THE GREEK AUSTRALIAN The oldest circulating Greek newspaper outside Greece email: VEMA [email protected] AUGUST 2008 Tel. (02) 9559 7022 Fax: (02) 9559 7033 In this issue... Our Primate’s View THE ‘UNDERMINING’ OF THE SYNODAL INSTITUTION - ‘MEANS’ AND MANIPULATIONS’

(Part 4) PAGES 4/22 - 5/23

Vassilis Polymeros and Dimitrios Mougios

Pharmacy Guild President Kosmas Sclavos, awarded university honour

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Greece’s first 2008 medals

Greek athletes won their first medals at the ongoing 2008 won in the women’s sailing. The three-woman crew featured Beijing Olympic Games over the weekend, with one big Sofia Bekatorou, the skipper, along with Sofia Papadopoulou hopeful, Chryssopigi Devetzi winning a bronze medal in the and Virginia Kravarioti. women’s triple jump on Sunday after jumping 15.23 meters in The gold medal was won by the British crew and the silver her second attempt. medal by the Dutch team. The gold medal was won by Francois Bangot-Etonet of Finally, rowers Vassilis Polymeros and Dimitrios Mougios on Cameroon with 15.39 meters and second place by Russia’s Sunday did one better by picking up the silver medal in the Tatiana Lebedeva of Russia with 15.32. men’s lightweight double sculls finals, behind rowers from Meanwhile, Greece’s first medal, a third-place showing, was Britain. Was it St Brendan Who Discovered America? ST ANDREW’S GREEK ORTHODOX

PAGES 8/26 - 9/27 THEOLOGICAL COLLEGE VISITS PERTH

The Trial HSC Examination Period Staying focussed as the Higher School Certificate approaches PAGE 15/33

PAGE 6/24 The Greek Australian VEMA AUGUST 2008 2/20 TO BHMA

August 20, 1911 First around-the-world telegram sent

On this day in 1911, a dispatcher in the New York Times office sends the first telegram around the world via commer- cial service. Exactly 66 years later, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) sends a differ- ent kind of message - a phonograph record containing information about Earth for extraterrestrial beings - shoot- ing into space aboard the unmanned spacecraft Voyager II. A photographic exhibition of the Byzantine August 29, 2005 Hurricane Katrina slams Churches of Constantinople into Gulf Coast

Hurricane Katrina makes landfall near From Saturday 13 September - Sunday 21 September 2008 New Orleans, Louisiana, as a Category 4 hurricane on this day in 2005. Despite The exhibition is being curated by Dr Ken vides an opportunity for visitors to see in Constantinople. being only the third most powerful Parry, Senior Research Fellow in the photographs of some of these other His email is: [email protected] storm of the 2005 hurricane season, Department of Ancient History at churches and monuments. Dr Parry would Katrina was the worst natural disaster Macquarie University, and lecturer in very much like to hear from readers who *** For more information on the Open Day in the history of the United States. After Byzantine History and Early Christianity might have old photographs of the of St Andrew’s Greek Orthodox Theological College, turn briefly coming ashore in southern at St Andrew’s Greek Orthodox Theolo- Byzantine churches and other monuments to pages 10/28 and 11/29 Florida on August 25 as a Category 1 gical College. He is an hurricane, Katrina gained strength internationally renowned scho- before slamming into the Gulf Coast on lar of Byzantine culture and ci- August 29. In addition to bringing dev- vilization and among his publi- astation to the New Orleans area, the cations are The Blackwell hurricane caused damage along the Dictionary of Eastern Christia- coasts of Mississippi and Alabama, as nity (1999) and The Blackwell well as other parts of Louisiana. Companion to Eastern Christia- nity (2007). September 2, 1969 First ATM The photographic exhibition being held from Saturday 13 On this day in 1969, America's first September until Sunday 21 automatic teller machine (ATM) makes September 2008 at St Andrew’s its public debut, dispensing cash to cus- Greek Orthodox Theological tomers at Chemical Bank in Rockville College (242 Cleveland Street, Center, New York. ATMs went on to Redfern), consists of photo- revolutionize the banking industry, graphs taken by Dr Parry during eliminating the need to visit a bank to research visits to Turkey. He is conduct basic financial transactions. directing a research project By the 1980s, these money machines called ‘The City of Constantine’ had become widely popular and han- which will result in a book of dled many of the functions previously sources and documents relating performed by human tellers, such as to Byzantine Constantinople. check deposits and money transfers between accounts. Today, ATMs are as The object of the project is to indispensable to most people as cell provide detailed information phones and e-mail. about the history of Constanti- nople from its dedication in 330 September 7, 1813 to its capture by the Ottoman USA nicknamed Uncle Sam Turks in 1453. A variety of On this day in 1813, the United States Greek and other sources are gets its nickname, Uncle Sam. The being consulted for the project. name is linked to Samuel Wilson, a The exhibition of 30 colour meat packer from Troy, New York, who photographs was first shown at supplied barrels of beef to the United Macquarie University in 2006 States Army during the War of 1812. and a catalogue of the exhibition Wilson (1766-1854) stamped the bar- will be available. rels with "U.S." for United States, but soldiers began referring to the grub as Many of the surviving By- "Uncle Sam's." The local newspaper zantine churches of Constanti- picked up on the story and Uncle Sam nople are still relatively un- eventually gained widespread accept- known. Apart from the Great ance as the nickname for the U.S. fed- Church of Hagia Sophia, Hagia eral government. Irene and the Church of Our Saviour in Chora, most visitors to the city do not see other churches which are either being renovated or still being used as mosques. The exhibition pro- AUGUST 2008 The Greek Australian VEMA TO BHMA 3/21 Editorial China and us, then and now

By Nikos Konstandaras - KATHIMERINI Since the first century AD, Romans had been buying silk had set out from China but failed to reach western Asia, and were crazy about this wonderful fabric, constantly and despite the considerable trade between them. In all the It is said that when Marco Polo was dying, in 1324, the trawling their empire for gold in order to buy raw silk, for time since then, China remained unknown to the West. It priest who was administering his last rites implored him to which they paid its weight in gold. At that time, between grew and declined and grew again in its own secluded retract the “fables” that he had told regarding the those two great civilizations stood a third, that of the world, far from the eyes of Westerners. That is why no one wonderful world he had discovered in his travels to China Parthians. This martial and fratricidal people (who were could believe Marco Polo. In our days too, Mao Zedong’s and Central Asia. also enormously tolerant of other peoples and religions) victory – after the humiliation of British colonialism and “I did not describe even half of what I saw,” the merchant grew rich off the taxes they levied on the great caravans Japanese occupation – meant that China remained isolated adventurer replied. traveling across their territory, from the Euphrates to India. from the rest of the world. China, a great civilization which developed far from the In 106 BC the Chinese had sent ambassadors to the And suddenly, the Olympic Games of 2008 are the Greco-Roman world and independent of the roots of Parthian king, Mithridates II, and the two peoples historical moment in which China, this perpetually Western civilization, has always been a mysterious and developed warm relations for many years. Together they introverted giant, opened its doors and its heart to the exotic country. That is why Marco Polo’s tales were controlled the silk trade. world. Watching the Beijing Games opening ceremony – questioned, and why there is still doubt as to whether he The Greeks and Romans knew neither what the fabric the vision of Zhang Yimou executed perfectly by was an actual witness to what he described. Some who was made of nor where it came from. thousands of his compatriots, all of them children of Mao heard his tales could not believe that there was an When the rich Roman Crassus (unprovoked and in still ruled by his party – I felt something of the awe that the unknown urbanized civilization that was greater than pursuit of glory and further wealth) invaded Parthia in 53 first visitors to this forbidden world must have felt, a theirs, while others expected to hear even taller tales BC, with an army of some 42,000, he suffered the worst combination of wonder and fear. regarding headless men with eyes in their chests and other defeat Rome had ever suffered. When other generals Today, for the first time, China and the other civilizations such wonders of ignorance that had always been thought invaded in later years, they too suffered either defeat or the are becoming one. China is revealing itself by embracing to exist beyond the great mountains of central Asia. campaign ended in stalemate. Each time, the effort to cut the Olympic Games, one of the most powerful symbols of And yet China and the Greco-Roman world were in out the middlemen resulted in fewer supplies and higher Greek civilization. Today we are all witness to the moment indirect but continual contact more than a thousand years silk prices. As things turned out, the Romans never came when all civilizations touch each other. And what we have before Marco Polo’s supposed travels. into direct contact with the Chinese, even though an envoy seen so far is not half of what we have yet to see. MAKING SENSE OF THE ECUMENICAL SYNODS

