MARCH 2013 Tel. (02) 9559 7022 Fax: (02) 9559 7033 E-mail: vema@bigpond.net.au

THE GREEK AUSTRALIAN

VEMAThe oldestcirculating

Greeknewspaper

outsideGreece

Australian-born, Greek raised chef takes on Hong Kong

David Laris, who made a name for himselfat the iconic mezzo in London , is now benton making his mark in Hong Kong.

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ArcadiaThe heart of the Peloponnese retains a gen-

uine rustic feel amid traditional villages and firforests.

PAGE 20/38

Christian ArchitecturalSymbolism and the HolyMonastery

of Pantanassa

PAGES 10/28-11/29

MEDIA’S IMPACT ON OUR CHILDREN:

Parenting the Net Generation: Part 1PAGE 7/25

Greek-Australians are facing much higher taxes ontheir properties in Greece but not with Greek taxes ontheir earnings in Australia, Greek officials have said.

According to the statements of Greece’s Deputy For-eign Minister, Konstantinos Tsiaras, “taxes on propertyowned in Greece and any rental income-or potential in-come-would be taxed at a higher rate as part of govern-ments’ tough austerity measures.” He also reassuredGreek-Australians that the government will not tax theirincome earned in Australia.

The Brisbane Times reported that introduction of thenew taxes has been temporarily postponed and Tsiarassaid it was possible they might be revised if the Greekeconomy improved by the end of this year. Australian of-ficials are expecting the new Greek tax arrangements tobe finalized by May.

A spokesman for the Department of Foreign Affairsand Trade stated that the Australian government waskeeping ”possible double taxation agreements underconstant review,” and added that, “‘we have not yetbeen briefed on new Greek government tax measures.Once details are clearer, the government will be able todetermine the possible impact of the new measures onAustralians of Greek descent.”

Another question for Greek Australians is that of the

paper work concerning their citizenship. Tsiaras said theGreek government was also reviewing the need forcomplicated paper work Greek-Australians have beenasked to fill out to register their Australian citizenship.Data from the 2006 census show that there are morethan 260,000 people of Greek nationality in Australia,with almost 126,000 born in Greece.

The Greek Ambassador to Australia, Charalambos Da-faranos, said there was no risk that Greek-Australianswould be taxed on the income they earned in Australia.”We want people to know that if they have income fromrented properties in Greece or if they have property,they need to declare it.” He added that, “nobody needs toknow how much they earn or pay tax in Australia.” In re-gards to the threat of double taxation he said that, ”theywill not be required to pay a double tax. What interestsus is if they are residents of a foreign land.”

According the statements of a spokesman for the Aus-tralian Tax Office there hadn’t been any discussion be-tween Greece and the ATO in relation to further taxationof the income Australian residents earn by their occupa-tion in Australia. The Brisbane Times said that there arenegotiations between the countries on a reciprocal workand holiday visa program. The current draft agreementproposes a cap of 500 visas a year.

St Andrew’s Opening Doxology, 2013PAGE 2/20

GGRREEEEKK--AAUUSSTTRRAALLIIAANNSSFFAACCEE HHIIGGHHEERR TTAAXXEESS

The Greek Australian VEMATO BHMA2/20 MARCH 2013

St Andrew’s Opening Doxology, 2013Thursday the 28th of February marked

the official opening of the academic yearat St Andrew’s Greek Orthodox TheologicalCollege in Sydney. For the twenty-eighthconsecutive year, the traditional DoxologyService was celebrated in the CollegeChapel of St John the Evangelist and The-ologian by the Dean, His Eminence Arch-bishop Stylianos of Australia, in the pres-ence of His Grace Bishop Seraphim ofApollonias, College Sub-Dean, as well asHis Grace Bishop Iakovos of Miletoupolis,amongst faculty members, staff, alumni,students and guests, including Mr StanPalassis and Dr Theo Penklis (members ofthe College Council).

After welcoming everyone, His Eminencestressed that St Andrew’s is not a denom-inational College, but is charged with thesacred task to preserve and disseminatethe common Christian inheritance of theundivided Church of the first millennium; inother words, Orthodoxy. In this welcomingspirit, he thanked not only the Orthodoxfaculty of St Andrew’s, but also the contri-butions made by faculty members fromRoman Catholic and Protestant back-grounds; all of who continue to raise theCollege’s standards in terms of tertiaryeducation and scholarship/research. HisEminence affirmed that at St Andrew’s, the-ology is not taught purely as a speculativediscipline, but is driven by prayer, and heexpressed wonder at advances in technol-ogy which made it possible for students tostudy through online distance education.He also highlighted the importance of theCollege in these troubled times, noting thatGod, as the Master of the past, present,and future, is always with us, irrespectiveof the adverse historical circumstances.

His Eminence also warmly welcomed thenew seminarians, including Michael Cour-saris (Sydney), Nick Georgiou (Melbourne),Esaias Michael (Melbourne), George Pa-poutsakis (Sydney), and Milan Stanimirovic(Brisbane). He also welcomed students un-dertaking diploma and masters courseswhether through evening classes or dis-tance education. The customary groupphotograph in the courtyard of the Collegewas followed by a luncheon generouslyprepared by the tireless ladies’ auxiliary ofthe Archdiocese. At the end of the lunch-eon, His Eminence formally announced thefirst meeting of a Sub-Committee of St An-drew’s Theological College that was putforward at the 11th Clergy-Laity Confer-

ence held in Sydney on the 20-23 January2013. This committee is chaired by HisGrace Bishop Iakovos of Miletoupolis andincludes amongst its members Mr TasosKalogerakis, Associate Professor AngeloKarantonis, Dr Philip Kariatlis, Mr StanPalassis, and Dr Theo Penklis. His Emi-nence then invited Mr Stan Palassis tospeak briefly about the committee, whichwas formed to prepare a comprehensiveStrategic Plan for St Andrew’s that willguide its objectives to draw more enrol-ments, provide employment to graduates,ensure the integrity of a financial model forthe College, and determine further struc-tural developments.

