MELBOURNE, Australia – A dinner was held in honor of His Eminence Metropolitan Myron (Ktistakis) of New Zealand and his team hosted by the Pancretan Association of Melbourne at the Cretan Village Members Pavillion. His Eminence was welcomed by the President Ioannis Nikolakakis and members of the Board of Directors, the Women’s Auxiliary, and the Youth. The dinner also honored Fr. George Adamakis, the presiding priest of the Saints Anargiri Parish of the Holy Archdiocese of Australia.

During the event, the association members had the opportunity to meet the Metropolitan and exchange stories and best wishes, to get acquainted, and above all to remember mutual friends in Crete.

In his very moving speech, His Eminence thanked the Pancretan Association of Melbourne for the warm and loving hospitality and spoke in detail about the works planned by the Metropolis of New Zealand, referring to his predecessors, about the challenges facing Hellenism in New Zealand, but also the Greek Orthodox Mission in the Pacific Islands, especially in Fiji, Tonga, and Samoa, with the construction of new Orthodox churches. Finally, he spoke about the worthy efforts that have been made by the Cretans living abroad and especially the Cretans of Melbourne.

Pancretan Association President Ioannis Nikolakakis thanked the Metropolitan for the honor of his visit, noting that the Pancretan Association of Melbourne has in the past supported the Fiji Islands Missions by donating clothes, books, and gifts after the visit of then-President Antonis Tsourdalakis. He also pointed out that the Association would be a helper in his efforts in the future, and then presented His Eminence with the icon of the Four New Martyrs of Rethymno and some books published by the Pancretan Association.

It is worth mentioning that the His Eminence was accompanied by Fr. George Kanellis, vicar of the Hamilton parish in New Zealand, who is originally from Kalamitsi Alexandrou of Apokoronos, Chania, and His Eminence’s secretary Mr. Evangelos Kambitakis, originally from Heraklion, Crete.

The event concluded with everyone planning to meet again in Greece in the summer of 2019 for the World Congress of Cretans in Heraklion.

The Pancretan Association of Melbourne and His Eminence Metropolitan Myron of New Zealand. Photo: Courtesy of the Pancretan Association of Melbourne