesh and blood that impart the remission of eschaton for it cannot be attained in the life to come if it cal being participates through baptism in the death and res- sins and the inheriting of the future kingdom. It is interesting has not begun here and now in this life. We may character- urrection of Christ thus becoming a new person, a new that Cabasilas emphasizes ‘the idea of continuity rather than ize this aspect of Cabasilas’ thought as inaugurated escha- creation. In Christ, the human person realizes their fullness frequency in receiving the Eucharist.’ This is because the tology, which is realized within the life of the Church. The and potential. Human beings on the biological level possess sacramental life is not merely ‘a series of separate emotion- kingdom of God is present but not identified as the Church. no form or name; they are simply shapeless ‘matter.’ al experiences...’ but a whole way of life ‘...whose very real- Rather through the sacramental life of the Church we receive However, when they descend into the baptismal font as ity demands constant sharing in the sacramental mystery that as a foretaste the majesty of the kingdom to come. Thus ‘the ‘shapeless and formless matter’ they arise out ‘meeting the incorporates us in Christ.’23 Thus through this heavenly ban- body of the historical Jesus, which is the bread of the beautiful form’ of Christ.12 quet to which Christ himself invites us, we come to dwell in Eucharist and the body of the Church, will shine forth at the Christ and simultaneously Christ dwells in us. Cabasilas asks According to Cabasilas, Christ gives ‘form, shape and defini- second coming as the great cosmic body of Christ the 13 ‘when Christ dwells in us, what else is needed, or what ben- Saviour.’32 Cabasilas writes, ‘this bread, this body, to which tion’ to man’s ‘shapeless and undefined life.’ As a result the efit escapes us? When we dwell in Christ, what else will we union and communion of man with Christ begins, and inten- people in this life draw near in order to carry it away from desire? He dwells in us, and He is our dwelling place. How the alter, is that which in the age to come will appear to all tionally leads to theosis or deification. The nature of man blessed are we by reason of this dwelling place, how ‘assumes the form - that is, the structure and mode of func- eyes upon the clouds and in one instant of time will display blessed are we that we have become a dwelling for such a 33 tioning - of the deified human nature of Christ.’14 For ‘Christ its splendour to the east and to the west like lightning.’ Christ one as He!’ 24 did not merely bring the light to the world’ through his incar- is the fullness and culmination of all things past, present and nation and resurrection but ‘created within the human organ- For St Nicholas ‘this is the virtue and grace of the Eucharistic to come. Therefore ‘the risen body of the incarnate Creator ism which he assumed, those new dimensions and functions meal for those who draw near it with a clean heart, and who will shine forth as the real centre of universal attraction which will draw all things to itself.’34 by which man is able to assimilate the divine life.’15 In the keep themselves from all evil afterwards; with those who are words of Cabasilas - ‘when we come up from the water we thus prepared and well disposed, nothing prevents Christ Conclusion bear on our souls, on our heads, on our eyes in our very from uniting himself intimately.’25 He writes elsewhere that inward parts, on all our members the Saviour himself, free ‘this is a great mystery, for this is the celebrated wedding, from any taint of sin and delivered from corruption, just as he during which the divine Bridegroom unites himself with his We have briefly examined the theology of St Nicholas Cabasilas. The central theme of his thought is our when he rose again, and appeared to his disciples, and was Church as with his virgin bride.’26 taken up, and just as he will be when he comes again to union with God that has been realized through the incarna- demand the return of his treasure.’16 As a consequence of the union of Christ with humanity tion, life, passion, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. brought about by the sacraments of the Church, the human Christ was born historically uniting humanity to his divinity While Baptism sets human persons free from sin and recon- person’s biological dimensions and functions are changed and he is born again within the being of the human person ciles them to God and indeed makes them one with God - into functions of the Body of Christ. However, this does not through the mysteries of the Church. Indeed, human beings opening the eyes of their soul to perceive the divine ray and