Notes on St Andrew’s Scholarlyand Public Events, 2013

As well as providing excellence in terti-ary theological education through its vari-ous programs, St Andrew’s has, in recentyears and with His Eminence ArchbishopStylianos’ blessing, boosted its scholarlyprofile and public outreach in variousways, with 2013 promising to be the mosteventful year yet. On April 6, faculty mem-bers from St Andrew’s including Fr Dr DoruCostache (Senior Lecturer in Patristic Stud-ies), Dr Philip Kariatlis (Lecturer in Theolo-gy), Mr Anastasios Kalogerakis (AssociateLecturer in Biblical Studies), and Mr MarioBaghos (Associate Lecturer in Patristic

Studies and Church History) will presentvarious talks on the theme ‘Introducing theCreed’ at an Adult Faith Education Seminar(Open Learning) at St John’s Greek Ortho-dox Church in Preston, Melbourne. Thisevent has been organised by Their GracesBishops Ezekiel of Dervis and Iakovos ofMiletoupolis, along with the assistance ofFr Leonidas Ioannou and Mr Daniel Bellis(the latter three are College graduates), inconjunction with the faculty of St Andrew’s.

During the break in July, one of the fore-most experts in Maximian studies, Profes-sor Paul M. Blowers, Dean E. Walker Pro-fessor of Church History, Emmanuel Chris-tian Seminary, Tennessee, USA, will visit StAndrew’s. He will offer face-to-face lec-tures in the intensive mode for two unitsthat will be managed online by Fr Dr DoruCostache in the second semester. Profes-sor Blowers will lecture for TH695A Spiritu-al Pedagogy in St Maximus the Confessor(17-19 July 2013), and TH595A Creator andCreation in Early Christian Theology (22-24July 2013). On 27 July, Professor Blowerswill be taking part in a Round Table discus-sion on the life and legacy of St Maximusthe Confessor, his spiritual anthropologyand the traditional roots of his wisdom,moderated by Fr Dr Doru Costache andfeaturing guest speakers Dr Bronwen Neil,FAHA (ACU, QLD) and Dr Adam Cooper(John Paul II Institute, VIC); both of whomhave been keynote speakers at previousPatristic Symposia.

On September 19, another Round Tableon the theme of ‘Expanding Reason: theChristian Transformation of Philosophy inthe World of the Fathers,’ and once againmoderated by Fr Dr Doru Costache, willfeature another renowned internationalspeaker, Professor David Bradshaw, De-partment Chair of Philosophy at the Uni-versity of Kentucky (Lexington, Kentucky,USA), as well as Dr Adam Cooper. Thisevent will act as the perfect forerunner forthe annual Patristic Symposium on the 20-21 September, co-convened by Fr Dr DoruCostache and Dr Philip Kariatlis. This year’sSymposium will focus on St Cyril of Alex-andria, and features as its keynote speak-ers Professor David Bradshaw and Profes-sor Pauline Allen, FAHA (ACU, QLD). Profes-sor Allen is one of Australia’s leading ex-perts in Early Christian, Byzantine and Pa-tristic Studies. International and national re-presentation from such high-caliber schol-ars points to the rapid growth of St An-drew’s as a Patristic center in the Antipo-des.

These are just some of the events host-ed at, or in conjunction with, St Andrew’sthis year. Details are still to come for thetentatively named Paschal Lectures, whichwill take place in lieu of the Lenten Lec-tures (which were launched last year), aswell as the Friday Seminar events that of-ten take place on campus throughout se-mesters 1 and 2 featuring presentationsfrom College faculty members on varioustopics. Also, stay tuned for the publicationof the proceedings from last year’s Patris-tic Symposium on St Athanasius in the Col-lege’s bi-annual journal, Phronema 28:2, aswell as the forthcoming collective volumeon the first three symposia entitled Cap-padocian Legacy: A Critical Appraisal; bothof which are co-edited by the conveners ofthe Symposia. Last but not least, congratu-lations are in order for Assoc. Prof. AngeloKarantonis, appointed by His Eminence asthe editor of Phronema, whose first publi-cation in his new role, Phronema 28:1, iseagerly anticipated.

For more information, including flyers forthe upcoming events, visit St Andrew’s of-ficial website: www.sagotc.edu.au

Mario BaghosAssociate Lecturer in Patristic Studies

and Church HistorySt Andrew’s Greek Orthodox

Theological College

His Eminence Archbishop Stylianos, Dean of St Andrew's (centre), His Grace Bishop Seraphim, Sub-Dean (left), and His Grace Bishop Iakovos of Miletoupolis, Chair of the Sub-Committeeof St Andrew's (right), along with faculty, seminarians, and guests after the doxology for the beginning of the academic year, 2013

His Eminence Archbishop Stylianos of Australia (center), His Grace Bishop Seraphim ofApollonias (left), and His Grace Bishop Iakovos of Miletoupolis (right), together with the new

seminarians: Mr Esaias Michael (Melbourne), Mr Nick Georgiou (Melbourne), Mr MilanStanimirovic (Brisbane), Mr Michael Coursaris (Sydney), and Mr George Papoutsakis (Sydney).

TO BHMA 3/21

Editorial

MARCH 2013

The Byzantine empire's own 'eurozone' crisis offers a lesson for the EU today By Peter Frankopan - The Guardian

Sometimes it is easy to forget why we study history.Of course, we use the past to understand the present;but also, ideally, we learn from it too. What a shame,then, that there is no space in the new national curricu-lum for the history of Byzantium. The eastern half of theRoman empire that flourished long after Rome itself spi-raled into decline in late antiquity, the Byzantine empirehas the distinction of being one of the very few realmsto survive for more than a millennium, from the founda-tion of Constantinople in 330 to its fall in 1453.