By Revd Dr Doru Costache* The second (Constantinople, 381AD) – the heresy of and its salvific consequences. On the other hand, it represents Macedonius, who denied the divinity of the Holy Spirit, a phase of the endeavour to interpreting Chalcedon in light of Ecclesial par excellence, the ecumenical (from the Gr. considering him as inferior to the Father and the Son. Against Ephesus and traditional Christology, as formulated by St Cyril οἰκουµένη, civilised world) synods (from the Gr. σύνοδος, Pneumatomachism (‘the fight against the Spirit’), the Church of Alexandria. The most famous outcome of this council is the travelling together, common way) manifest the traditional, stated that the Holy Spirit is Lord and Giver of life, originating hymn Ὁ Μονογενής (Only-begotten), adopted officially by experiential and communal dimensions of the Church’s eternally from the Father through procession and being the Church and becoming part of our Divine Liturgy. mindset. Whilst addressing the various heretical trends that worshipped and glorified together with the Father and the Son The sixth (Constantinople, 680AD) challenged the Church during the first millennium, the seven as their equal. The most famous outcome of the first two – two related ecumenical synods (also called councils) have formulated synods is the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed. Christological heresies, intended as compromises between the doctrines which constitute – beyond their immediate historical Orthodox and the Monophysites: Monoenergism (teaching circumstances – crucial guidelines for our faith and life till the The third (Ephesus, 431AD) – the heresy of Nestorius, who that in Christ only the divine nature was active or energetic) end of time. was unable to acknowledge the inner ‘hypostatic’ relation and Monotheletism (teaching that in Christ only the divine between the two natures, divine and human, of Christ, will was manifested). Against the two heresies, the Church Worth noting is that formulation cannot be mistaken for speaking instead of two persons or acting subjects. Against stated that since the hypostatic union did not annihilate the innovation or invention. Instead, it represents a process aiming Nestorianism, the Church dogmatised that there is one Christ, characteristics of the two natures, we must acknowledge that at bringing the doctrine to an unambiguous and genuinely the incarnate Son and Logos of God, who united both are active in Christ. More specifically, when considered apostolic expression, the only faithful guide into the Christian hypostatically – in his own eternal person – the human nature from the point of view of the natures, in Christ there are two mystery. When considering the message of the ecumenical he assumed from the Theotokos. As a direct consequence of respective energies and wills. However, when considered synods, it is also important to be aware that their primary the ‘hypostatic union’, the Church emphasised the existential from the point of the hypostasis, Christ manifests his presence motivation and ultimate purpose was never to defend some outcomes of the incarnation, namely the humanisation of God in the Church as one composite (theandric) energy and will. ideological statements. Their aim was in fact to shape the (who was truly crucified in the flesh) and respectively the The seventh (Nicaea, 787AD) – iconoclasm, or the heresy of ecclesial teaching so that it can reflect truthfully the very core deification of man (who was truly introduced into the divine those denying the possibility of visually representing God and of Christian experience. In other words, when formulating the life). The main document canonised by this synod is the list of the saints, also the legitimacy of the icon veneration. The ὃροι πίστεως, the definitions of faith, the synods envisaged twelve anathemas composed by St Cyril of Alexandria against Church affirmed against the iconoclasts that since God the primarily the proclamation of the truth that reflects our way of Nestorius. Logos assumed hypostatically our flesh, becoming visible, we life and which in turn inspires life. can represent him in the icons, together with the saints as his The fourth (Chalcedon, 451AD) – the heresy of Eutychius, living icons. The council specified also that (1) the icons Evagrius Ponticus (Praktikos 1), the erudite monk of late who affirmed that the human nature of Christ was so much express visually what the Scripture proclaims through words, fourth century, writes that ‘Christianity is the δόγμα (teaching) deified that it was eventually absorbed by his divinity; (2) iconography represents the Bible of the illiterate, and (3) of our Saviour Christ consisting of πρακτική (virtuous therefore in Christ there would have been just one nature, the the veneration addressed to the icons goes to the represented practice), φυσική (contemplation of creation) and θεολογική divine. Against Eutychianism (or Monophysitism), the persons. (contemplation of God)’. To him, the teaching was neither Church affirmed that although the hypostatic unity is perfect deprived of wisdom nor irrelevant to life. In the same vein, the from the very moment of Christ’s conception, none of the two One way or the other, all the above heresies still exist, an Church fathers – whose contributions to deepening the natures – divine and human – is changed or abolished by the historical reality determining that we remain faithful to the ecclesial faith cannot be ignored – take the synodal doctrines union. From the point of view of his two unconfused natures, ecumenical synods. Along with this necessity there is, as guidelines for Christian experience; more properly, as Christ is true God and true man; from the point of view of the however, a supplementary reason to preserve them as truthful guidelines for Christian life as a journey with the goal of undivided hypostasis/person, there is one Christ who lived the witnesses to the apostolic mindset. It lays with the fact that by participating in the divine life. features of both natures in a complex unified way (a mode all their decisions, the ecumenical synods have defended branded by later theologians as theandricity, Godmanhood). ultimately the possibility of our participation in the divine life Punctually, the seven ecumenical synods, taking place through Christ in the Holy Spirit. This aspect was eminently between the fourth and the eighth centuries, have debated: The fifth (Constantinople, 553AD) – various heresies, such phrased by St Athanasius the Great (Orations against Arians as the late Palestinian Origenism, that maintained the pre- 2.69), who observed that ‘if the Son were a creature, the The first (Nicaea, 325AD) – the heresy of Arius, who denied existence of the souls, interpreting God’s creation in human being had remained mortal as before for not being the divinity of Christ, considering him a superior creature. pessimistic terms, denying the permanence of the Logos’ joined to God (µὴ συναπτόµενος τῷ Θεῷ)’. Against Arianism, the Church proclaimed that Christ is the incarnation and announcing the final restoration of all beings, Lord, true God and Only-begotten Son of God, of one essence including the demons. Also, a series of Antiochian authors In light of the ecumenical decisions, therefore, our faith is with the Father, from whom he is eternally born and not who either supported Nestorius or constituted his inspiration ultimately concerned with emphasising how the separating created in time. The same Son of God became incarnate for (such as Diodore of Tarsus, Theodore of Mopsuestia, wall was demolished and the abyss bridged by God’s love our salvation (that is, to communicate us the eternal life), died Theodoret of Cyrus, Ibas of Edessa). On the one hand, the who wants us to be with him, and to be forever. on the cross, resurrected, ascended to the right hand of the council represents an essential stage within the ecclesial * Revd Dr Doru Costache lectures in Patristics at St Andrew’s Father, to remain for evermore the Lord of all creation. process of articulating dogmatically the reality of incarnation Theological College, Sydney AUGUST 2008 4/22 TO BHMA The Greek Australian VEMA Our Primate’s View THE ‘UNDERMINING’ OF THE SYNODAL INSTITUTION - ‘MEANS’ AND MANIPULATIONS’ (Part 4) Probing the characteristic phases of the s which b) The second fact is more disagreeable and bur- the Synodal institution has undergone in the prominent ec- densome for the Throne of Moscow. Because, whilst in the clesiastical Centres of Eastern Orthodoxy, i.e. Constan- beginning she intensely lived out a daughterly relation tinople and Moscow, the scholar should remember in with Constantinople, not only were attempts made by her to advance that, in order to track the ‘underlying causes’ of the erase this as quickly as possible(!) through the development differentiations that gradually led to the rather unap- even of morphologically differential elements in her theol- peasable and active ‘rivalry’ between the two Patriarchates ogy and her spirituality generally, as well as in her worship during the 20th century, one is obliged to continually move and ecclesiastical art, but ultimately she unfortunately on the ground of two diametrically opposed ‘ideological’ degenerated into a rivalry of the worst animosity. areas: * a) The ground of worldly History, full of ‘contradictions’ and ‘unpredictabilities’ which the ‘mili- Analyzing the ‘autocratic’ hegemonism under tant’ Church cannot ignore. which, as we have said, fatefully and perhaps sometimes b) The purely dogmatical ground of Orthodox Ec- unconsciously the meaning of ecclesiastical ‘communion’ clesiology which tolerates neither ‘violations’ nor ‘theo- was eroded, most especially in the Episcopal Thrones logical inconsistencies’. which, in the same city with the Emperor and his immedi- ate environment, evolved into a ‘Court’(!), we must admit And certainly it is a fact that, even in the studies of that such a development could not possibly have occurred By Archbishop preeminent Historians and Theologians, the ‘celebrated’ only as the result of human vanity. It appears that to a Stylianos impartiality of the scholar constitutes an almost greater degree, collaborating to this end, there was also a of Australia ‘impenetrable objective’. This, however, in no way exempts cold calculation of the practical needs which had to be sat- anyone from the obligation of always reverting afresh to isfied through the mutual support of the two Authorities. indisputable ‘historical realities’, and to fundamental And this, not only for the cause of continual and greater theological truths. Especially, indeed, when these truths expansion, as a ‘common’ feat and interest, but possibly are tacitly brushed aside, primarily by those who are the for a reciprocal defense against each other, in their cohab- directly interested parties, for reasons of wrongly itation! perceived ‘self-preservation’(!), as if the Providence of the In other words, the ‘synodicality’ and the ‘plural- just God had not given adequate witness to the ‘proceed- ism’, so to speak, of the Bishops representing, at the same ings’ and ‘sufferings’ of the historical Church. level (the horizontal!), the ‘communion’ in the Holy Spirit between the faithful bonded to the same Body of the one Because the points expounded above with regard Lord, in reality could not possibly ‘conform’ to or even to the due impartiality of the contemporary scholar, in sur- simply ‘compromise’ with the meaning of the vertical, as is veying the problems of the subject, sound somewhat expressed by the ‘autocratic’ singularism of ‘Byzantine abstract and rhetoric, we shall immediately provide some Theocracy’. basic features from which it becomes clear that the impar- Once, however, for any reason, the horizontal tiality of the Pastor and Teacher in the area of the Christian which recognizes the Presiding Bishop as a Brother who is Church self-evidently presupposes not only a conventional ‘first among equals’ (primus inter pares) and never as the honesty towards God and man, but above all a tacit valour ‘highest’ (maximus), is abandoned, then the concept of which does not hesitate at every call to deposit a “witness ‘pyramid’ automatically imposes as self-evident the in the truth” according to one’s conscience, even if that ‘recognition’ and activity only of ‘one-way traffic’, with- should mean, almost always, unforeseeable dangers for the out in essence permitting ‘communion’, in the sense of personal ‘well-being’ and ‘reputation’ (let alone the exchange and mutual enrichment. ‘posthumous fame’) of the one martyrically making the As to how corruptive for the essence of the deposition. Episcopal office was the vertical ‘ascent’ to the tip of the un-communing ‘pyramid’, we can comprehend it only if In order, nonetheless, that the vicissitudes of the we intensively compare this form to the form of the hori- Synodal institution in the two Episcopal Thrones zontal expansion of a solitary centre into ‘concentric’ cir- (Constantinople and Moscow) might be evaluated “with the cles. Then, it becomes obvious that the Bishop, standing “in fear of God” and with the greatest possible degree of sin- the place and type of Christ”, remains in consistent and cerity, by way of preface it is imperative to underline two unhampered communion with all of his brothers in Christ crucial facts. And it is highly characteristic that precisely - wherever in the world they might be and in whatever because these facts have ‘weighed’ so decisively in the gen- time period of History - only if he honours and reveres the esis and development of each of the Thrones under exam- unique centre and person of God Incarnate, i.e. the only ination, for this reason they were meticulously suppressed authentic source of truth, power and life (see John 14:6). according to the exclusive ‘interests’ of both sides at differ- ent times. Following this comparison of the forms horizon- tal and vertical in the development of the institutional a) The first fact, undoubtedly common to both structures of the historic Church, it becomes clearer than Thrones, is unfortunately the ‘autocratic’ character of daylight that only there, where the worldly Authority suc- acquired hegemonism which commenced ‘latently’(!) but, ceeded in imposing a regime of almost global monarchism once ‘adopted’, was never again overcome internally. This (in the mould of ‘pax romana’ in antiquity or of ‘pax amer- hegemonism, fed unceasingly by the greatest temptation icana’ today!), there alone also might there possibly arise, (that of vainglory!), and especially that of ‘monopoliza- with mathematical certainty, the diabolic temptation for the tion’ in everything, to the superlative degree on a ‘world- Church, that is, to attempt an analogous form of administra- wide radius’, persistently devalued the inviolable rights of tion. what is local and concrete. Whereupon, of itself, it Consequently, it is neither accidental nor inexpli- inevitably precluded the true meaning of ‘communion’, cable that there eventuated historically the ecclesiastical upon which is based, as is known, the sacrament of the twins - ‘Rome’ and ‘new Rome’ - and in continuation Synod and of the Church generally. much later, we would say upon reflection, the ‘inward’ The more peculiar aspect of this is that, by tragic dream of a ‘third Rome’. irony, in both cases - as precisely occurred in the case of Ancient Rome - the supposed ‘rights’ of Sees answering to For the impartial scholar of the 1st Christian the titles ‘Worldwide’ or ‘Ecumenical’, were contested Millennium it is an admirable fact that, whilst the always precisely in the name of what is Local: Roma aeter- na! AUGUST 2008 The Greek Australian VEMA TO BHMA 5/23