imply that the former man has been destroyed, rather that he also receive a new birth by ‘putting on Christ’ and thus they to receive divine knowledge - the sacrament of Holy Chrism has been transfigured. This Christification of the being of the are transfigured and become Christ-like, however without ‘activates the spiritual energies’ within them. ‘Christ the Lord human person is not a mere symbol; Christ ‘makes these losing their identity or greatness. Rather, they realize the full- himself was anointed, not by receiving chrism poured on the functions his own (‘assimilates’ them), he mixes and mingles ness of true humanity through Christ. The image and likeness head, but by receiving the Holy Spirit. He is not only Christ (the himself with all our psychosomatic faculties, without confu- of God that belongs to their nature is restored to its original 17 Through the Anointed One) but also Chrism (the anointing).’ sion but nevertheless in a real way.’27 Cabasilas states: beauty and glory. Through the mystery of the Eucharist, union of Christ and humanity, Christ as Chrism spiritually ‘Blending and mingling himself with us in this way throughout human beings receive continuously the flesh and blood of anoints human beings who in turn receive the gifts of the our whole being, he makes us his own body and becomes to Christ, which gives them everlasting life, for Christ is life Spirit. However, it is through the Lord ‘that we receive the us what a head is to the members.’ Thus ‘the soul and the 18 itself. However, there must be a synergy between God and participation in the Holy Spirit.’ The gifts of the Spirit are body and all the faculties immediately become spiritual, for human persons in order that the life in Christ is sustained and many and are apportioned to each individual to the measure our soul is mingled with his soul, our body with his body, and brings forth fruit. For St Nicholas, the life in Christ is the pre- the Spirit wills. Cabasilas states that not all who have been our blood with his blood.’28 figuration and the foretaste of theosis, which is nothing else initiated into this mystery perceive immediately the gifts they than the vision of God ‘face to face!’ have received because of their immature age; others may The life in Christ is essentially the life of love, for ‘the grace have been unprepared or have failed to give effect to their of the mysteries implants true love into the souls of those preparation. who have been initiated.’29 There is only one law - the law of 12 St Nicholas Cabasilas, The Life in Christ, 79. He admonishes his readers with the words of St Paul: ‘do not love that ‘demands no arduous nor afflicting work, nor loss of 13 St Nicholas Cabasilas, The Life in Christ, 68. money; it does not involve shame, nor any dishonour, nor 14 Panagiotis Nellas, Deification in Christ, 122. neglect the gift that you have’ (1 Tim. 4:14). St Nicholas argues 15 Panagiotis Nellas, Deification in Christ, 122. that the Spirit imparts his gifts abundantly on human beings, anything worse; it puts no obstacle in the pursuit of any art 16 St Nicholas Cabasilas, The Life in Christ, 62. but there must be a synergic co-operation on their behalf or profession. The general keeps the power to command, the 17 St Nicholas Cabasilas, The Life in Christ, 104. labourer can work the ground, the artisan can carry on with 18 St Nicholas Cabasilas, The Life in Christ, 106. with the grace of God - ‘there is need of effort and vigilance 19 St Nicholas Cabasilas, The Life in Christ, 109. on the part of those who wish to have these things active in his occupation. There is no reason to retire into solitude, to eat unusual food, to be inadequately clothed, or endanger 20 St Nicholas Cabasilas, The Life in Christ, 109. their souls.’19 Thus ‘if one of the righteous appears to excel in 21 St Nicholas Cabasilas, The Life in Christ, 113. love, in purity and self-control, in abundant humility or piety, one’s health, or to resort to any other special endeavour; it 22 St Nicholas Cabasilas, The Life in Christ, 114. or in any such thing above what is common to man, it ought suffices to give oneself wholly to meditation and to remain 23 John Meyendorff, St Gregory Palamas and Orthodox Spirituality, 138. always within oneself without depriving the world of one’s 24 St Nicholas Cabasilas, The Life in Christ, 115. to be ascribed to the most divine Chrismation. We should St Nicholas Cabasilas, The Life in Christ, 122. 30 25 believe that the gift was bestowed on him when he partook talents.’ 