Unfortunately, because generations have neverlearned about the mighty eastern Mediterranean thatonce ruled from Venice to Palestine, from north Africa tothe Caucasus, the lesson that could be learned in themodern world is lost in the mists of time - a lesson thatEurope could do with now more than ever. Like the EU,the Byzantine empire was a multilingual, multi-ethniccommonwealth that spread across different climatesand varied local economies, ranging from bustling citiesto market towns, from thriving ports to small rural set-tlements. Not only that, but it also had a single currency- one, furthermore, that did not fluctuate in value forcenturies.

Contrary to popular opinion expressed on an almostdaily basis in the House of Commons, where MPsqueue up to describe over-regulation or over-complexlegislation as "Byzantine," the Byzantine empire was infact a model of sophistication - particularly when itcame to the sorts of areas where the EU has beenfound wanting. Unlike the European Union, Byzantiumwas not riddled with inefficiency and disparity when itcame to tax: profits could not be parked in a more at-tractive region, thereby undermining the empire's struc-

ture. Government in Byzantium was lean, simple and ef-ficient. There was no question that different parts of theempire could have different rules or different taxationpolicies: for the state to function with a single currency,there had to be fiscal, economic and political union; tax-es had to be paid out from the periphery to the centre;and it was understood that resources had to be divert-ed from rich regions to those that were less well bles-sed - even if not everyone was happy about it. Freedom,grumbled one author in the 11th century, meant freedomfrom taxes.

If Eurocrats could learn from the structure of the em-pire, then so too could they benefit from looking at howit dealt with a chronic recession, brought on by thesame deadly combination that has crippled westerneconomies today. In the 1070s, government revenuescollapsed, while expenditure continued to rise on es-sential services (such as the military); these were madeworse by a chronic liquidity crisis.

Those responsible for the crisis were shown no mer-cy. The Herman Van Rompuy of the time, a eunuchnamed Nikephoritzes, was lambasted by an angry pop-ulation faced with price rises and a fall in the standardof living, and was eventually tortured to death. Wide-spread dissatisfaction led to others being unceremoni-ously removed from position, often forced to becomemonks, presumably so they could pray for forgivenessfor their sins.

The crisis even gave rise to a Nigel Farage figure,whose arguments about why things had gone wrongsounded "so persuasive," according to one contempo-rary, that people "united in giving him precedence" andwelcomed him everywhere with applause. He was abreath of fresh air at a time when the old guard wereparalyzed by inaction and by a dire shortage of good

ideas. His message, that the current crop of leaderswas useless, was hard to argue with.

The limp policies that were being tried were a disas-ter, having no effect whatsoever on fixing the problems.As the situation got worse, it was time for a cleansweep of the old guard. New blood was brought in, andwith them came radical new ideas. A German bailoutwas one suggestion, although it failed to materialize, de-spite looking promising for a while. But as food ranshort and talk turned to apocalypse, there was nochoice but to take decisive action.

The solution was threefold. First, the currency wastaken out of circulation and replaced by new denomina-tions that were a fair reflection of real value; second,the tax system was overhauled, with a compilation ofwho owned what assets across the empire serving asa primer to raise revenue in the future; finally, commer-cial barriers were lowered to encourage those with out-side capital to invest more cheaply and easily than in thepast - not in asset acquisition, but specifically for trade.Such was the empire's plight that these barriers weredropped to the point that outside investors could evenundercut the locals, at least in the short term, in order tostimulate the economy. The process worked: it was notas painful as had been feared, and resuscitated a pa-tient that had been suffering from economic cardiac ar-rest.

The Nigel Farage of the 11th century never made it, bythe way, though he did pave the way for a really goodcandidate to rise to the top. Alexios Komnenos was thename of the man who rebuilt Byzantium, though he hadto pay the price for his reforms: despised in his lifetimefor making difficult decisions, he was ignored by historyfor centuries afterwards. Perhaps we should be lookingfor someone with broad enough shoulders today.

The Greek Australian VEMA

MARCH 20134/22 TO BHMA The Greek Australian VEMA

Australian-born, Greek-raised chef takes on Hong KongBy Cathy Yang - Reuters

David Laris, who made a name for himself at the iconicMezzo in London, is now bent on making his mark in HongKong by convincing the city's discerning diners that theycan do fine cuisine without pretensions and a stiff upperlip.

The Australian-born Laris, who has opened restaurantsin Beijing and Shanghai, is best known for LARIS at Threeon the Bund, which has picked up top ratings in local foodguides such as the Miele Guide.

“Reuters” spoke with Laris on how his ethnic influencesshaped his cooking style, and why he thinks Hong Kong isfertile ground for nurturing his own culinary philosophywith his new restaurant, LARIS Contemporary Dining inHong Kong.

You've spent much of your childhood in Greeceand took on a classic French apprenticeship inSydney. How did these early influences shapeyour life as a chef?

I lived in a small village in Greece from the age of six tillten so it was an age when a boy is taking in a lot of theworld around him in. It definitely gave me a love of ad-venture.

I liken it to a Greek version of Huckleberry Finn, I joke tomyself, running around the country village, and spendingsummers by the sea with my extended Greek family ...

Being part of the olive harvest, fishing with my grandfa-ther, uncle and father in the Mediterranean with our littleboat, growing watermelons, seeing the tomatoes dryingon the side of the road that would be later turned intotomato paste, seeing all the ladies in the family gather forfull days of cooking, the killing of the lamb for Easter in thefarmhouse courtyard, stomping grapes for wine, tenderiz-ing giant octopus on the side of the road with a stick andwater and whole days that seemed to be surrounded byeating, drinking and family are memories that will staywith me and become part of my life's story.

Perhaps with such strong imagery, taste and smell con-necting me to these early years, it was destined that Iwould develop a long love affair with food and cooking. Ibelieve everything we do and see in life somehow influ-ences and shapes our perception of the world.