Cont. from previous page fabrication upon which was founded and developed the The fact that, within the one undivided Body of Autocratic Hegemonism of the Episcopal Thrones in the Hierarchy of Bishops, it became possible to establish – ‘Byzantine Theocracy’, even during its most friendly rela- mention, are entirely contrary to the spirit of the Gospel even within the Standing Synod – a special group of tions with the two Authorities (Emperor-Pope or Emperor- and belong to the area of fantasy which critical Philosophy Synodal Bishops around the First Presiding Bishop, was of Patriarch), was not a self-understood interaction of most aptly named ‘Nominalism’ (nominalismus). course an unacceptable discrimination and attempt to ‘peace’ (ειρήνη) and ‘wisdom’ (σοφία) - the most And indeed, a careful analysis of the terms force the freedom in God of the other members of the characteristic names of the two central churches in convinces us immediately as to the completely unfounded Synod. Constantinople - nonetheless it allowed, in the midst of concept of an ‘Ecumenical Church’, as well as that of a Thus, there prevailed for centuries within the many external adversities and local conflicts, the formation ‘Worldwide Authority’ (Emperor, King, President, etc.). Synod of the Church of Constantinople the system of of the eminent institution of the ‘Pentarchy of ‘Elders by title’ which until today has produced many more Patriarchates’. The ‘Church of God’ (Kahal Yahwhe), already problems than one would have perhaps expected it to solve, The enormous importance of the institution of the from the Old Testament denotes a tangible and specific during critical moments of the Church’s life. ‘Pentarchy’ is obvious, even from the fact that it managed community (‘Synagogue’, a host of faithful) in place, and to successfully balance historico-political ‘demands’ on the in no way an abstract and imaginary reality. The same, and possibly worse, example was given one hand, with ethico-theological requisitions on the other. In the New Testament, the local and geographic by the Church of Moscow when institutionalizing, without This, in any event, is the main cause which rendered the designation of the Church is of even more decisive any basis or canonicity, an analogous group of Synodal dynamic synthesis between the Senior Patriarchates a importance. For this reason, the so-called ‘loose ordination’ Hierarchs which, as known, is distinguished by its white canonistic measure (norma normans) of authenticity, («πολελυµένη χειροτονία») was prohibited by the hat veil and permanence, whenever there are changes in since the ‘measure’ itself was also fashioned to a great Canons of an Ecumenical Council! the members serving in the Synod. extent directly (norma normata) from the spirit of the Gospel. The Church, which God Incarnate has established For the objective researcher of the institution of with His own blood (1 Cor. 11:25), remains one and undi- the Synod, the abovementioned, now ‘established’ and con- However, at a time when in the West, the Pope, not vided, even when she is commemorated in the plural in tinuing distinction, would be sufficient to evaluate suffi- tolerant for long of the ‘acrobatic diarchy’(!) in the same order to express her various ‘manifestations’ in time and ciently the systematic undermining of the God-given insti- area, ensured that the Vatican be established as a ‘state’ place, which are always ‘homologous’ and ‘consubstan- tution of the Holy Synod - the only guarantee against arbi- amongst states, whilst in the East, every Patriarchal Throne, tial’. trariness and insatiability of those who consider themselves submitting at various times to the dominant Authority of the For this reason, the highly indicative characteriza- to be ‘pillars’ of the Church. worldly Ruler, on the one hand under humiliation took tion “The Church of God in…” has been used even from The dangers of the undermining of the Synod, as lessons in ‘foreign morals’ (subservient collusions!), whilst the time of the Apostles. The fact that all Local Churches, denounced above, become clearer if one realizes more on the other, as a matter of reaction, was internally collectively and individually, of themselves bear equally deeply the concrete possibilities afforded by modern tech- rendering itself ‘a state within a state’! the four fundamental qualities (One, Holy, Catholic, nology for the responsible Senior Celebrant of the Church That briefly describes the gradual ‘erosion’ of the Apostolic) of the Nicene Creed, is the unshakeable dog- to move from the fallacy of ‘nominalism’ to the conscious- Apostolic ideal of Synod and of the spirit of Synodality. matic basis not only of ‘unity’ in Christ, but also of their ly or unconsciously enacted deceit of ‘machiavellism’. ‘equality’ with each other, as well as of the Presiding In other words, most people now know that today During this negative process, as we outlined Bishops therein. it is possible for just very few persons around the First to above, it was necessary that we firstly set out the historical Therefore, the aggregation of Local Churches venture, with complete ease, to ‘manage’ the highest facts which, precisely because they constitute external does not constitute a Worldwide Totality, as if they were responsibilities of the Church, without giving any account factors and are readily discernible, provide a more merely ‘portions’ of the Church, nor would it be possible to their fellow Bishops or to the faithful in general, as if definitive picture of the developments under examination. to consider this notional Totality as the ‘Universal or everything were conducted with angelic perfection – not Yet, the internal factors which are those that by Ecumenical Church’! just with legendary Papal Infallibility! definition have a direct relation to the Theology and the Such a fragmentation of the living and undivid- teachings regarding the Church, even though they were not ed theanthropic Body of the Church cannot be supported by Here, then, in conclusion, are two blatant and withheld entirely up to this point of our description, anything in Scripture or Tradition. extremely problematic facts, which have been pointed out nonetheless have not been underlined adequately. On the contrary, no matter how numerous they are, from afar on many occasions: or how near or far in distance and time, the Local Churches For this reason, now is the appropriate moment to are not simply the ‘total’, but rather the ‘identity’’ of one • The lifelong office of every Head of Church – place our “finger in the mark of the nails”, adjudging with consubstantial Body of God Incarnate. in contrast to the political leaders who are elected an impartial theological criterion the unforeseeably Yet, the ‘primacy of honour’ among the Local at regular intervals – makes a Church Leader, and evolved ‘mentality’ or ideology of the ‘Autocratic Churches is a necessary and beneficial reality, which is indeed a President of the Church, more and more Hegemonism’ of the Episcopal Thrones which exhibit the purely historical and possibly sociological, but by no vulnerable, not only vis-à-vis his friends and co- greatest deviation from the Apostolic ideal of the Synodal means sacramental (!) in nature. Otherwise, the Church of workers, but also in terms of the less noble weak institution, with reference to the Local Churches of Rome, Jerusalem, where the Lord suffered and was resurrected, nesses of his own nature! New Rome and Moscow. would have to be recognized as the first and only sanctify- • The complete lawlessness, in the preparation of ing source of salvation, while, as we know, it is last in line the so-called ‘Agenda’ of the Synod, enables not From a purely theological viewpoint, therefore, it of seniority among the ancient Patriarchates of the only the President but also his immediate and spe- should be stated here unequivocally that the Autocratic ‘Pentarchy’, even though she is called the ‘Mother of cial co-workers, to ‘obliterate’ forever any docu- Hegemonism in the Church was ‘under-pinned’ by a most Churches’. ments which might be undesirable for their own audacious ‘fabrication’(!), and a double ‘fabrication’ at personal expedience, though they may have been that: Following all that has been systematically present- selflessly written and wholly substantiated ed, not even a ‘student of theology’ would be justified to Memoranda submitted to the Holy Synod by • Firstly, on the concept of an ‘Ecu- overlook how misguided and corruptive the Papal ideas Bishops or other faithful, concerning the honest menical Church’ which is an entirely and ‘camarillan’ manipulations(!) are by definition, when- interests of the Church. fictitious and deceitful ‘reality’, and ever they have dared to be implemented in the past and • Secondly, on the equally fictitious unfortunately even to this day, not only within the May this be enough for the present, and for our authority of ‘Emperor’, and indeed as Patriarchal Court of the truly suffering Church of own adverse misfortune! one alone. Constantinople, but also within other Local Churches, Both ‘axes’ of this double ecclesiological which naturally reacted by way of imitation. Translated by FSS and DK

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THE TRIAL HSC EXAMINATION PERIOD Staying focussed as the Higher School Certificate approaches

candidates and that individual teacher about exam preparation and it would be biases in terms of types of questions are difficult to tell students to change what not present and so a broader, and in theory they have been doing for years just a few more objective, range of assessment is weeks out from the most important possible. examination period of their lives so far. One simple technique which will benefit By P. MAVROMMATIS* Generally there is a distinct correlation be- all students is to practice responding to tween achievement in the Trial Examina- questions and essay writing under exam tions and the Higher School Certificate conditions. Given that the majority of It is likely that by the time this edition of examinations and so this serves as a timely examinations will have extended responses The Vema is in print most if not all of the reminder for students to continue to apply or essays students are advised to prepare students sitting for this year’s Higher themselves in order to maintain their level for this by practicing under timed exam School Certificate in New South Wales of achievement and rank. For students who conditions in the lead up to the final exams. would have completed their Trial Exami- have applied themselves and achieved This would mean that students set nation. Generally the Trial Examination good results these examinations are a themselves a time limit and work towards marks the end of internal or school-based reward for their hard work and efforts and completing their task within this time assessment and the completion of the should give these students the confidence without any distractions. It is therefore will be most beneficial. Advice can also be course, given that the NSW Board of Stu- to confront the Higher School Certificate advised that during this practice time sought from the HSC Advice line (13 11 dies stipulates that assessment tasks ought examinations without fear, knowing that students remove any distractions, and work 12) which will operate daily from 8th to be completed by this stage. they are able to perform under the pres- in complete silence as they will in the final October to 8th November. sures of a busy examination period having exam. Whilst one could argue about the For students and schools alike the Trial had a ‘trial’ experience. benefits of studying with or without In closing I wish all students sitting for the Examinations are a clear indicator of pro- background music the truth remains that Higher School Certificate this year all the gress and generally reflect the level of For those students who have not performed the Higher School Certificate examinations best, especially those in the Greek achievement that can be expected with the as well as expected or desired, all is not are done in silence and so it is best to Orthodox Day Schools with whom I feel a same effort in the Higher School Certifi- lost because the Higher School Certificate prepare for them in this manner. After special bond. For many parents these cate examinations. This is because in most examination period which will this year completing their essay or questions in the exams may be the first time one of your cases the Trial Examinations that students begin on Thursday 16th October will make given time period, students ought to then children undergoes this process and I wish sit for are not written by their teachers but up 50% of their final assessment. It is read through, or have someone else read, you strength and patience as you support by external bodies and so a student’s important therefore that all students make a their responses to evaluate them. Students your children. May God grant you every achievement is not reflective of their last strong effort in order to prepare for the should also use the holidays (study blessing as you complete your secondary performance compared to that of their class final examinations and improve their vacation) in the lead-up to the final exams, education! but across the whole cohort. The fact that overall standard. preparing for them as if they were normal * Peter Mavrommatis is a teacher in most cases these examinations are school days. Practicing using past papers of Orthodox Studies and Personal written by external bodies also means What does it mean to prepare for that can easily be accessed using the Board Development at St Spyridon College identical marking guidelines across all examinations? There are many ways to go of Studies website or their school library Senior School Sydney. HENRY DAVID THOREAU’S WALDEN: A Metaphor for Spiritual Becoming By Vicki Petrakis his Oration 38.10) as God’s other. Three every person to: “In proportion as he sim- by God’s energies), a person had to be “in themes can be identified in his rhetorical- plifies his life, the laws of the universe will touch” with the universe and to be under- Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862) was a like exposition: appear less complex”. “Instead of three going some type of ascetic pursuit or per- pioneer of the American civil society • his call to simplicity; meals a day…eat but one…and reduce haps, in his lay terminology, be undertak- helping to raise awareness about the • the turning of the self inwards other things in proportion.” ing a conservationist approach to living. impact of an emerging industrial and in order to discover creation and by exten- Thoreau’s insights in Walden on how to modern culture and its potency to kill sion God, and Thoreau’s cry for simplicity allowed him conduct one’s life complimented St the natural world; the place of God’s • the experience of the person to distinguish between the real and essen- Gregory the Theologian’s concerns that to infinite revelation. His most famous (and creation) as a mystery, something not tial from the superfluous and illusive. This be receptive to God’s grace was as much work, Walden highlights the human per- to be explained, only inhabited. understanding and need for the real made about God’s will as the person’s inclina- son’s ascetic obligation towards the uni- him turn inwards, not in submission to tion towards God characterised by askesis verse and their fellow beings. Using the natural world as a metaphor he rules but in order to project the silent voice and katharesis (see Orations 2.17, 28.2, spoke to the heart of mankind: “There are of God which technology and imperial 37.13). Both Thoreau and St Gregory sus- Ralph Waldo Emerson’s observation after the stars, and those who can read them.” ambition had muted. As a spectator of tained a sensitivity towards preserving the Thoreau’s death that “the country knows Like the desert monks who described the nature and wildlife Thoreau sought its power of the cosmos and the natural world not yet, or in the least part, how great a son battle of the heart as being the last battle understanding and anticipation by map- (see Oration 16.5). Accordingly, the person it has lost” concerned the simplicity of this after a person had escaped from the other ping his own interior in his encounter with for St Gregory had to give thanks to God man who sought to map out the path of the three wars, namely of hearing, speaking them. As a naturalist he studied nature but for it or, as Thoreau maintained, remember “self” against a natural setting capable of and seeing (Abba Anthony, Sayings of the as a philosopher he sought its higher laws the greater “Benefactor and Intelligence harmonising the spiritual with the material. Elders), Thoreau encouraged the heart’s in relation to the human person. A pioneer that stands over me, the human insect.” purity for the purpose of transforming its of discovering the self, his message was Thoreau escaped to the serenity of Walden activity into a spiritual maturity. Accordin- one of home-cosmography: “Direct your Finally, as one seeking to speak “some- Pond in order to place his body, soul and gly he dared his readers to “settle…and eye right inward, and you’ll find a thou- where without bounds; like a man in a mind into the cradling arms of God’s beau- work and wedge our feet…through the sand regions in your mind yet undiscov- waking moment, to men in their waking ty. Like the desert monastics he escaped mud and slush of opinion, and prejudice, ered.” moments”, Thoreau sought in Walden to into God’s stillness only to come back to and tradition, and delusion, and appear- reveal his experience of the mystery of the world to reveal to it his newly raised ance…till we come to a hard bottom, Thoreau did not advocate a withdrawal God as something to be lived and occu- spiritual awareness. What is spectacular which we can call reality, and say, This is, from the world but only the confrontation pied, not explained and analysed. His about Walden is how Thoreau relates to the and no mistake.” of reality in order to encounter it according appeal to renew oneself completely each environment, using the raw material of to its dictates. The essential fact of this day was for the purpose of giving rebirth to nature (himself included) in order to reveal This reality for Thoreau was God’s pres- reality was for him an awareness of God one’s rediscovery of essential living and to its splendour (in what St. Gregory the ence in creation and this could only be but in order to access its forces (or in St live it. Theologian in the 4th century described in realised through the simplicity he called Gregory Palamas’ terminology, be graced AUGUST 2008 The Greek Australian VEMA TO BHMA 7/25 Facts & Stats Mourners celebrate life of young Aussie killed in Greece