26 St Nicholas Cabasilas, The Life in Christ, 123. of the Mystery and that it became active afterwards.’20 27 Panagiotis Nellas, Deification in Christ, 123. For Cabasilas ‘God is present everywhere and fills all things’, 28 Cited in Panagiotis Nellas, Deification in Christ, 123. he penetrates into the daily lives of human beings, who go 29 St Nicholas Cabasilas, The Life in Christ, 224. After speaking about the sacrament of Chrism that makes us about their daily activities, which are continuously sanctified 30 St Nicholas Cabasilas, The Life in Christ, 173-74. partakers of Christ who is the Anointed One, Cabasilas by the grace of God. Through this, the admonition of St Paul 31 St Nicholas Cabasilas, The Life in Christ, 191-92. 32 Panagiotis Nellas, Deification in Christ, 157. describes the Eucharist, which is the greatest of all the ‘whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the 33 Cited in Panagiotis Nellas, Deification in Christ, 157. Mysteries. Through Baptism we are washed in Christ, while Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him’ (Col. 34 Panagiotis Nellas, Deification in Christ, 158. JULY 2009 The Greek Australian VEMA TO BHMA 15/33 Windows to Orthodoxy Elijah: A Story of Flight, Deconstruction and Finding God

By Revd Dr Doru Costache* Elijah looked around, and there by his head was a cake the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are try- of bread and a jar of water. He ate and drank and then ing to take my life too.” The month of July occasions for the Orthodox the lay down again. Always like Adam (cf. Genesis 3:10), Elijah was not yet remembrance of a Christian saint, Prophet Elijah (Elias) If you don’t eat from below, a meal from above will fully aware of the meaning of his quest (see also the who lived before the Lord’s incarnation. Perhaps one of be served. So, don’t you worry and focus on the quest. expression of his sorrow: I have had enough). His was the most enigmatic figures in the entire Bible, Elijah Why did Elijah fall asleep again? It’s simple: an angel not the proper answer to God’s fundamental question. remains the image of the saint par excellence, illustrat- cannot be the answer. The angel is just the presenti- Nothing surprising though since, according to St Silouan ing through his life the paradoxes of spiritual becoming, ment of the answer... the Athonite, even the saints can be wrong. Therefore, as experienced by those who love God above all. In cel- The angel of the Lord came back a second time and you should not despair when your own answers are ebration of his tremendous memory, I will ponder a touched him and said, “Get up and eat, for the journey inaccurate. moment of his life, as depicted in 3 Kings (in the is too much for you.” So he got up and ate and drank. The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in Septuagint; 1 Kings according to the Hebrew canon) Strengthened by that food, he travelled forty days and the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass 19:3-13, which is one of my favourite biblical passages forty nights until he reached Choreb, the mountain of by.” and utterly relevant to any experience of awakening God. You willingly entered the cave and the darkness, but and renewal. Rendered in italics, the version offered Elijah was right. The angel cannot bring an answer there is no knowledge/answer in your own humility. You below represents a retelling that combines the though you might expect from an angel at least to tell accomplished your task, becoming humble and putting Septuagint and the Hebrew rendition. I simply write you where to look for the answer... After so frugal a behind all prejudice. Now you’re ready to receive the down my thoughts along the lines of the scriptural nar- meal, and there’s no actually need for more (Matthew wisdom from above: God is neither knowledge nor rative, inviting you to come along with me on the jour- 4:4), he proceeded for his journey. There’s no true jour- knowable. God is presence, alive, life to be partaken. ney... ney without proper preparation: leave your servant Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains Elijah was afraid and got up and went away for his behind (assume solitude), go into the desert for one day apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his (look into your heart), rest under a tree (find the gate), Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an servant there, while he himself went a day’s journey don’t absolutise the angels (focus on the quest, don’t be earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. into the wilderness. disturbed by images or ideas), and eat (assimilate your After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not Running for your life, or some other reason, no human findings, know who you are). Only after you may move in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper, and help is sufficient and you distrust even your earthly side. towards the most difficult part of your experience. the Lord was there. Therefore, it’s better to leave behind your servant, this There he went into a cave and lodged there. Powerful wind, earthquake, fire. All tree elements are body, and allow your inner self to stretch its morning The cave, like a womb, represents the matrix of one’s violent, and you know what they are... They represent wings and fly towards the Rock. Fly into the desert for a rebirth (cf. John 3:3-7). In the cave there’s always night, the stages of chaos and turmoil you consciously day’s journey. The desert, where there’s no place to that inner face of a day, another powerful symbol of the embraced when you began to work on your rebirth. But hide and no chance of disguising, the mirror in which mystery of one’s regeneration. Elijah voluntarily returned God is not to be found during the violent stages of your you can clearly see yourself, alone and naked, before into his inner darkness (cf. Genesis 1:2), abandoning any deconstruction. He will be there, at the end of your God. previous knowledge and virtue, and becoming a foetus painful journey, where/when you will not struggle any- He came to a broom tree, sat down under it and anew (a foetus may claim neither knowledge nor virtue) more, where/when - radically reconstructed - you will prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, Lord,” he in the womb of his mother, the heart. For Elijah is the serenely and grateful sit under the Tree. He will come, said. “Take my life; I am no better than my forefathers.” conscious side whereas the cave of his heart, the moth- the Comforter, gently caressing your heart, like the Then he lay down under the tree and fell asleep. er, is his subconscious (like in Annick de Souzenelle’s whisper of a soft wind. The Tree is a symbol of revelation, with its shadow hermeneutics). The cave, the womb... Reborn by becom- When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face cast on you like a fuzzy refraction of the enlightening ing humble (see 3 Kings 18:42), by acknowledging your and went out and stood by the cave. Then a voice said truth from above... There, under the Tree, there’s the ignorance, insecurities and weaknesses... to him, “Why are you here, Elijah?” best place in the world for expressing your fears, for And the word of the Lord came to him: “Why are you He knew now. He knew he was wrong, running for his shedding your tears... There you could anesthetize your here, Elijah?” life. This time, he was ready. After running for his life, senses and your mind, getting ready, waiting for the Only by renouncing your vanity you can hear the inaudi- after travelling through the outer deserts and climbing answer (Genesis 2:21-25)... Isn’t it interesting, how Elijah ble. The Merciful One will come again to Adam, asking up the mountains, after facing the dark night of his soul, didn’t actually want to eat from the Tree? He was the most basic question of all: are you aware of what Elijah realised that the answer was already there, inside, strong. He knew that the truth lies beyond the Tree you seek? Do you know who you are? (see Genesis 3:9). under the Tree, where whispers were heard... itself. The Tree was just a foreshadow of another real- He replied, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God ity... Almighty. The Israelites have forsaken you, broken * Revd Dr Doru Costache lectures in Patristics at St Andrew’s Someone touched him and said, “Get up and eat.” down your altars, and put your prophets to death with Theological College, Sydney Panteleimon the Great Martyr and Healer July 27 This Saint, who had Nicomedia as his merciful." On one occasion, when he re- the Holy Unmercenaries, and is held in homeland, was the son of Eustorgius and stored the sight of a certain blind man by special honor among them, even as Saint Eubula. His father was an idolater, but his calling on the Divine Name, he enlightened George is among the Martyrs. mother was a Christian from her ances- also the eyes of this man's soul to the tors. knowledge of the truth. It was through her that he was instruct- This also became the cause for the mar- Apolytikion in the Third Tone ed in piety, and still later, he was cate- tyrdom of him who had been blind, since Panteleimon, saintly champion and heal- chized in the Faith of Christ by Saint Her- when he was asked by whom and in what er, intercede with our merciful God to molaus and baptized by him. manner his eyes had been opened, in imi- grant our souls remission of sins. Being proficient in the physician's voca- tation of that blind man of the Gospel he tion, he practiced it in a philanthropic man- confessed with boldness both who the Kontakion in the Plagal of the First ner, healing every illness more by the physician was and the manner of his heal- Tone grace of Christ than by medicines. ing. For this he was put to death immedi- O Champion and Martyr of God, imitating Thus, although his parents had named ately. the Merciful and bearing from Him the him Pantoleon ("in all things a lion"), be- Panteleimon was arrested also, and hav- grace of healing, cure our spiritual ills by cause of the compassion he showed for ing endured many wounds, he was finally your prayers, and set free from the temp- the souls and bodies of all, he was worthi- beheaded in the year 305, during the reign tation of the eternal enemy those who ly renamed Panteleimon, meaning "all- of Maximian. Saint Panteleimon is one of ceaselessly cry out, "Save us, O Lord." JULY 2009 16/34 TO BHMA The Greek Australian VEMA

New museum is a ‘treasure house’ for locals and tourists

BY JOHN LEONARD roundings are a huge improvement over shown out of sequence or interwoven with gaps. Upon leaving the Parthenon Gallery, the tiny, cramped, semi-subterranean mu- experiential topographical displays. visitors descend once again to the first The opening of the New Acropolis Mu- seum in which they were once housed on This fresh approach becomes apparent floor, where a final gallery presents the seum heralded the beginning of a major top of the Acropolis. even before one enters the building, since Erechtheion’s caryatids, the Athena Nike new era in Greece’s presentation of the The new museum, with more than the first display visitors encounter is the temple’s parapet sculptures (including the ancient Acropolis and its monuments. 14,000 square meters of exhibition space exposed, excavated remains of a 4th-7th- delightful “Nike Adjusting her Sandal”) and Make no mistake, this magnificent new ex- is about 10 times larger than the old mu- century AD Athenian neighborhood visible other distinctive artifacts dating to be- hibition hall will rank in importance along- seum. below the museum’s entrance. As visitors tween the 5th century BC and 5th century side other great European museums, in- Right from the start, visitors can expect pass over these foundations into the lob- AD. cluding the British Museum, the Louvre and to see a great deal more of the Culture by, they move back in time. After the ticket The museum has many fine points to ap- the Capitoline Museums. Ministry’s rich ancient collections kept so turnstiles, the floor slopes upward to a preciate. The flood of natural light and Controversies may have arisen in the long under wraps in backrooms around wide staircase in a reflection of the rising spacious galleries are most welcome. Also past regarding the design and construction the city. ground around the Acropolis. Recessed important is the sensitivity that has been of the building but, whatever architectural The new museum’s exhibition program cases and freestanding displays along this shown to the antiquities and excavations problems remain, they surely will be ad- spans the history of the Acropolis and its hall feature objects from sanctuaries and that lay beneath the museum. The design- dressed through time. adjacent slopes, from prehistoric times other sites located around the Acropolis ers’ management of the issue represents The ancient Greek treasures displayed through late antiquity. In an interesting de- hill. an enormous step forward and is a posi- inside the new museum are the real draw parture from the strictly chronological or- On the first floor are Mycenaean, Geo- tive statement that should be heeded by and they will impress visitors with their ganization of so many Greek museums, metric, Archaic and transitional Severestyle developers anywhere archaeological re- unique, unquestionable artistry. Most im- the basic timeline flow of the new muse- displays, including the impressive Archaic mains lie in the path of the bulldozer. portantly, their spacious, gleaming sur- um’s displays is occasionally interrupted, Sculpture Gallery: a large space with a Still of concern, however, is the way in soaring ceiling and a forest of oversized which authorities plan to provide access to structural columns. From this level, visitors the new museum. With an official expecta- are directed upward, past the second tion of 10,000 visitors per day, how can floor, which holds a restaurant, shop, VIP the new museum accommodate such lounge and multimedia center, to the crowds? Parthenon Gallery on the uppermost, third Even if the museum were to remain floor. open 10 hours a day, 1,000 visitors would This is an extraordinary rectangular spa- still have to move through the museum ce, surrounded by glass walls and stun- every hour, not the 750 per day presently ning views of the Acropolis and Athens. prescribed. Perhaps more disturbing is the