Then stumbling into a French apprenticeship began tofurther shape and define all those influences into a solidapproach to cooking.

How did you come up with the concept of Larisin Hong Kong, cuisine described as “moderndining with an Australian flair and globalapproach”?

It is an evolution of a lifetime of cooking and stylingplates in fashion and approach that is my own. Many ofthe dishes are from the original Laris or new dishes I havebeen working on over the last year or so. What I con-stantly do is evaluate and evolve them to be relevant in to-day's approach to cooking or at least as I see it.

This is a simple way of saying let's not box in or definewhat can and can't be used in the Laris kitchen. I like tokeep my menu vibrant and fresh.

I like to surprise and delight, have moments of playful-ness while still being grounded in solid cooking techniquesand I also like to use the most up to date approaches thatare out there while continually creating new ideas.

You've mentioned of a “long love affair” with“elegant unpretentious dining.” How does thatall come together at Laris?

It is about the way I hope you feel when dining in Laris,I want the food to feel elegant, the service to feel elegantand set the diner at ease so we can be there to create anexperience for them, it should always be about the guestand not about our ego. I hope people get that there is re-finement without the need to be arrogant or pretentious.

What have you learned about the Chinesepalate for fine cuisine from Laris at Three onthe Bund in Shanghai? And how are you seeingtheir taste evolve with Laris in Hong Kong?

I really don't look at it that way, so it is a hard questionto answer. To be honest, perhaps if apart from what Ihave already have said I can add the following, I thinkmainland customers have become increasingly adventur-ous in their desire to try new global as well as innovativecuisine.

I have never written my Laris menu for one market oranother; otherwise it would not be possible to be honestin the creative process.

You have to be first true to the food and the nature ofthe food in the concept and if you are truly honest thenthis will come through to the palate.

You've traveled extensively, such as Macau,Hong Kong and Hanoi. How did these travelsinfluence your way of cooking?

Very much so. Everywhere I have been, traveled, eatenand seen influences my own evolution as a chef, howcould it not? Asia is a such a vibrant, rich and diverse setof cultures and flavors, once you have opened the door tothe flavors in this part of the world it is impossible to goback, and who would want to?

... We are the sum of our parts after all and a big partof me is my time in Asia with the food, the culture and thepeople playing into everything I do, as with my earlier in-fluences, these are important and continue to shape me. Istill discover new dishes and ingredients all the time andthink of how I can interpret or use them in my own style.

Greek researcher creates new food product Dimitris Kouretas, a professor of bio-

chemistry and biotechnology at the Uni-versity of Thessaly, is one shining exam-ple as he was among 12 eminent re-searchers from 10 European Union coun-tries that presented their findings at anevent organized by the European Com-mission in Brussels on February 26 on in-novation in the field of medicine and med-ical technology. The 12 scientists wereselected from a list of 600 who submittedtheir proposals to the EC program, withKouretas being the only representativefrom the entire southeast of Europe to beselected.

“It is certainly a great honor and recog-nition of our work,” Kouretas statedahead of his trip to Brussels.

Kouretas has worked at the Universityof Thessaly for the past 18 years, focus-ing his research more recently on thehealth benefits of local products and how

these can raise their value and boost re-gional production.

“We champion localization rather thanglobalization,” Kouretas said, explaininghis philosophy for promoting the attrib-utes of local produce and products.

The biggest breakthrough made byKouretas and his research team in thisdomain has been on processing the by-products of dairy manufacturing, particu-larly whey, which until now have mostlyended up being poured into rivers orstreams, polluting the natural environmentand generating a chain of negative ef-fects on public health, crops and the qual-ity of drinking water. The problem is par-ticularly pronounced in Thessaly, one ofGreece's main cheesemaking regions.

Kouretas and his team spent yearsstudying the makeup of the whey proteinwhich results as a by-product duringcheese production and using it to make a

food with beneficial qualities.Kouretas sees far-reaching benefits in

his team's product, such as ridding theenvironment in dairy-producing areas ofa dangerous source of pollution while si-multaneously creating a highly nutritiousfood product. The scientists also says thatthe whey protein cakes can also be usedas food aid to countries with high rates ofmalnutrition.

The work done by Kouretas and histeam has not only impressed the tech-nocrats in Brussels, but also Franco-Ger-man television network Arte, which is cur-rently producing a documentary on theGreek researcher and his team, “for cre-ating innovative food products that willbring 10 times more revenues to theGreek institution than he earns as asalary,” the film's producers note on thebenefits of the research to the Universityof Thessaly.

Professor Dimitris Kouretas

TO BHMA 5/23MARCH 2013 The Greek Australian VEMA

Our Primate’s View

SATURDAY, THE DAY OF SOULSAll the days of the week constitute time given to us for our

perfection and our salvation. However, certain days have aparticular aroma, a unique taste. Sunday is not the same asthe other days of the week. It stands out, not only with itsname (The Lord’s Day), which means that it must be entirelydedicated to the Lord, but also with the whole atmosphere itcreates, so that we may talk about “matters of Sunday”, andfestive feelings, in comparison with the plain and daily mat-ters.

In proportion, Saturday has also its own quality. We under-stand this better especially today when in the developedcountries it also becomes little by little like a holiday, a prel-ude to Sunday.

But Saturday in Christian spirituality has its special signifi-cance not as a holiday. Because every day of the week maybecome a holiday for the person who will not work.

From very early times our Church dedicated Saturday tothe souls. It is primarily the day of those who have fallenasleep. And Christians always took care, with memorialservices and charitable acts done especially on Saturdays, tostay close to their dead and to ask God for their repose andsalvation. Even today one will see more people in graves onSaturday than on any other day.

But why is Saturday the day of the souls? There are manyexplanations. More likely appears to be the explanationwhich says that Saturday was set apart for the departed, be-cause the word “Saturday” - coming from the Hebrew wordSabbath - means rest. And on this day we are praying for therepose of the souls.