It was a fitting send-off for the popular Doujon Zammit - said there would be a multiplicity of questions about how hundreds of mourners crowded into a western Sydney the attack had happened. church standing to applaud in celebration of the 20-year- But the decision of Doujon’s father Oliver to donate his old’s life. son’s organs would not only change the lives of those they The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese was officially repre- saved, but also influence the actions of others. sented by Fr Kyrillos Zisis. The Zammit family were applauded here and in Greece Family and friends lined up to shower Mr Zammit with after making a decision to donate Doujon’s organs, despite praise at last Tuesday’s funeral in Horsley Park and express the circumstances of his death. their anger at his tragic death. The courageous gesture has saved the lives of four Greek Mr Zammit suffered fatal head injuries when he was nationals. attacked on July 28 on the Greek island of Mykonos. Not only did he save four people’s lives, Fr Michael said, He died in an Athens hospital a few days later, when his but the long-term effect was “inspiring others to be organ father Oliver turned off his life support after it became clear donors”. he would not recover from a coma. Moves by the Greek government to ban bouncers from Mr Zammit, from Cecil Hills, was described repeatedly as warmth and expected nothing in return,” Joe Zammit said. nightclubs would also appeal to Doujon’s “strong sense of a fun-loving party-goer, caring, giving, unique and vibrant, “Doujon, mate, you are now in a better place and may you justice”, he said. by family and friends who spoke at today’s funeral. look down upon us and give us strength to go on.” At the end of the emotional two-hour service, and after Doujon’s uncle, Joe Zammit, said his nep-hew had “I know heaven will not be the same with you there as you Doujon’s coffin had been placed in a waiting hearse, a flock befriended everyone and in turn was befriended by chase the angels and fly around the place, or perhaps the of white doves and white balloons were released into the everyone. He then called on the mourners to stand and angels will be chasing you instead.” air. applaud the young man’s life. The Reverend Father Michael Smith, who led the service, As they rose towards the sky, the mourners gathered in the For 30 seconds, that’s what the hundreds of people agreed with Joe Zammit, saying heaven was one endless church forecourt and again applauded Doujon. gathered in the Our Lady of Victories church did. party. His distraught mother Rose was then led to a waiting car Joe Zammit described Doujon as a social butterfly from an “He loved to party, this (heaven) is one endless party,” Fr by her husband Oliver. early age, saying heaven would not be the same now he was Michael said. A 25-year-old nightclub bouncer, who has admitted there. “Possibly heaven will never be the same again.” bashing Mr Zammit with a metal baton, has been charged “Doujon was a very special young man. He gave so much Turning to the subject of Doujon’s unprovoked death, he over the death. MP3’s, iPods and Nintendo Qantas named Versus the Church among world’s priority. The because as time progresses, teenagers are becoming be a good op more demanding and parents are adhering more and facilities tha more to these demands. Unfortunately though, the most best airlines Orthodox Yo valuable demand teenagers and children should be mak- that much o ing, is to demand from their parents a more active and By Jessica Marszalek spiritual involvement in the Church. This is not only free By DIONYSIOS A. youth are not them. with no cost at all, but more importantly permanent and A run of bad publicity has not affected Qantas’ KRINAS * potentially soul saving. What most of our teenagers international reputation, with the airline today named the Parishes don’t realize is that all their expensive, beautiful, stylish world’s third best in a survey of 15 million travellers. clothing and electronically advanced equipment isn’t Singapore Airlines and Cathay Pacific were named ahead It’s amazing to see how going to be around forever, while of the national carrier in the independent Skytrax 2008 much money is spent these days their soul will be. World Airline Awards. on children and teenagers; from While it has been argued Qantas jumped from fifth place last year to score a place electronic gaming devices and that for most it is just a phase of in the top three .... and claimed the award for best first class consoles, to out-of-school activi- growing up, I must disagree. lounge. The news follows a string of bad publicity for the ties such as sports and hobbies. If Since when did growing up airline which began last month when an explosion ripped a fact, there is such a variety of involve getting everything you hole in the fuselage of a jet en route from Hong Kong to costly activities, the possibilities wanted? Once upon a time we Melbourne, forcing an emergency landing at Manila. and options and costs are endless. had a word for this called ‘spoilt’ Since then, a domestic flight was forced to return to How great an injustice is it then, and that is exactly what is hap- Adelaide after a wheel bay door failed to close and another that the Church - which doesn’t pening to much of the youth. flight was forced to make an emergency landing at Sydney cost us anything to be part of our As adults and parents, it after a hydraulic fluid leak was discovered. Two other lives and is there to help us save is our duty to assist our youth to planes were grounded with faults. our soul - isn’t accessed any- understand the realities of this Qantas chief executive Geoff Dixon admitted last week where near enough? world and the next. To come to that the airline’s reputation had been tainted by the incidents As a Melbourne second- an understanding of the Church and said Qantas had to work hard to retrieve its good name. ary school teacher, I have first and appreciate what it stands for. But Skytrax chief executive Edward Plaisted said local hand experience of all the luxu- The Church, as the Greek theolo- scrutiny did not affect an airline’s international reputation. ries teenagers have these days. gian Christos Androutsos has “We found that Qantas comes under fire from some media Most of my students carry expen- written, is “…the centre and that clearly contradicts a more widespread view of Qantas sive, high tech mobile phones organ of Christ’s redeeming customers that voted for the airline in the survey,” Mr (those that don’t have one are currently in the process of work. It is nothing else than the continuation and exten- Plaisted said in a statement. getting one). Expensive iPods, MP3 and MP4 players sion of His prophetic, priestly and kingly power. The “We do find that many countries’ flag-carrier airlines are commonplace. Portable computer gaming systems Church and its Founder are inextricably bound togeth- suffer fairly vitriolic levels of reporting in their local are ordinarily seen, and on uniform-free days I get to see er…The Church is Christ with us” (Dogmatic Theology regions, and the airline industry remains a business that some of the most expensive, casual outfits being worn; {Athens 1907}, pp. 262-5 [in Greek]). some areas of the press seem to love to hate.” designer jeans and dresses, stylish tops, sporting jackets Hence we must come to an understanding of the The Skytrax voting closed before any of the recent dramas and some of the most expensive shoes. central importance of the Church in our lives and ensure that have plagued the carrier. On one particular uniform-free day, while jest- that our youth also value and recognize it. Only when it Comment has been sought from Qantas about its rise up the ing with some students we discussed the cost of their out- is clear that the Church is Christ’s continuing work here rankings. fits and a student tested me to guess how much I thought on the earth will we be able to appreciate the Church for Between August last year and June this year, more than 15 his particular outfit cost. Not wanting to offend the lad, what it is and teach our youth to do so also. million people around the world were part of the awards I made what I thought was a more than generous guess. survey measuring some 35 aspects of passenger satisfaction However, he was quite disappointed claiming that my * D.A. Krinas is a theologian for product and service standards. guess was not sufficient enough for the cost of his shoes. based in Melbourne Qantas was commended in the categories of first class Sadly, this is quite common. It is disappointing lounge and economy class catering. AAP AUGUST 2008 8/26 TO BHMA The Greek Australian VEMA Windows to Orthodoxy Was it St Brendan Who Discovered America? By Guy Freeland* The Gallarus Oratory Pilgrimage to Skellig Michael