Visitors proceed 360 degrees around the choice of display for the extraordinary Ar- gallery, able to view, for the first time, the chaic sculptures on the museum’s first Parthenon’s sculpted frieze and metopes floor. arranged in a continuous sequence as The Archaic Gallery’s design is indeed they would have been on the outside of impressive but the magnificent ancient the ancient building. sculptures are dwarfed and lost among The three-dimensional sculptural groups the gallery’s forest of giant concrete of the temple’s east and west pediments columns. are displayed at each end. Where the orig- This begs the question: Which is the inal panels or sculptures are missing - as main attraction here - the antiquities or the in the case of the Parthenon Marbles - ex- building? act replicas have been installed to fill the Source: ATHENSPLUS

Christian Dior, Gucci, Calvin Klein Katerina + Kyriacos Mavrolefteros George Rennie OPTOMETRISTS

874 Anzac Parade, Maroubra Junction (at bus stop,, on RTA bllock) TOP: Professor Dimitrios Pandermalis, president of the Organisation for the Construction of the new Acropolis Museum, stands next to the winged victories TTeell:: ((0022)) 99331144--00339933 unearthed in 1955 during the construction of now [email protected]

pedestrianized Dionysiou Areopagitou Street. Silhouette, Carrera, Rodenstock Carrera, Silhouette, ABOVE: The Archaic Sculpture Gallery: a large open Serengeti, Maui Jim, Fendi, D&G space with a soaring ceiling and a forest of oversized Nina Ricci, Oakley, La font structural columns. JULY 2009 The Greek Australian VEMA TO BHMA 17/35 Travel Mani Rugged land of towering spirits This southern Peloponnesian region adheres strongly to tradition and keeps alive the memories of centuries past

BY HARIS ARGYROPOULOS ful cove, with the ruins of the Church of Aghioi Asomatoi and Mani, the district in the middle the ancient Temple of Poseidon. of the southern Peloponnese - On the other side of the cove, and mainland Europe’s south- there is a sea cave from where ernmost promontory - is one of souls in antiquity were believed Greece’s wildest and most dis- to descend into Hades. tinct areas. A path from here will lead you Arid mountain slopes, rocky in less than 40 minutes to Cape shrubland strewn with tower Tainaron, mainland Europe’s houses, gray stone chapels and southernmost point, with a light- a rough coastline mark the land- house built in 1887. scape of southern - or “inner” - The view is magnificent, giving Mani, giving it a distinct, austere one the feeling of standing on feel. the edge of the world. The east- The rugged and infertile yet ern coast of Mani, south of the captivating terrain, formed by town of Gytheion, also has pic- the southern extension of Mt turesque villages and some ex- Taygetos into the sea, is often cellent beaches. Kotronas, in a linked with the local people’s secluded bay, is one of the most turbulent social history and fier- attractive settlements. cely independent spirit, to which The area of the historic town of the ubiquitous fortified famly Oitylo, around the protected bay towers bear testimony. usual entry point to inner Mani. It along the western coast south Tigani peninsula with its magnif- of Limeni north of Areopoli, has It is argued that economic need lies on a rocky plateau at 250 of Areopoli, is the impressive icent lunar terrain, abundant nat- been described as an “open fostered social antagonisms, meters, with a superb view to Diros Caves. Gerolimenas, a ural salt ponds and ruins of me- museum,” featuring some of producing frequent armed the Messeniakos Gulf to the picturesque village on the water, dieval fortifications. Mani’s best sights, such as the clashes between families, plac- west. It retains a strong tradi- is ideal for a stop at one of the Next is Vathia, Mani’s best- Kelefas castle. ing high stakes on the notions of tional character, with narrow al- fish tavernas. known and postcard-pretty set- Unlike inner Mani, the lush pride and honor and giving rise leyways and several historic From here, it is worth going for tlement on the top of a hill, con- area of what is known as outer to the custom of blood feuds in tower manors and churches, in- an afternoon hike on the nearby sisting mainly of tower houses - Mani stretches further up along a strictly male-dominated socie- cluding the Cathedral of some restored but now decay- the Messeniakos Gulf, with rich ty. Taxiarches, where some claim ing again - and offering breath- flora and fauna and lends itself It was for such characteristics he first flag of the revolution taking views. to some excellent country walks. that Mani, although without much against the Turks was raised on At the end of the road south, It merits a separate presentation in the way of archaeological in- March 17, 1821. via the peaceful fishing village in a future issue. terest, became a favorite sub- The next attraction, on the road of Porto Kagio, there is a beauti- ATHENSPLUS ject for inclusion in foreign trav- el writings in the early 19th cen- tury. Yet Patrick Leigh Fermor, in his 1958 book “Mani: Travels in the Southern Peloponnese,” wrote about “the green and gold and gentle shades” of the rustic landscape, where the dominant olive tree apparently had no in- fluence on peace, often leading people to resort to piracy or emigration to survive. Mani includes includes some 1 2 3 4 110 villages - 98 of which are listed traditional settlements - Where to stay Where to eat What to see Transport more than 1,000 Byzantine and post-Byzantine churches, seven The array of finely restored towers In Areopoli: Barba Petros, with local The top highlights in Mani are the Areopoli, the entry point to inner Mani, castles and a plethora of other and other accommodation facilities in specialties, is good value for money; Diros Caves and the towers of Vathia, is 297 kilometers from Athens. The attractions that leave no room the traditional Mani style is impres- Katoi also has good classic Greek but the towers are everywhere to be main access routes are via Kalamata for boredom. Spring, especially, sive. These include the Petropoulakis dishes; Lithostroto; Tsatsoulis for fish; admired. From Gytheion, take a boat to the west (the longer route) and is a time when the austerity of Tower in Gytheion (tel 30633) and and Sveltos, on the road to Pyrgos, for to the islet of Marathonisi to see the Gytheion to the northeast. From the landscape is mellowed by Mavromichalai in Limeni (52400). In grilled dishes; Militsa’s bakery has Historical and Ethnological Museum of Kalamata, Oitylo is approached via wild flower beds and the air is Areopoli: Ktima Karageorgou (51368), famous pies, bread and rusks. Takis, Mani in the Tzanetakis tower; also Kardamyli. Gytheion is 45 km south of in Limeni, and Mavros Peiratis, in visit the ancient theater. Villages Sparta and Areopoli a further 37 km. filled with the scent of sage and Pappoudiko (51050). Around Oitylo: Brazzo Di Maina (53113), Onar (29559) Karavostasi, are top for fresh fish; worth stopping at: Skoutari, with won- Gytheion can also be reached by daisies. But the mildness of the and Porto Vitilo (59210), an impressive also in Karavostasi, Faros has excel- derful sea views; Kotronas, where intercity bus from Athens (tel climate has given rise to the ex- stone complex overlooking the beach; lent fried dishes, eggplant salad and many buildings include architectural 210.512.4913) eight times daily; the aggerated claim that Mani has, the rooms in Kyrimai (54288) in organic wines. Kampinara, between parts of an ancient city; Kokkala, trip lasts 4 hours 30 minutes. From in fact, four springs. Gerolimenas offer fine views; award- Pyrgos and Diros, has delicious local Aghios Nikolaos, Olympies, Speira, there, there are connections with Areopoli, named after Ares, the winning Castello di Haria (52313), 6 specialities. In Gytheion: Akrogiali and Lagia, Nyfi, Gialos and Alypa, where Vathia on Monday, Wednesday and ancient Greek god of war, is the kilometers from Areopoli. Isalos. 1982’s “Tempest,” starring John Friday. Area phone code: 27330; Cassavetes, was filmed. police: 51209; health center: 52259. JULY 2009 18/36 TO BHMA The Greek Australian VEMA Arts, Food & Wine Editor: Imogen Coward From the heart; made by the hands

Panoramic view of the ground floor exhibition space.

By Dr Ann Coward The Stitches of the Heart exhibition, held in the Brisbane (Fortitude Valley) rooms of the Embroiderers’ Guild Queensland Inc. over the Queen’s Birthday weekend in June, was a huge success. I had the privilege of present- ing one of the opening addresses along with Julie Attwood. Julie, the State Member for Mt Ommaney since 1998 and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Dis- ability Services and Multicultural Affairs, spoke about the contribution made by Greek migrants and the Australian- Greek community. In contrast, my own talk focussed on the significance of the exhibition, to both Greeks and non- LEFT: Julie Attwood, speaking at the opening in her capacity as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Disability Greeks alike, in terms of strengthening our collective Services and Multicultural Affairs. RIGHT: Irene Cayas, Zenovia Pappas, Julie Nichles, Jenny Jorgensen (insert), Margaret identity as culturally diverse Australians. Present also was Young, and Aspasia (‘Souki’) Patty making plans for the exhibition. Grace Grace, the State Member for Brisbane Central since 2007 and Fiona King, Brisbane City Councillor for Marchant Ward.

The speech-making had begun with the President of the Guild hosting the exhibition, Heather Haynes, briefly out- lining the Guild’s history and concluding with an invitation to those present to become members. You can access their website at http://www.embroiderersguildqld.org.au. A series of short speeches by several members of the organising group were woven throughout the proceed- ings, and it became clear to all present that the motivation behind the exhibition was love: the love felt towards the women, past and present, that had been nurtured through lifetimes of constant care giving, meeting the needs of their families. The pieces on exhibition - the wedding gowns, nighties, bedspreads, doyleys, blankets, and so on - drawn together by the newly formed Greek Textiles Heritage Group, were clear expressions of the dedication shown by generations of Greek women. It was also a fit- ting tribute to the Greek-Australian women of Queensland that so much has been lovingly preserved.

Those whose collections were represented include Matina Aroney, Annazina Black, Yvonne Calligeros, Helen Callipolitis, Stella Castrisios, Irene Cayas, Ann Chalkias, TOP LEFT: Dennis Cayas, Nick Levonis and Irene Cayas, Anna Conias, Aspasia Constantine, Voula Dimitrakakis making last minute touches to the exhibition entrance. (James), Sophia Fardoulys, Colleen Floratos, Meropi TOP: Husband and wife, Jim and Julie Nichles, decorating Jonacas, Maria Koutsoukos (Deceased), Ann Kyranis, the stairway of the heritage listed headquarters of the Georgia Levonis, Helen Licourinos, Patricia Mylonas, Julie Embroiderers’ Guild Queensland Inc. with Q150 posters. Nichles, Aspasia Patty, Maroula Pavlou, Helen Roussetos, LEFT: Helen Passaris and Marilyn Coward at the exhibition opening. JULY 2009 The Greek Australian VEMA TO BHMA 19/37

The upstairs exhibition space featured a stunning backdrop, by Aspasia Patty, depicting two realities: a dwelling in Greece, and one belonging to a Greek-Australian in Queensland

Cont. from previous page Maria Samios, Fotini Symons, Helen Vafias, Stella Valassakis, and Pat Xynias. Many of these women had taken part, several years ago, in a Show and Tell day, where stories were shared and information given (by Dr Michael Marendy) on how to preserve the women’s tex- tile collections. In fact, the organising group, the founding members of the Greek Textiles Heritage Group - Irene Cayas, Julie Nichles, Aspasia Patty and her sister Georgia and cousin Tina - were all instrumental in that earlier event. Present at the opening also was Helen Passaris whose questioning over the eventual fate of the women’s collections, led to their being photographed as part of my own doctoral thesis, and to not only the Show and Tell day, but also a visit made by the women to the Queensland Art Gallery’s (QAG) archival collections and now to this 2009 Exhibition spaces included details of the makers, and where they came from. After being warmly greeted at the entrance, exhibition. The women, it should be noted, were most visitors entering the exhibition spaces were immediately impressed by the scope, size and attention to detail involved helpful at that QAG visit as several were able to identify in the layout of the exhibition. the origins of several pieces of embroidery, the origins of which had been unknown.

For the 2009 exhibition, Stitches of the Heart, with its 300 items, a curator was sought and the position was ably and lovingly filled by Zenovia Pappas, a young woman with a passion. The friendship between the women of the Greek Textiles Heritage Group, and Zenovia, and the two liaison members of the Embroiderers’ Guild Queensland Inc., Jenny Jorgensen and Margaret Young, was very apparent in the days leading up to the exhibition, and during the exhibition itself. Truly, a worthwhile connection has been made between the women, and hopefully will continue to bear fruit. For myself, seeing the husbands helping their wives prepare for the exhibition, and watching young fam- ily members excitedly position their mothers/grandmoth- ers in front of their exhibits to take a snapshot for the fam- ily records, was wonderful. But then, textiles and needle- work have that ability - to bring people together; to fill them with admiration, respect, gratitude... and memories. Women belonging to a range of craft and art associations in Brisbane visited the exhibition. Visitors were eager to examine Congratulations to everyone. Well done, Queensland! the variety of stitches and techniques used by the needlewomen. JULY 2009 20/38 TO BHMA The Greek Australian VEMA