Starting from this point of view, it is worth our expressinga few thoughts so that we today may remember again greattruths concerning the Saturday of the souls. Properly speak-ing, there are only two Saturdays of the Souls, the one onSaturday before Meat-Fare Sunday and the other on Satur-day before Pentecost. Yet Saturday generally as the day forthose who have fallen asleep reminds us of the followingbasic and saving truths:

Firstly, that the world does not end in whatever we seeand count, but also extends in the space of the spirits, whichalso exist, co-exist together with us. In this place the souls ofour departed beloved are encamped.

Secondly, that the Church is a continuous intercommunionbetween those of its members who are still struggling onearth and those who have already slept in the Lord.

Thirdly, that amidst the fever of action and the struggle ofdaily life we must remember the natural terminus of everyeffort, which is rest in the Lord, since there is nothing morecertain than death and nothing more uncertain than the hourof death.

But what sums up all the above truths in the one and mostfundamental truth of life is the precedence of the soul ascompared with all other values. Of course the various mate-rialists of our times are not prepared either to speak aboutsuch precedence or to acknowledge it, just as the material-ists of the past century were not prepared to admit it, sincefor them the soul is not at all superior to the body; matter isnot at all lower than the spirit.

The inner and spiritual man is not at all superior and no-bler than the outer and carnal man. And yet, whether theyadmit it or not, man has his higher and lower functions, hishigher and lower propensities. With the former ones manmay even compete with the bodiless angels, whereas withthe latter ones he may outdo in brutality even the wildestbeasts of the animal kingdom.

That the priority of soul over body is unquestionable be-comes clear also from the fact that when we say “soul” wemean the whole man, which is not true when we refer to“body”. For instance, we say this person is a “golden soul”;that person is a “black soul”; “two thousand souls” live in thisvillage; “forty souls” were lost in that accident. In all these ex-pressions it would be impossible to substitute the word“soul” with the word “body”.

Therefore if we want to save man, we must take care es-pecially of his soul and look out for its proper food, which isspiritual. We must feel concerned for its proper health, whichis also spiritual. Enlightenment, therefore, development, up-lifting and sanctification is the food for the soul. And its healthis peace and goodwill.

All these thoughts were brought to mind by Saturday, theday of the souls. And since souls are not only those restingin the Lord, but also those who are still struggling here onearth, it is good for us to remember these saving truths notonly on Saturdays and on the “Saturdays of the Souls”, butevery day, every hour, every minute. For “... you do not knowthe day or the hour in which the Son of Man comes”. (Mat 25,13)

Source: “Ενσαρκώσεις του ∆όγµατος”Domos Publ., Athens, 1996

By ARCHBISHOPSTYLIANOSOF AUSTRALIA

The ever elusive national plan By Alexis Papachelas - Kathimerini, Athens

We keep hearing Greek politicians spew inanities abouta national plan to regenerate the country. Sure, it’s apleasant-sounding concept. The problem is, it’s nowhereto be seen. What we see now is a shame. The fact is nopolitical party here really has a pragmatic plan to trans-form this country. We have surrendered ourselves to mi-cromanagement by troika and EU Task Force officials.Politicians are busy exchanging barbs and accusations in-stead of focusing on the core problems.

In the area of judicial reform, for instance, some politi-cians are backing the changes, saying they are mandatedby Greece’s bailout agreements. Others oppose thechanges, arguing they are in breach of the country’s na-tional sovereignty. But this is no way to move forward.Hard as this government - or the next one for that matter- may try, the things that are holding this land to ransom

won’t change. Any public debate should concern the fol-lowing: Let’s assume that the troika were to leave thiscountry tomorrow. What would we do? What would wehave to change immediately in order to turn Greece into aresponsible state that is capable of safeguarding the ruleof law and promoting growth? How can we improve ourhospitals, our tax offices, our public administration, ourwaste management?

Greece is like a big, problematic company. You canthrow all the money you want at it, but you will get noth-ing in return unless you make some structural reforms,unless you have a business plan. Now Greece is like aguinea pig; it’s all a big mess: The European Commission,the IMF, the task force, the Germans, the Dutch, bank su-pervisors and so on are trying to understand how wework and come up with solutions. The problem is that theyeach have their own agenda and sometimes move in dif-ferent directions. However Greece does not have the time

for 13 different agencies and governments to come to anagreement.

We must use the foreigners’ know-how and research.But unless we first shake ourselves up - as a people, asa political system and as a society - nothing is going tochange. All that, of course, sounds overly optimistic asGreek politicians have shown little willingness to cooper-ate. But there is no other way. The nation must changeradically, but with a plan - starting from the Constitution.

It’s hard to pass reforms in the midst of social turmoil.Greeks will only throw their weight behind it if they seesome basic level of consensus.

The safest way for a troika exit is a national plan to re-build the country. I’m only sure of two things: First, we willmake it, to everyone’s surprise, because we are anadaptable and stubborn nation. Second, after we achievethis, our lenders will look upon us in a completely differ-ent way.

TO BHMA6/24 MARCH 2013

So, what do you want todo, to go home?

Source: Wikipedia Commons

Hereward Street in Maroubra is named after theHereward, a ship that was blown onto MaroubraBeach in May 1898. Fortunately all 25 crew memberswere safely brought ashore. This local misfortune wasquite unlike a recent shipwreck where 32 people died.

Undoubtedly you read, heard or saw the tragicnews about the fate of the Costa Concordia. At thetime, the following words were added on the officialweb-site for the ship:

I have reproduced this appalling prose exactly. Butthere is more!

The transcript of the conversation between CostaConcordia’s Captain and a coastguard official capti-vated an entire nation. It was translated by the newsagency, Reuters. In Australia it was broadcast by theABC and reported in the Sydney Morning Herald. Ihave taken the liberty of including part of it below:

Such tragic accidents will always occur - that is partof life. But it is arguable that there should have beena greater sense of responsibility when things wenthorribly wrong.

The inquiry into the disaster has concluded. I be-lieve that charges have been laid but it is still proba-bly too early to apportion blame. Anyway, all thisdoes not help those innocent souls that died.

In the Sydney Morning Herald (20 January 2012),Theodore Dalrymple examined the question of whatwe would do in the same situation. He asked:

I do not agree. We do have a right to demandcourage and heroism.

Firstly, Dalrymple’s question about what we woulddo is theoretical but this situation was real. Secondlythere is an issue of duty. Thirdly, the example ofeveryday situations is no match for tragedies involv-ing the loss of human life.

The fact is that courage is lacking in this world. In-deed, when push comes to shove, a study of survivorsof maritime disasters showed that women and chil-dren actually come last.

Not only do male passengers (37%) have a betterchance of surviving shipwrecks than women (27%)but children (15%) actually come last. Crew (61%)followed by the captain (44%) head the list in survivalrates.

We all rely on people doing their work conscien-tiously. Thank goodness for people who recognisetheir responsibilities.

Praise God for those who are brave, even preparedto sacrifice their life for others. These few may wellbe the only redeeming grace for the future of an ego-tistical or narcissistic mankind.

Heroism has always been part and parcel of beingan Orthodox Christian. Otherwise, what does one doin this life when the going gets tough? Go home?

The views expressed are those of the author and not necessari-ly those of the VEMA or St Andrew’s Greek Orthodox Theologi-cal College. Source: Elkinder, M. & Erixson, O. Every man forhimself! Gender, norms and survival in maritime disasters. IFNWorking Paper No. 913, 2012

letterfrommaroubra@gmail.com

Letter from

Maroubra

With greatest regret we should tell that ythe cruiseship sank on 13th January 2012 close tothe shores ofGiglio Island. The ship had 3200 passengers on boardand over 1000 crew members, when after a colisionwith a reef next to Italian shores. However CosdtaConcordia will remain one of the most beautiful andimpressive cruise ship, but ever (sic) (http://costacon-cordia.info/ Retrieved, 18th January 2012).

Coast Guard: You get back on board! That is anorder! There is nothing else for you to consider. Youhave sounded the “Abandon Ship”. Now I am givingthe orders. Get back on board. Is that clear? Don’tyou hear me?...Captain: Do you realise that it is dark and we can’tsee anything?Coast Guard: So, what do you want to do, to gohome...?! It’s dark and you want to go home?(Source: Reuters)

Above Costa Concordia then (Source: costaconcordia.info) and below as it is now (Source: ibtimes.com)

Courage is a virtue and heroism is admirable, but dowe have a right to demand them? Which of us cannotlook back on his or her own life and remember deci-sions, or compromises made, or silences keptbecause of cowardice, even when the penalties forcourage were negligible?

Student Leaders from nine high schools within the federal electorate of Watson werehonoured on Monday 4 March at a morning tea held by Federal member for Watson, TheHon Tony Burke, MP Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Com-munities. This event was made even more significant and memorable with the presenceof the Federal Minister for School Education, The Hon Peter Garrett MP.

Both Ministers addressed the student leaders from Watson on the importance and sig-nificance of leadership, oftentimes using their own personal experiences.

The Vema congratulates the 2013 All Saints Grammar student leaders that receivedthese impressive certificates of recognition from the Ministers:

Student leaders honoured by Federal Ministers

The Greek Australian VEMA

Federal Ministers Tony Burke (left) and Peter Garrett (right) with All Saints Grammar Vice Captains Theophanes Magdas and Christina Rallis, and School Captains Paul Papapostolouand Theodora Choutris)

The Greek Australian VEMA TO BHMA 7/25MARCH 2013

Growing up fast and furious

Media’s impact on our children:

Parenting the Net Generation: Part 1

In the last two articles, we looked at the ‘iDisorders’that were described by Prof Larry Rosen, an expert inthe field on the psychology of technology. In another ofhis books, ‘Me, MySpace and I: Parenting the Net Gen-eration’ he talks about how parents can best help theirteenage children navigate through the dangers posedby technology1The first distinction he makes is that be-tween reactive and proactive parenting. Most parents,especially when busy, parent in a reactive way. When aproblem arises, they have to deal quickly with the prob-lem. This usually involves confronting the teenager andproviding some sort of punishment or consequence. Thetrouble with this approach is that it most often createsnegativity between parent and child. It is also less ef-fective. Whilst all parents need to parent reactively atsome stage, finding other parenting methods can veryhelpful.

Proactive parenting is about anticipating problems,establishing limits and providing guidance to preventproblems from happening in the first place.

Below are some examples of proactive parenting.

Social networking sites (SNS): virtualrelationships

The book was published in 2007, where the mostpopular SNS was MySpace. Today we can simply sub-stitute ‘Facebook’ for ‘MySpace’, and the message is thesame.

Assuming that your child has Facebook (or one of theother SNS), here are some ways to parent proactively:

1) Have your teenager show you his or her Facebookpage. Be open about it; otherwise it will invite argu-ments and lead to loss of trust. Look at their list offriends and ask about any you do not know. Pay partic-ular attention to the friends they communicate withmore. Find out about how you met. Visit the friend’sFacebook page. Try and remember that these friendsserve a purpose in your adolescent’s life. Finding outabout the friends will mean learning more about yourown child. Pay particular attention to the comments thatthe friends leave.

2) Talk with your child about the meaning of friendshipand how important it is to have good friends, particular-ly people they know in the real world. Don’t put downtheir online friends, but suggest that they have a bal-ance between their online and offline friends.

3) If you are worried about your teen’s interactionwith a particular person, ask to see more of their cor-respondence. If your child has deleted it, insist that youview future correspondence. This is an appropriate timeto set firm limits if your child does not cooperate.

4) Consider placing your teenager’s computer in anarea other than their bedroom. Studies have shown thatthey are less likely to give away their private informa-tion when not in their bedrooms.

Adolescent Development: Building a Sense of Self

Some of the reasons teenagers are so fond of the in-ternet relate to their development. A major part of ado-lescence is the formation of identity: they go from beingdependent on their parents to being their own self. Theinternet makes it easier for them: they are able to dis-cover about themselves and the world in the safety oftheir bedroom. It is similar to people finding it easier totell their innermost secrets to the stranger on the train.

Parents can proactively assist their adolescent chil-dren in their search for identity in the following ways:

1) Be aware of their virtual world. SNS are here tostay, and most young people will continue to use them.Sites such as YouTube and Wikipedia are also part oftheir virtual world. Nobody can predict the future onlinetrends, but there are ways to keep up. Being informedmeans that parents can guide their teenagers appropri-ately.

2) Keep an open communication line with yourteenager. If your teenager does not feel comfortablediscussing certain issues with you, they will turn to theonline world for their information. Have regular discus-sions (e.g. weekly over dinner) about the online worldand other adolescent issues. Avoid being too judgemen-tal or invalidating.

3) Do not secretly spy on your children’s online world,because this leads to distrust, and to teenagers workingharder to hide their online activity. Instead, insist thatyour child be prepared to openly share their online in-teractions with you. They need to let you see how theyrepresent themselves in their virtual world, and whatprivate information they give out. Although your son ordaughter may not think twice about giving out personalinformation, you need to be proactive and discuss thisbefore any potential problems arise.

4) Encourage safe exploration of the internet. Set outfrom beforehand what is acceptable and what is not ac-ceptable online behaviour.

5) Encourage good peer support. Having good real-lifefriends helps increase interpersonal skills, develops asense of self-esteem, and enhances psychological func-tioning. Regarding online friends, spend time with yourteen reading friends’ comments and help your teen dif-ferentiate between Facebook friends whose advice maybe valuable and those who may create more identityconfusion. Spending time talking with your teen aboutonline interactions is a good entrée to discussing howoffline friends are playing a role in their identity devel-opment.

6) Keep an Open Door Policy. While it is preferable

that computers be in an open area of the house, insome cases, this is easier said than done; often thereare practical barriers to this, such as lack of space. Ifthe teenager is to have technology in their bedroom, youand your child should have an understanding that thedoor remains open and that you may enter at any timeand view what is on the computer screen. You shouldfeel free to scroll back and read what your child is say-ing to others. Also learn how to use the computer’s “his-tory” and “cache” functions so you can view what yourchild has been doing and where he or she has beenvisiting. This should not be done in a punitive or sneakyway. Since most teenagers report that they are com-fortable having their parents view their Facebook page,an open-door policy affords this opportunity.

7) Set clear limits and boundaries. Research hasshown that the majority of parents set limits on theirchildren’s use of the Internet. However, half of teen-agers say that the parents do not actually monitor thoselimits. Proactive parenting means setting clear and rea-sonable limits, and enforcing them consistently.

Comment

A young person’s relationship with Christ, when root-ed in a supportive environment in the Church, can solvemany of their identity problems. They know who theyare and to whom they belong: they are children of Godand belong to Christ. When they develop that conviction,they are not swayed as much by different peer pres-sures. They rely less on technology for their identity for-mation, and can develop the maturity and discipline toresist the dangers of the Net. To get there, what theyneed are some grown-ups, especially parents, who areable to inspire them in the way of Christ, and a positivepeer environment in the Church (e.g. Christ-centredyouth fellowships) where they can find the appropriatesupport for their spiritual struggle.

Rosen’s book does not discuss whether you should letyour children have a Facebook page; it assumes that thechild will have Facebook. This need not be the case. Ifyour children can manage to do without, they will avoidall the problems associated with it. However, they willhave to deal with the problem of feeling excluded fromtheir peers. Some parents and children can manage thiswell. For others, banning SNS altogether may createmore problems than it will solve. Therefore, discern-ment is required. Having a spiritual father (a confessor,an esteemed priest or monk) who can navigate bothparents and children through these uncertain waters isa big blessing and is much recommended.

‘Americans are more socially isolated than they were twentyyears ago. Nearly a quarter of people surveyed said they had‘zero’ close friends. More than 50% named two or fewer con-fidants, most often immediate family members. Both of thesefigures represent a surprising drop since 1985”.

Miller McPherson et al, University of Arizona, 2006.

By Fr George LiangasChild and Adolescent PsychiatristAssistant priest, St Nectarios Church, Sydney

1 Rosen LD. Me, MySpace, and I: Parenting the Net generation. New Y-ork: Palgrave MacMillan; 2007.

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Christian Architectural Symbolism and the Holy Monastery of the Mother of God Pantanassa: A Macrohistorical Reflection, Part 1

Introduction

Construction on the katholikon of the Mother of GodPantanassa (which means ‘Queen of All’) Monastery,1

located in Mangrove Mountain in the central coast ofNew South Wales, Australia, on a cliff overlooking theDubbo Valley and nearby National Parks, began in 2005with the blessing of His Eminence Archbishop Stylianos,primate of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese. The resultshave yielded a church-complex of such stunning archi-tectural design that it has been described, rather aptly, as‘Byzantium in the bush.’ Taking this as a pretext, this ar-ticle will be split into two parts. The first will positionthis remarkable structure within the context of a briefmacrohistory of early Christian and Byzantine architec-ture as an imago et axis mundi (or image and center ofthe world). It will begin with an assessment of the housechurches and basilicas of the early Church, before mov-ing to the archetypal patterns - such as the ‘cross-in-square’ domed churches - that dominated the landscapeof Byzantium and more importantly its capital city, Con-stantinople. It will focus especially on the monumentalchurch of Holy Wisdom, or Ἁγία Σοφία, built during thereign of the emperor Justinian (r. 527-565), and concludewith a summary of the circumstances that influencedsome aspects of Byzantine architecture to the modernera. In many ways this material will serve as the back-drop for part two of this article, which will address thecontinuity between the Byzantine architecture assessedin part one, particularly Holy Wisdom, and the twenty-first century church of Pantanassa, and the unique contri-butions made by the latter to established motifs within anentirely different context, that of the Australian bush.

From Persecuted to Triumphant: the earlyChurch and its Architecture

The evolution of Christian architecture since the incarna-tion of our Lord is a remarkable phenomenon. At a cur-sory glance, it reflects the socio-historical circumstancesof the people of God in every epoch, whilst testifying tothe benevolent presence of divine providence in theChurch’s journey in this world. This journey had humblebeginnings. After the so-called ‘parting of the ways’ be-tween the synagogue and the ecclesia in the first century,God’s people, having become a visible presence in thepredominantly pagan Roman empire, were persecuted ontrumped up charges of sedition.2 This compelled them tocongregate secretly in house churches. One such exam-ple survives today, in Dura-Europos on the right bank ofthe Euphrates in modern day Syria, and dates from theearly third century. It was this century that witnessed theprominence of Christians in every echelon of the Romanstate, and which ultimately resulted in the ‘Great Perse-cution’ of the emperor Diocletian in the early fourth cen-tury, where, according to the bishop-historian Eusebiusof Caesarea (c. 263-339), the churches “were razed to theground and the Scriptures destroyed by fire.”3 Diocletian(r. 284-305) was succeeded, however, by Constantine theGreat (r. 306-337), who through the influence of his pi-ous mother Helena (c. 250-330) granted Christians free-dom of religion4 and initiated various building projectsaround Rome on top of the graves of the martyrs and inJerusalem on the sites of Christ’s birth, crucifixion andresurrection.5 These buildings were known as martyria,circular structures which in many places, such as thechurch of the Nativity in Bethlehem, took an octagonalshape symbolising the ‘eighth day’ of God’s eschatolog-ical kingdom.6 These martyria were either deliberately oreventually annexed to larger structures, namely rectan-gular basilicas, as the need arose to accommodate themasses. Once a characteristic of Roman administrativelife, the basilicas (literally, the ‘royal houses’)7now alsoserved the purpose of the Christian liturgy; with the divi-sion between the nave and altar area, although more pro-nounced, still somehow mitigated by the orientation ofthese buildings in the common direction that the peopleof God faced (and continue to face) since the Church’sinception – the East, symbolic of the kingdom of heav-en.8 Hence, in just under three centuries the Churchemerged from the underground to occupy the publicspace in the form of magnificently adorned basilicas,with their crosses adorning many urban skylines.

The Byzantine Synthesis: Symbolism andChurch Architecture in Justinian’s reign

The next phase of architectural development, occurringbetween the reigns of Constantine and Justinian withinthe auspices of the Byzantine empire, was varied. Impe-rial support meant that church architects had the freedomto experiment with new designs. These designs were in-formed not just by utilitarian or practical purposes (al-though these did play a role), but by a particular mindset,or the spiritual culture of the day which, admittedly, con-stituted a transfiguration of certain pagan forms of archi-tectural development from a Christian perspective, espe-cially in relation to the concept of the axis mundi or cen-tre of the world. Ancient and traditional societies - di-achronically and cross-culturally - generally believed inthe co-existence of many axes mundi or centers of theworld; places where the sacred revealed itself and aroundwhich they oriented various aspects of their civilisa-tions.9 One such example could be found in pagan tem-ple-structures, and, later, Christian churches. Hence, inthe early fifth century we see churches, such as the onededicated to St John in Ephesus, built in the form of across.10 The fourth century Cappadocian father St Grego-ry of Nyssa (c. 335-395) testified to the existence of achurch in his diocese that was cruciform, with octagonalarches connecting the arms of the cross in its centre.11 Inhis Catechetical Oration, the Nyssen described the armsof the cross as reaching out to all the cardinal points ofthe universe (North, South, East and West) from a centralaxis,12 and although he did not explicitly connect this re-flection to Christian architecture, one can infer that theoctagonal-cruciform structure of the church of St Johncan be interpreted at once as both a reflection of theChurch’s spiritual culture and as a Christianisation of theaxis mundi. In other words, the octagon, at the centre ofthe cross, represents a concrete manifestation of the es-chatological state that is extended, by the cross’ armspointing to each cardinal point, to the entire cosmos;thereby making the building a ‘centre of the world.’

On a practical level, the church in Ephesus demonstratesthat the martyrium design that emerged under Constan-tine could also be localised within the church structure,and we see other examples of this throughout the fifthcentury in the Christian East. Indeed, the confluence hereof ‘eighth day’ symbolism, as well as the cross throughwhich the Lord established the life of resurrection, is in-dicative of the attempts of the Byzantines to participateimmediately in God’s kingdom (which, according to StBasil’s On the Holy Spirit, is characterised both here andin the hereafter by the “resurrectional life”).13 Even whenthe octagonal features could not be accommodated intothe design, the cruciform shape became a standard inwhat would become known as the ‘cross-in-square’ pat-tern that emerged in the same century.14 In traditional so-cieties, the square was also considered an imago mundias it extended to the four cardinal points when consid-ered from its central axis,15 meaning that the combina-tion of the cross and the square accentuated the profoundeschatological import that was reiterated in various ar-chitectural patterns throughout the empire. In fact, muchof this architectural variety could only emerge on ac-count of the beneficence of the increasingly Chris-tianised Roman empire towards the Church; an empirewhich continued to flourish in the East from the focalpoint of its capital, Constantinople, at a time when theWest was lost to the barbarians in what would becomethe Dark Ages. