A helping hand to the fire victims in Greece by the people of Australia
The Holy Archdiocese of Australia, in light of the unprecedented ordeal that the people in Greece are experiencing from the destructive fires, invites the entire Greek community of the fifth continent to display its solidarity, compassion and patriotism, as it has done many times in the past with praiseworthy results. For this reason, it is initiating a fundraiser to collect money to send to Greece to financially support those affected by the fires.
The fundraising initiative will be undertaken either by directly depositing into a bank account or going through gofundme.com with the following details:
Bank Account:
Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia consolidated trust Western Australia
BSB: 082 – 057
Acc: 12 693 2006
Gofundme: gofundme.com/f/greece-2021-fire-appeal
In his message, His Eminence Archbishop Makarios of Australia notes: “With pain of soul, we watch the unfolding of the destructive fires that are mortally wounding the body of our beloved homeland in the last days. Our hearts are suffering along with every brother and sister who is hurting; for every house and property that is engulfed in flames; for every speck of forest that is reduced to ashes.
At these critical times, we intensify our prayers and ask Almighty God to protect and strengthen the thousands of firefighters and volunteers who are waging a long and difficult struggle, with admirable boldness and self-denial, to prevent the continuation of the raging fires. We also pray for the repose of the soul of the heroic volunteer firefighter from Attica, who gave his life in this struggle and for the consolation from on high of his mourning relatives and friends.
At the same time, considering the horrific extent of the devastation left behind by the flames, we feel indebted to mobilise practical support for our brothers and sisters who have lost their properties. The following day will be extremely difficult for thousands of our compatriots. But the Greeks of Australia, with unity and unanimity can, once again, offer a valuable sigh of relief by putting our Christian teaching into practice.
I am fully aware that our people, like almost everyone in Australia, are currently experiencing another difficult trial, that of the pandemic and the adverse economic effects as a result of the restrictions. However, inspired by the example of our forebears who always offered a place at their table to a person in need, both when it was richly laden with goods and when meagre, I am convinced that we will be able to rise to the sacred challenge of helping our fire-affected brethren, by each one of us contributing either from their surplus or privation.
I have communicated with the Metropolitans whose dioceses are in the fire-affected regions and conveyed to them the support of our God-loving Bishops, the pious clergy and the Christ-loving people of Australia. I assured them that we are all by their side.
I fervently plea with every person without exception, the clergy and our flock, the organisations of our Holy Archdiocese, as well as the organisations, associations, businesses, the media and the Greek communities throughout Australia, to fervently embrace this initiative and prove to our compatriots that we are by their side no matter how many thousands of kilometres separate us.”