From my perch along the gunwale of a fishing boat I look out across a gently heaving Atlantic Ocean towards the soaring needle-sharp pinnacles of two rocks on the very Western limits of Europe: Skellig Michael and Small Skellig. Two red sandstone and slate islets 12km off a small island (Valentia), off a remote peninsula (Kerry) of a much larger island (Ireland), off my own even larger island (Great Britain), off continental Europe. Beyond, there is nothing but the Atlantic. It was from Valentia Island that the first trans- Atlantic telegraph cable was laid in 1858 to Trinity Bay, Newfoundland, the shortest dis- tance between the two continents. Receding behind our wake is Western Europe. All that attached us to the world we have known from birth is severed. Now we are totally in the presence of God alone and totally dependent on God alone. Or so it would have seemed to the Irish Celtic monks who, prob- ably as early as the sixth century, rowed out from the rugged Kelly coast in their leather covered boats to build a monastery on the most isolated and inhospitable place they knew, Skellig Michael. We first approach Small Skellig. Some passengers spot dolphins. The skipper says omi- nously that dolphins are only seen in this area before a storm. We anxiously inspect the sky. It seems clear enough, but the weather in Western Ireland can change dramatically in a very few minutes, as I discovered next day when I got drenched by a sudden violent squall. We circle Small Skellig. The 6.5 hectare rock is white with many of the over 20 000 pairs of gannets which nest here, the world’s second largest colony. All around us gannets are dive-bombing vertically into the ocean; fortunately, they are aiming for fish not us. Now it is the turn of Small Skellig’s precipitous neighbour, the 18 hectare Skellig Michael. On its twin-pinnacled heights (the highest is 218m) the Archangel Michael is said to have end and a single small window at the east above where a stone altar would have been appeared in ancient times, as he did on those two other remarkable sea-girt mounts, Mont- placed. St-Michel, France and St Michael’s Mount, Cornwall. The boat-shaped form (which, of course, is symbolic of the Ark, in its turn a symbol of But these two latter mounts are tied-islands easily accessed on dry land at low tide. Skellig the Church) is ideal for draining off rainwater. It was at the famous Gallarus Oratory (which Michael could only have been reached in the warmer months; during winter the monks could be as early as the sixth century) that I encountered my squall. But, whilst I got soaked would not only have been cut off from human contact and supplies but would have been to the skin, the interior of the chapel remained as dry as a bone. subjected to frequent storms. (In 1951, a wave severely damaged a lighthouse 53m up the One can but wonder at the faith and austere asceticism of the monks of Skellig Michael, cliff.) but as we chug our way back to Valentia my thoughts turn to even more extraordinary acts The Skipper takes us in close and circumnavigates the crag. A great winding flight of of piety. approximately 600 rough-hewn steps comes into view, climbing precipitously 182m up the The Skellig monks had a specific destination, but there were monks who made the ulti- near-perpendicular cliff to the monastery site on a small plateau. mate act of renunciation of the world. Proclaiming their total faith in God’s providence, I can see almost nothing of the monastery itself apart from its situation, and we are not they cast off their boats without rudder or oars and allowed the winds and currents to carry landing. I have mixed feelings about this – could I realistically have climbed those 600 them wheresoever God willed. In the reign of King Alfred (849-899) three such Irish uneven steps? It would have been the descent which might have sent me tumbling to my monks are said to have landed on the north coast of Cornwall. doom. This was peregrinari pro Christo, to voyage for Christ, to allow the elements to take you But how did a handful of monks ever succeed in constructing those steps – there are 2300 to what the monks called the place of their resurrection. When you finally reached that des- altogether on the island – not to mention their primitive monastery? It would have taken a tination you would know that that was where God had ordained that you should work, fast, faith and fortitude that defies modern comprehension. pray and finally rest in the Lord until the day of resurrection. Well, I won’t be climbing the stairway to heaven, at least not today, but I know what I will The sea is relatively calm but seems to be alive, breathing in synchrony with deep swells. miss from a superb film we saw back at the visitor centre yesterday. Each of the dark headlands along the Kerry coast is capped with a distinct crown of snow- The monastery consists of six stone “beehive” huts, which were the monks’ cells. They white cloud as if it were an island. The air seems to have a silvery quality, beneath a pale have a roughly rectangular base but a domed corbelled roof. There are two chapels in the blue sky flecked with whisps of white cloud. It is ethereal. It is as if our surroundings are form of an up-turned boat, the larger being a mere 3.6 x 2.4 x 3 m. a translucent film through which we are peering into an unseen, but powerfully felt, super- In form, the chapels are identical to the larger Gallarus Oratory (see photo) which I was sensible realm. to visit (along with some beehive huts) the next day. These chapels have a door at the west There is no longer any mystery as to how the monks found God in the waters of the deep. What the desert was to the Desert Fathers, whom they sought to emulate, the sea was to the Celtic monks. It was their desert. There is, however one monk in particular whose tracks I am keen to follow, not across the Christian Dior, Gucci, Calvin Klein Atlantic but just along the coast of South Western Ireland and up the Shannon river, for this is the land where he was born and died. The monk in question is St Brendan of Clonfert, Katerina + Kyriacos Mavrolefteros more commonly known as St Brendan the Navigator or Voyager. Dean Psarakis & Mary Krithinakis St Brendan was born in the 480s near Tralee, County Kerry, and died at the monastery established by his sister, Briga, at Annaghdown probably in or around 577. He was buried at the monastery of Clonfert, which he had founded on his travels up the Shannon, and is OPTOMETRISTS said to lie somewhere within the walls of the Romanesque cathedral erected on the site (which I was able to visit). There is no doubt that he was indeed a great navigator. There is evidence of many voy- ages: up the west coasts of Ireland and Scotland to the Faroes and even Iceland, and to Wales and Brittany. Michael Galovic’s icon of St Brendan captures beautifully the steely qualities of the great seafaring Celtic abbots (illustrated).** St Brendan is venerated as one of the “Twelve Apostles of Ireland”, but his worldwide fame derives from a remarkable medieval work which many believe records a voyage to 874 Anzac Parade, Maroubra Junction America. The work, probably a reworking of a much older version, possibly dates to (at bus stop, on RTA block) around 800. This ancient text is the: TEL: (02) 9314-0393 Navigatio Sancti Brendani Abbatis The Voyage of St Brendan the Abbot (there is a Pelican edition and also one published by [email protected] Colin Smythe) tells the story of how Brendan, having built a wooden-framed boat clad with oak-tanned oxhides, set out on a voyage of pilgrimage to the legendary Promised Land of We have over 1,200 spectacle frames the Saints with seventeen monks. According to tradition, he sailed from Brandon Creek on the Dingle Peninsula (see photo – “Brandon” is an old spelling of “Brendan”). He eventu- ally reaches his destination and returns to Ireland to die. 114624

and sunglasses on display! Silhouette, Adidas, Carrera The Navigatio is, however, anything but a modern travelogue as all sorts of wondrous events occur. They encounter crystal columns, fiery mountains, miraculous springs, talking

Serengeti, Dolce & Gabbana, YSL Polo Ralph Lauren, Oakley, La font birds and the mythical Gryphon, and even have a chat with Judas Iscariot. AUGUST 2008 The Greek Australian VEMA TO BHMA 9/27 Windows to Orthodoxy

St Brendan’s Creek

Cont. from previous page However, geographical remoteness, and the fact that the Romans never colonised Ireland or some other Celtic areas, did result in the development of a form of Christianity which The best known incident is when the monks mistake the mighty fish, Jasconius, for an contrasted in certain respects with that of the Roman Church. Celtic Christianity did, island and are only disabused when the “island” suddenly dives after they light a fire for indeed, in significant ways have more in common with Coptic Egypt and the Orthodox their cooking pot on his back! (The illustration is from a fifteenth-century manuscript: East. photo Wikipedia.) Why is it that so many people have been caught up in Celtomania? A great deal of roman- It quickly becomes clear that, as for instance with Dante’s Divine Comedy and parts of the tic delusion surrounds Celtic Christianity but there are definite features which appeal to our Old Testament, the Navigatio is a carefully crafted allegory which conveys moral, spiritu- times. Let me list three: al and theological messages. The wonders are signs that, in one way or another, relate to First, Celtic Christianity was decentralised in comparison with Rome. It was organised stations of the Church Year, particularly the Paschal Triduum. around monasteries ruled by powerful abbots and abbesses. Sometimes the offices of Abbot The $60 000 question, however, is that of whether the allegory could have been construct- and Bishop were combined, sometimes the Bishop resided in a monastery that was under ed over recollections of an actual voyage of the great navigator saint, or perhaps a number the rule of its Abbot or Abbess. A diocesan structure and the Roman monastic orders were of voyages of Irish monks. And was the Promised Land what we call America? only imposed/adopted under Anglo-Norman pressure during the eleventh century. There have been a number of attempts to demythologise the Navigatio, but solid evidence Two, there have been few cultures which have granted greater equality to the sexes than that Irish monks could have “discovered” America a millennium before Columbus and cen- the Celts. From the time of Ireland’s second patron saint, St Brigid of Kildare (probably, turies before the Vikings had to await the attention of the intrepid maritime explorer, Tim 453-523), abbesses exercised the same ecclesiastical and secular authority as an abbot, Severin. often governing mixed monasteries of male and female (even married!) religious. (A high- Severin, inspired by his wife’s conviction that, despite its wondrous embellishments, the ly contentious issue, but there are early documents which state that episcopal orders were Navigatio was a description of an actual voyage, set about investigating the possibility of conferred on St Brigid, who very possibly had been a Druidic High Priest before her con- recreating it. version.) Examining the prevailing winds and currents, Severin realised that the voyage could have Third, Celtic poetry, hymns, art and theology reveal an extraordinary affinity with the nat- been achieved by means of the “Stepping Stone” route up the West coast of Ireland to the ural world. The simple, severely ascetic lives of the Celtic monks and nuns living in lov- Hebrides, thence on to the Faroes, Iceland, Greenland and eventually Newfoundland, ing harmony with plants and animals, seeing God in the whole creation and leaving the Canada. slenderest of ecological footprints on the earth has strong appeal for an environmentally But if the winds, currents and stopping off places were right could the journey have been sensitive generation. done in a leather-clad boat? The solution was plain. Build such a boat and see if it would Remarkably, it would seem that Celtomania has its uses for Orthodox clergy struggling to take you and an equally crazy crew to America. bring the younger generation of those brought up under communism back to the faith of So it was off to a boatyard to construct a leather boat, following the detailed description their ancestors. Recently, I read a report of a conference paper given by a priest from the in the Navigatio. Boat built, ready to sail on Brandon Creek, blessed by the Bishop of Kerry far east of Russia who had been exploiting Russian Celtomania – I had no idea that there and it was all aboard for America. Departure had been set for May 16, 1976, St Brendan’s was such a phenomenon! – to ignite an interest in young people in their own saints and Day on the Western calendar (the Orthodox day is January 15) but was delayed by bad Christian heritage. weather for 24 hours. This resonated strongly with me because it was the discovery of the Celtic saints (of I am not an avid reader of maritime adventures but Tim Severin’s book is as good as they Cornwall rather than Ireland) which had played a pivotal role in my becoming an Orthodox come (The Brendan Voyage, Gill & Macmillan). The boat itself we were able to inspect - from a Godless (but benign) upbringing. And here was a Russian hieromonk appealing to in an understandably battered condition (and without the red Celtic Crosses which adorned Celtic Christianity and its saints – with their profoundly Trinitarian theology, Orthodox-like the original sails) - in its retirement home at Craggaunowen. spirituality, environmental sensitivity and concern for communal welfare – to lead those Needless to say, the voyage was successful and landfall made at Newfoundland. As they brought up in an atheist state back to the Orthodoxy of their Motherland! hopped from stepping stone to stepping stone, Severin was able to match descriptions in the Navigatio with actual places. Glory be to you, O God! So did St Brendan “discover” America? You bet! * Guy Freeland is an Honorary Lecturer at St Andrew’s Greek Orthodox Theological College, Celtomania Sydney.

Celtomania, particularly in its Irish manifestation, has been sweeping the world in recent ** Michael Galovic’s icon is reproduced in his prize-winning book, Icons + Art, Honeysett Press. The years: traditional Irish songs and pop music, Irish dancing, Irish poetry, Celtic art and dec- Foreword is by Guy Freeland. This is the only monograph to be published so far on the work of an Australian iconographer. It can be purchased from the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese Bookcentre, 242 oration. And every airport has its Irish pub with Guinness on tap. But along with everything Cleveland Street, Redfern, 2016. Tel. 02 9698 5368, email: [email protected]. else comes Irish religion, both in its pagan Druidic and its Celtic (not Roman) Christian forms. “Au Revoir” but not “Good Bye” The great age of Celtic Christianity was from c.400–c.1000, when Celtic monks, particu- larly in Ireland, kept the light of Christianity and Ancient learning alight during the cen- This will be my last regular article to appear in Vema, at least for the foreseeable future, turies of darkness following the withdrawal of the Roman legions from western Europe. If as I need to turn my attention to some rather weightier writing before I get the call to anoth- you wanted to find a scholar who knew Greek you would probably have had to go to er place. I have enjoyed writing for Vema and I hope to be back from time to time with an Ireland. occasional contribution. It is a myth that the Celtic Christians of Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Cornwall and Brittany A proposal, to which I have agreed, has been made by St Andrew’s Orthodox Press to pub- were cut off from Rome and Constantinople. Latin was their liturgical language and it is lish a collection of my Vema articles. The volume will contain most of the 36 articles I have even likely that the Communion wine the early monks of Skellig Michael used was import- written and is already in preparation. It should, hopefully, be out in time for Christmas. The ed from Byzantium. Press will keep you posted. AUGUST 2008 10/28 TO BHMA The Greek Australian VEMA AUGUST 2008 The Greek Australian VEMA TO BHMA 11/29

)]VQY]MXPW\WM`PQJQ\QWVWV »*abIV\QVM+P]ZKPM[WN +WV[\IV\QVWXTM¼ _QTTIT[WJMWXMVMLWV\PMLIa AUGUST 2008 12/30 TO BHMA The Greek Australian VEMA

Saints Constantine & Helene Winter Appeal Northbridge, WA

During the month of June, sorting and packaging the va- Father Elpidios – the parish rious donated items into boxes, priest of Saints Constantine and all of which will then be distri- Helene Perth WA – appealed to buted by other volunteers to fa- the parishioners and wider milies and individuals in need of Greek community for donations these. The food, clothing, blan- of blankets, sleeping bags, clo- kets and sleeping bags will pro- thing (for males and females/ vide some form of comfort and children and adults) and non- relief to the homeless and less perishable foods. All of this was fortunate people, particularly to be provided to the homeless during the cold winter months. and needy families of the Perth area. It was a delight to see so many people assist this worthwhile Donations by the parish of cause and we would like to Saints Constantine and Helene extend our gratitude to all those and the Greek community were who gave generously and assi- plentiful. For this Father Elpi- sted willingly with sorting, dios was extremely grateful and packaging and distribution. This elated to witness so many successful appeal will now serve people giving willingly and with as a basis for an annual appeal to generosity of spirit to the appeal be conducted and donated by the and assist the helpless and less parish and community of Saints fortunate people. Staff and stu- Constantine and Helene to those dents of St. Andrew’s Grammar in need. in Perth also rallied to the cause throughout a two week period and collected 220 cans of food. The Church Committee Saints Constantine and Parishioners then assisted by Helene devoting time and effort towards Northbridge, WA Parishioners of Saints Constantine & Helene, WA, sorting out the tins of food AUGUST 2008 The Greek Australian VEMA TO BHMA 13/31

HEALTH FIFTH DISEASE (‘SLAPPED CHEEK SYNDROME’) NEWS FIFTH DISEASE IS CONTAGIOUS disease or some chronic anaemia, parvovirus 19 can trigger a severe acute anaemia such that sometimes a blood trans- A person infected with parvovirus B19 is contagious during fusion is required. WITH DR. THEO PENKLIS * the early part of the illness before the rash appears. By the time a child has the characteristic ‘slapped cheek’ rash of PARVOVIRUS B19 AND PREGNANCY fifth disease, he or she will no longer be contagious and may return to school. This is different from most other Usually there is no serious complication for a pregnant This week a young mother brought her four childhood illnesses where the child is contagious while he woman or her baby following exposure to a person with year old child to see me concerned that she or she has the rash, as with measles. fifth disease. About fifty percent of women are already looked “sunburnt in the face”. She wanted to immune to parvovirus B19, and these women and their INFECTIVITY OF PARVOVIRUS B19 babies are protected from infection and illness. Even if a know how this could be possible when it was woman is susceptible and gets infected with parvovirus the middle of winter and the child had not Parvovirus B19 has been found in the respiratory secretions B19, she usually only experiences a mild illness. Likewise, been in the sun. The child was not unwell, she (eg: saliva, sputum or nasal mucous) of infected persons, her unborn baby usually does not have any problems attrib- had a mild cold the preceeding few days, she and spreads through breathing in tiny droplets present in the utable to parvovirus B19 infection. Sometimes, however, air as a result of coughs and sneezes from infected people. parvovirus B19 infection will cause the unborn baby to did not have a fever. It can also spread from blood transfusions and from mother have severe anaemia and the woman may have a miscar- to baby. riage. When the child came into the consulting room it was imme- diately obvious that her cheeks were flushed and when she In a household, as many as fifty percent of susceptible per- A pregnant woman who has been in contact with someone was examined she had a rash like fine lace on her trunk and sons exposed to a family member who has fifth disease may who has fifth disease or who has symptoms consistent with limbs. become infected. A person usually becomes ill four to fifth disease should discuss her situation with her doctor. twelve days after being infected with the virus. They may The doctor may perform a blood test to establish if the This child was suffering from ‘FIFTH DISEASE’ or be ill for usually seven to twelve days, but sometimes up to patient has become infected. If so, the doctor may increase ‘SLAPPED CHEEK SYNDROME’. This common condi- twenty days. the frequency of visits and perform blood tests and ultra- tion which affects young children is caused by a virus. sound examinations to monitor the health of the unborn As mentioned previously, the illness takes the form of a baby. If the unborn baby appears to be ill, there are a num- WHAT IS FIFTH DISEASE? bright red rash on the face, often referred to as the ‘slapped ber of special diagnostic and treatment options available. cheek’ rash. A fainter rash, which is lacy in appearance, Fifth disease is a mild rash illness that occurs most com- may follow on the arms and legs. Sore throat, swollen PREVENING PARVOVIRUS B19 INFECTION monly in children. The ill child typically has a ‘slapped glands and fever may also occur. About twenty percent of cheek’ rash on the face and a lacy red rash on the trunk and adults and children who are infected with parvovirus B19 There is no vaccine or medicine that prevents parvovirus limbs. Occasionally, the rash may itch. An ill child may do not develop any symptoms at all. Other people who are B19 infection. Frequent hand washing is recommended as a have a low grade fever, malaise or a ‘cold’ a few days infected may have a non-specific illness that is not charac- practical and effective method to reduce the spread of the before the rash breaks out. The child is not very ill and the teristic of fifth disease. People who are infected develop virus. Excluding persons with fifth disease from work, child rash resolves in seven to twelve days. long lasting immunity that protects them against infection care centres and schools is not required as persons are con- in the future. tagious before they develop the characteristic rash. WHAT CAUSES FIFTH DISEASE? Pregnant women should not routinely be excluded from a TREATMENT OF PARVOVIRUS B19 INFECTIONS workplace where a fifth disease outbreak is occurring. Fifth disease is due to a virus known as human Parvovirus Rather, the decision to stay away from a workplace where B19. The virus only infects humans. There are other par- Fifth disease is usually a mild illness that resolves on its there are cases of fifth disease is a personal decision for a voviruses that can affect dogs and cats, that do not affect own among children and adults who are otherwise healthy. woman to make, after consultation with her family doctor humans. A child can only catch parvovirus from an infect- Treatment of symptoms such as fever or pain with paraceta- and employer. ed human and a cat or dog cannot catch parvovirus from an mol or itch with anti-histamines is usually all that is need- infected child. ed to treat fifth disease in children. Adults with joint pain Adults can be infected with parvovirus B19. They either may need to rest, restrict activities and take medicines such * The information given in this article is of a general nature have no symptoms or develop the typical rash of fifth dis- as aspirin or anti-inflammatory medication. and readers should seek advice from their own medical ease. They may also get joint pain and swelling, or both. In people with disorders of the blood, such as sickle-cell practitioner before embarking on any treatment. SELLING AN AMERICAN DREAM: AUSTRALIA’S GREEK CAFÉ National Museum of Australia, Canberra 11 July – 16 November, 2008

Within a matter days from its opening, this major nation- through different eyes”. Her photographs she says “tell an ally touring exhibition about one of Australia’s best loved odyssey of hope, success, failure, memory, family and cul- food-catering icons – the Greek café – has attracted over tural change – of an Australia quickly disappearing, but 10,000 visitors. According to Rebecca Coronel, yet still with us in many ways”. Exhibitions Manager with the National Museum of Australia, Her partner and co-curator of the exhibition, historian Leonard Janiszewski, who has worked with Alexakis “the showing of the exhibition within our permanent researching Australia’s Greeks for some 27 years remarks, gallery space and in connection to a gallery centrally con- “that after almost 3 decades of trying, at last a stand-alone cerned with the building of ‘nation’ is acknowledgement exhibition on the significant impact Greek settlers had on that we [NMA] believe the story has significance within the development of Australian popular culture has been Australian social history”. presented at Australia’s premier museum”. Whilst this a remarkable achievement, perhaps what is even more It appears that the many Australians who have so far amazing is that this landmark exhibition clearly demon- flocked to the exhibition agree with Coronel’s and the strates, that the affect Greek food caterers had upon this National Museum’s elevated view of the Greek café – and nation was not a minor, but a powerful and central force of this is just the start of the show’s 6 months display at the change – they were a key component in the Museum, not to mention the 7 years of touring the nation Americanisation of Australian eating and social habits. To that lays ahead! find out how this was achieved you must see the exhibi- Greek café has a special place in the hearts and minds of tion. Catch it in Canberra at the National Museum or as it Well-known documentary photographer and co-curator of Australians, but that from its vantage point, the historical tours around the country over the next 7 years. It is an the exhibition, Effy Alexakis not only agrees “that the panorama of 20th Century Australia can be viewed exhibition not to be missed! AUGUST 2008 14/32 TO BHMA The Greek Australian VEMA

Student Exchange at St. Andrew’s Grammar

Photograph: Ms Eva Tsapazi Coordinator of Greek Studies Part Time Programme, Mr Vladimir Ludera Relieving head of Senior School, Panagiotis Zamagias , Mr Angelo Karsakis Coordinator of Greek Studies Day School, Alexandros Metollari and Mr Craig D’cruz, School Principal At the start of the Second Semester, St. The emails and photographs were received I was at the Hiroshima Atomic Bomb me- Monument. I took some photos for you. Andrew’s Grammar hosted two students on by the School by Australian tourists who morial yesterday and was delighted to see exchange from mainland China and one stu- were travelling in Japan. that your year 3 class had their work on dis- Yours, Tony C. dent from Germany. play at the Sadako Children`s Peace Adelaide, Australia Hi there, On Monday 4 August, two students from the island of Kastellorizo, Alexandros We are Australians currently travelling in Metollari and Panagiotis Zamagias joined Japan and noticed your GREAT paper St Andrew’s Grammar School on a new for- crane artwork on display at the Children’s mal reciprocate Exchange Programme. Memorial in Hiroshima. Attached are some The Principal of the local school on photographs. Your artwork is on a panel Kastellorizo, Ms Betty Mouzak advised that facing the monument. If you zoom in on one the two boys were very excited to be select- of our photos you can see a picture of the ed for this first ever exchange to Australia. students from your school. Your artwork The island and the School are very excited was the only contribution we saw from about this positive energy and promotion by Australia. the Australian Friends of Kastellorizo, coor- dinated by the Co-ordinator, Ms Marilyn Kind Regards, Tsolakis. The students will spend one week in Perth, Leah and Cliff Wheatley attending St. Andrew’s Grammar and will Melbourne, Australia then attend Sts. Anargiri Greek Orthodox College in Melbourne and St. Spyridon From: Tony Cannell College in Sydney. Subject: Your Year 3 classes work dis- St. Andrew’s Grammar School played in Hiroshima Peace Park. Perth, across the globe! Recently as part of the Western Australian Valuing Asia Curriculum programme, the Year Three Class, under the guidance of Mrs Michelle Emmelhainz spent time mak- ing paper cranes to commemorate Hiroshi- ma Day on August 6.

The children, whilst studying Japan as part of the Valuing Asia programme, learnt about World War Two and the devastating effects of the atomic bomb drops on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

They read the story of Sadako Sasaki who developed leukaemia when she was 12 years old following the Hiroshima bombing and they were encouraged to make paper cranes to commemorate this child’s struggle to survive and to help restore peace to the world. Ms Katerina Reklitis, who was trav- elling to Japan over the recent school holi- day break, broke her trip to ensure that the children’s efforts were personally delivered and displayed at the Sadako Children’s Peace memorial at Hiroshima on Hiroshima Day. AUGUST 2008 The Greek Australian VEMA TO BHMA 15/33

QUALITY vs QUANTITY FACTS vs FIGURES

By Peter Souleles Do any of us believe that inflation is 5% to vodka as opposed to another country To spend less and more wisely means running at only 4.5% to June 30, 2008? that allocates 5% to health drinks? greater satisfaction, less debt and better A recession can be a good oppor- It must be remembered that governments of Following on, how do you then factor in retirement when the time comes. any persuasion will seek to maximize GDP that the first country’s population allocates tunity to re-assess how we live and growth and in the process of doing so, they a further 5% to drug rehabilitation whilst The markets continue to baffle many consume. An opportunity to wake will massage the way inflation is calculated the second country expends 5% on gym economists and the 300 point increase in the up to what successive govern- so as to bring in the lowest possible figure. memberships etc? DOW Jones Index on 8/8/08 may have ments make us believe even when Bringing in a low inflation figure will also more to do with wishful thinking and reduce the demands of workers for wage How does this relate to you? It’s simple. manipulation than reality. In any case, that is incorrect. But first, a few increases and will reduce the budget burden Ignore what the government tells you and anyone factoring the loss in value of the US definitions: on governments having to compensate make your own calculations. dollar over the last couple of years will soon pensioners for cost of living increases. realize what a nasty investment it would GDP (or Gross Domestic Product) is Just as importantly, see what house and have been to put any of your savings in the defined as the total of all final goods and How does this relate to you? Well, I credit card debt you have this year United States. services produced within the country in a strongly suggest that you keep a record of compared to last year and check again in 12 given period of time (usually a ). your spending for a period of time. Make a months time. In my May column I warned of a drop in the note of what your council, water and value of the Australian dollar which is now A recession is defined as two successive electricity bills are like at the start of July Perhaps even more importantly review afoot. The Reserve Bank is hinting at a rate periods of negative growth in GDP. 2008 and then compare them again next your own expenditure patterns. Look at decrease, but given the need of banks to year. Make a note of what you pay for your next supermarket trolley and be honest raise funds overseas for local lending, it is Inflation is commonly understood to mean bread, milk, petrol. Look at the size of cans in your calculation of how much not clear if any decreases can or will be a rise in the general of goods and services this year and see whether they shrink next recreational food you have in there (i.e. passed on. The treasurer did say though that over time. year. Look at your interest rate now and chips, fizzy drinks, chocolates etc). Check he has weapons in his armory to deal with again in 12 months time. your driving patterns. Do you go shopping this situation. Remember the supermarket If the value of GDP increases from $100 to two or three times a week when it could inquiry? Do you remember the outcome? $105, it would appear that GDP has The problems continue however, because instead be once or twice? Do you throw Who are they kidding? increased by 5%. If however, the rate of GDP is a very crude measure in my books. clothes out because you are bored or inflation is 3%, then GDP has really Because it includes the value of all final because they are worn? The list goes on and Whilst the present government is making an increased only by 2%. goods and services, it does not differentiate on. honest attempt to deal with the lost between various goods or various services. opportunities it inherited as well as with the Most people seem to think that they are So if two identical countries with the same They say that goldfish have a three second evolving international situation, it is still worse off this year compared to last year, GDP have different consumption patterns, attention span. Our attention span as well as incumbent upon all of us to steer our own yet the government has not officially the Bureau of Statistics will come up with our memory is perhaps not far behind. We ship towards good weather. The less we rely announced a recession. So what is the the same statistical result. How do you rate lose track not only of our budgets but also on government for outcomes the better our story? the GDP of a country whose people allocate of our lives in the process. nation will be. ST ANDREW’S GREEK ORTHODOX THEOLOGICAL COLLEGE VISITS PERTH By Father Elpidios Karalis* the students to various online resources for Orthodox Christians of all age groups. The talk delivered by Mr Kalogerakis was With the blessing of His Eminence outstanding as he was able to keep the Archbishop Stylianos, Mr Philip Kariatlis students engaged for the entire two (lecturer in Systematic Theology and periods. At the conclusion of the lesson, Academic Secretary of St Andrew’s Greek the Yr 11 students were presented with a Orthodox Theological College) and Mr copy of the Book of Prayers: A Selection Tasos Kalogerakis (College Registrar) for Orthodox Christians, published by the undertook an outreach program to Perth Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia, during 26-29 July, the first of several such as a parting gift. The Yr 12 students efforts across Australia. The purpose of received a copy of The Divine Liturgy of this visit was essentially to meet with peo- our Father among the Saints John ple from some of the various Greek Chrysostom, together with the Book of Orthodox churches in Perth, and to pro- Prayers. mote the work of the Theological College and its enduring importance within the life On the evening of the same day, Mr of our Church. Kalogerakis conducted an information session at the church hall of Saints On the Sunday morning of the Feast of St Constantine and Helen specifically Panteleimon, Mr Kariatlis and Mr relating to theological studies at St Kalogerakis each chanted and delivered Andrew’s Greek Orthodox Theological bilingual sermons at two different loca- College. A promotional DVD describing tions: the Church of St Nectarios, Dianella, the history and work of the College was and the Church of the Annunciation of our Fr Elpidios Karalis with Philip Kariatlis (right), Tasos Kalogerakis (left) and Yr 11 & 12 presented. Lady, West Perth, respectively. Orthodox students of St Andrew’s Grammar (WA). We look forward to more visits of a similar On the evening of the same day, Mr forty people who were also given the both Mr Kariatlis and Mr Kalogerakis nature in the future as this will truly prove Kariatlis presented a public lecture at the opportunity to ask questions. visited St Andrew’s Grammar in Dianella to be ever more beneficial for the Greek church hall of Sts Constantine and Helen where they were warmly welcomed by the Orthodox faithful of Perth. in Northbridge entitled ‘The Church: On Monday morning, the Feast of St Irene Assistant Principal Mr Rowan Evans and *Fr Elpidios Karalis is a graduate of St God’s Miraculous Presence Here on Chrysovalantou, Mr Kariatlis chanted at the Bursar Mr Jim Tsokos. Mr Kalogerakis Andrew’s Theological College and the Parish Earth’. The lecture was delivered in the Church of Sts Constantine and Helen. addressed the Year 11 & 12 Orthodox Priest of Sts Constantine and Helen, North- English to an appreciative audience of Immediately following the Divine Liturgy, Religious Education class and introduced bridge, WA. AUGUST 2008 16/34 TO BHMA The Greek Australian VEMA

Jesus Christ: Fully Divine, Fully Human and the Mystery of Salvation

By Anthony Papantoniou The dogmas of the church are not mere participation in the fullness of divine life more human, truly human, fully human, as propositions set in stone, as idols, which and love. Christ was fully human. For the Orthodox Church, the mystery of have “captured eternal truth,” but rather the Trinitarian God and reality of Christ signposts and pointers to the grandeur of the If the human person is perceived as having Salvation understood as the fullness of life constitute the very heart and foundation of divine mystery. They are iconic and doxo- been created “incomplete,” this incomplete- and love, therefore is both a present reality, Orthodox theology. Orthodoxy takes the logical, for Orthodoxy perceives that the ness refers to the human person’s inability which is in constant process and an antici- theological prologue of the Gospel of John mystery of God and the truth of Christ tran- to attain the fullness of what it means to be pated event to be completed. The fourteenth as the basis for its understanding of the per- scend all doctrinal formulations. However, human. Christ restores this participation in century Byzantine theologian, St Nicholas son and event of Jesus: “In the beginning the inner essence of the ecclesial dogmas, as the fullness of divine life, in which the Cabasilas states: “the life in Christ origi- was the Word, and the Word was with God, pointers to the divine mystery, are sufficient human person is given the potential to nates in this life and arises out of it. It is per- and the Word was God…and the Word in the attempt to approach the truth of realise through love authentic humanity. fected, however, in the life to come, when became flesh” (John 1:1, 14). The mystery Christ. Hence, Orthodoxy continues to Christ has abolished original sin, for he has we shall have reached the last day. It cannot of Christ is ultimately the mystery of the express these dogmas in the form they were restored the gift of divine participation, attain perfection in men’s souls in this life, Trinitarian God. The divine Godhead is expressed at the time of the ecumenical however, what continues to persist is per- nor even in that which is to come without revealed and experienced as Trinity in and councils in the fourth and fifth centuries. sonal sin. Sin however must not be identi- already having begun here.”4 Salvation is through the divine-humanity of Christ. Sergius Bulgakov writes that it is not “an fied merely with deeds and actions, but present as “inaugurated eschatology” which Jesus of Nazareth, is the Incarnate Logos, archaism in retaining these forms, for in understood to mean imbalance and dishar- begins here and now precisely as a present the Second Person of the Holy Trinity, their supreme verity and in the power of mony. The fragility of the human condition reality that is sacramentally and mystically Christ crucified and risen, and as theanthro- their elaborate realism” they have suffi- is precisely these – imbalance and dishar- experienced par excellence through the pos expresses the ultimate kenosis, self- ciently expressed the paschal mystery, and mony – and they constitute the being of the church, as the body of Christ, and is com- emptying of the love of God towards they continue to “impose themselves upon human person. With this understanding of pleted eternally. Through the church, the humanity. Jesus incarnates and embodies the religious and philosophical conscience sin, it is thus possible to affirm with the mystery of Christ embraces and penetrates the love of God. The fullness of love and of our time.”3 gospels that Jesus did die for the sins of all things, all cultures and languages, all life belong to the essence of God, for God is humanity in order to recreate authentic humanity, all creation. Christ is the proto- the fullness of life and love. The mystery of Christ, therefore, is the humanity, true humanity, balanced and har- type of true humanity, and despite claims mystery of salvation. Jesus Christ bestows monious. Jesus calls humanity and indeed that there is no absolute, and all truth is rel- For the Orthodox tradition, faith in Christ, on the human person the reality of partici- all creation to truth, love and life, for he is ative, especially in regards to religious as theanthropos, “is not a Christo-logical pating in the fullness of life and love given truth, love and life. Christ invites humanity truth, through Christ, all humanity poten- dogma, but life itself.”1 Christology is the in all fullness by God. The question we to participate in divine-humanity, where all tially participates in the mystery of Christ, centre of Orthodox faith and thought, must ask is: what is the nature of salvation, things are transfigured and deified. in the mystery of divine-humanity, regard- through which the mystery of Christ is per- however? In contemporary theological less of culture, religion or ideology. ceived as “an existential experience of sal- thought, this question is related to the Hence, in Orthodox thought, the purpose of 2 vation.” Thus, Orthodox theology is not notion of “original sin.” In our modern per- the incarnation is not only perceived in the 1 Sergius Bulgakov, “Orthodox concerned with defending orthodox doctri- ception of the world, the notion of “original perspective of the fall. The incarnation of Dogma,” in The Orthodox Church (Crestwood, New York: SVS Press, nal formulations. On the contrary, Ortho- sin” has been discredited by evolution for, the Logos as Jesus of Nazareth did not sim- 1988), p. 101. doxy seeks to give witness to the truth of as argued, humanity was never created ply take place in order to redeem the fallen 2 Anastasios Kallis, “Christology in Christ, to experience it and be embraced by “perfect” and therefore did not experience sinful human being; Jesus is not perceived Orthodox Theology,” in Erwin Fahlbusch, ed., [et al.] The it, and to offer it as doxology, inviting all to the “fall,” and thus is not in need of salva- as a “divine rescuer” but as theanthropos Encyclopedia of Christianity, Volume participate in it. For Orthodoxy, what is tion. However, such contemporary thinkers who recreates and refashions humanity, 1 (Eerdmans: Grand Rapids, Michigan/ Brill: Leiden, 1997), p. sought is not knowledge of God, that is, the perceive the human person as a biological who bestows the fullness of human authen- 467. attempt to know who God is, but rather “to existence, not as an existential being. ticity and the fullness of life to the human 3 Bulgakov, “Orthodox Dogma,” p. be known by God” (Gal. 4:9). Orthodoxy Original sin, as understood in Orthodox the- person. Therefore, this participation in 102. 4 St Nicholas Cabasilas, The Life in refuses to identify truth with its linguistic ology, is not the fall of the human person divine-humanity in and through Christ pre- Christ (Crestwood, New York: SVS and conceptual expression. from a perfect creation, but the disruption of supposes that humanity must grow ever Press, 1998), p. 43. PILGRIMAGE TO GOULBURN

By Dr Panayiotis Diamadis the church – even when it was extended by a marquee. Sunday 27 July was the feast day of St Panteleimon. As every year, the Archdio- His Excellency Ambassador Georgios Zois cese has held the annual Divine Liturgy in and Mrs Zois were in attendance, as were a the little Church dedicated to that Saint. number of diplomatic staff from the The drive down to this outpost of Helle- Hellenic and Cypriot diplomatic missions nism, nestled on the outskirts of Australia’s in Canberra. While the majority of pilg- oldest inland city, was more than a pilgri- rims was from Sydney, a large contingent mage; it was a sort of homecoming. of Canberrans was present, joining the tiny remaining Hellenic community of Goul- As a former parishioner, one of the first burn and District. Divine Liturgies I attended in that small, white, concrete-block building was during It was an inspiring day: the combination of the visit of His Eminence Archbishop the location, the history of the place, the Stylianos to the then new parish. That was nostalgia and the sermon by His Eminence in 1979! on the brevity of life and the importance of making a difference with the short time we Despite the overcast skies, the threat of actually have. Archbishop Stylianos made rain and the low temperatures, it was a day a point of offering antidoron to every of surprises. Firstly, the number of former person who lined up to receive a piece. Goulburn Hellenes who were present; it Hopefully the prayers for rain will be was like a Goulburn Sunday School fulfilled soon. reunion. Almost as surprising was the large crowd - there must have been about 300 people present. There were so many people His Eminence Archbishop Stylianos offering that a large number were unable to fit into antidoron to every person in the Church AUGUST 2008 The Greek Australian VEMA TO BHMA 17/35 Food & Wine The culinary bookworm: part 5 Caveat Emptor*

By Imogen Coward and how we might plot our escape from it”. another book on the topic. Pollan however From the discovery of vitamins, to the food takes a refreshingly simple approach with Over the past few years the ‘culinary book- pyramid, to the ins and outs of food labeling not a word of nutrition-speak or sensation- worm’ has digested a smorgasbord of delec- laws the book highlights the pervasive alist hyperbole in sight. This book echoes table titles, most of which hail from the influence of nutritionism, industrialization the sentiments of popular chefs such as British Isles and are stuffed to bursting with and low-cost produce on the food we eat. Jamie Oliver and Gordon Ramsay who fabulous recipes. The latest tasty morsel These factors, asserts Pollan, are largely to strongly advocate eating fresh, local pro- however is more food for thought. blame for the obsession with diet and health duce (preferably where you know your sup- that plagues the modern culinary landscape. plier). It goes further however, to advocate In Defence of Food: The Myth of Nutrition He also suggests that these are directly traditional diets and a return to less and the Pleasures of Eating (Allen Lane, linked to the increasing number of diet- processed, whole foods; the substances, 2008), by Michael Pollan, takes the reader related health problems in Western coun- says Pollan, that your ‘great-grandmother’ on a journey through some of the major tries. would recognize as food. Ultimately, says food producing developments and argu- the author, eating should be pleasurable ments that have shaped the modern Western In an age where we are continually bom- experience, not a laboratory designed exer- diet, for better or for worse. It is, says the barded by slogans on packaging, newspaper cise in nutrition. author, about “a problem that now faces columns and health-care professionals with people living in every modern industrial advice on what to eat you may well ask why Although Pollan is principally a journalist society: the problem of the Western diet, anyone would want to go and read yet and clearly has strong feelings on the pros and cons of the modern Western diet, his attention to detail and the extensive refer- encing of the various areas he delves into render his arguments both sound and com- pelling. This book will certainly make you GREEK SCOUTS question what you place into your mouth Sponsored by the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia and why. I strongly recommend it to every- GREEK SCOUTS one. Sponsored by the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia (Allen Lane, 2008) In Defence of Food: The Myth of Nutrition Cost: around $35 and the Pleasures of Eating By Michael Pollan * Latin: Buyer beware EE nn rr oo ll ll ii nn gg

NN oo ww ! ! By Taliesin and Imogen Coward Vintage Cellars Heathcote Tempranillo 9 Cub Scout units are enrolling boys and girls up to 10 years 2005 9 Scout units are enrolling boys and girls up to 15 years In this column I’ve often advocated cheaper wine as being ‘not so inferior after all’. Indeed there are some quite respectable By participating in a Greek Orthodox Scout Group, boys and girls benefit from drops around for under $15. This wine unfortunately, is not one the Australian Scouting program as well as the additional Greek cultural of them. A sweet nose with very mild flavours and a cabernet- program and the opportunity to practice and improve their knowledge of the ish after taste make it very drinkable but leaves a general feel- Greek Orthodox faith and the Greek language. ing of dissatisfaction. For Tempranillo under the $25 mark, I’d definitely go for the more flavoursome Brown Brothers offering To enrol your children contact: instead.

Cost: under $15 Parish of St Euphemia – Bankstown

Mr Stavros Kritikos Asst. Group Leader ph. 9547 2269 mob. 0428162893 Fr Panayiotis (Chaplain) ph. 9709 6908 mob. 0402 219214

Parish of St Stylianos – Sutherland

Mr Nicholas Depolignol (Group Leader) ph. 9570 1075 - 9579 3888 Father Constantine (Chaplain) ph. 9526 6577 mob.0418 511212

Also more Adult Leaders needed! www.cure.org.au To participate in the Scout Movement by becoming a Leader or Assistant ThanksFunding to thethe criticalgenerosity early of workthe community of young Cureand (all training will be provided – no previous experience required) Funding the critical early work of brilliant creative Cancerinnovativescientists Australia’s as researchers they pursuemission as potential is theypossible: pursue breakthrough to findpotential a cure phone: The Group Leaders or the Coordinator Miss Katherine Kevgas 0411 525 244 by supporting young scientists to deliver break- breakthroughresearch to solve research the riddles to solve on cancer the complexities cells. Authorised by Mr George Papadimitriou James PhC,MPS,JP throughin cancer cancer cells. research. (Commissioner for Greek Scouts) Contribute to the Cure & send your tax 16, Crewe St. Bardwell Park 2207 deductiblePO Box giftR185 to: Royal Exchange NSW 1225 Email: [email protected] PO Box R185 RoyalTel 02 Exchange 9251 61 88 NSW 1225 Tel 02 9251 61 88www.cure.org.au

AUGUST 2008 18/36 TO BHMA The Greek Australian VEMA

The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese, and all Greek Australians, are proud of Mr Kosmas Sclavos, President of the Pharmacy Guild of Australia, who became an Honorary Doctor of Griffith University at the Gold Coast, July 28th 2008 Pharmacy Guild President awarded university honour

The Council of Griffith University has awarded the National President of the Pharmacy Guild of Australia, Kosmas Sclavos, an honorary “Doctor of the University” in recognition of his distinguished contribution to the pharmacy profession and pharmacy innovation. Mr Sclavos received the award at a graduation ceremony at the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre on Monday 28 July. Griffith University Vice Chancellor, Professor Ian O’Con- nor said he was thrilled to acknowledge Mr Sclavos’s contribution to Griffith and the wider community with this special honour. “Mr Sclavos has been a strong supporter of Griffith keenly interested in the School of Pharmacy’s initiatives to provide high quality educational opportunities for the Gold Coast region. Through his counsel, support and encouragement the University continues to enjoy an excellent relationship with the community pharmacists of Queensland,” Profes- sor O’Connor said. Mr Sclavos, elected in 2005, is the seventh National President in the 80 year history of the Guild and has been instrumental in the restructuring of the PBS to ensure its long term sustainability. He spoke about those changes and Before purchasing his own pharmacy in Ipswich in 1989, On Wednesday 23rd July Kosmas Sclavos the National other initiatives in the pharmacy sector on 23 July at the he worked in and managed a number of community President of the Pharmacy Guild of Australia in a nationally National Press Club in Canberra. pharmacies. He has established and purchased pharmacies televised address, spoke live on ABC from The National He is very passionate about the pharmacy profession and in the southeast Queensland area and is currently a partner Press Club of Australia in Canberra. The National Press the role that community pharmacists and their staff can play in Terry White Chemists Myer Centre. Kosmas is married Club of Australia is operated for and on behalf of journa- in the health care of Australians, and in 2007 was voted one to Effie, also a pharmacist, and has a daughter Nina. lists, in particular media professionals from the Federal Par- of the top 100 most influential people in Australia by the Mr Sclavos has led many industry initiatives but is best liamentary Press Gallery. Kosmas spoke about pharmaceu- Bulletin magazine. Mr Sclavos graduated from the Uni- known as the driving force of the Quality Care Pharmacy tical issues an in particular the changes to the Pharmaceuti- versity of Queensland in 1985 and continued his post gra- Program (QCPP), which has now been implemented in over cal Benefits Scheme which came into effect on 1 August duate study in both business and clinical fields. He has 90 per cent of community pharmacies. Australia was the 2008. He is in his third year at National President of phar- completed a Graduate Diploma in Clinical Pharmacy, as first country and remains the only country in the world to macy’s peak organisation. It is the first time a pharmacy well as an Advanced Diploma in Community Pharmacy implement such standards across the entire community leader has been asked to speak in a live address. Management. pharmacy sector. AUGUST 2008 The Greek Australian VEMA TO BHMA 19/37 AUGUST 2008 20/38 TO BHMA The Greek Australian VEMA Stamfords is an Australian Demand Innovation advisory and consulting firm with offices in Sydney Value Solutions and Perth with vast experience in Australia and abroad providing the following services:

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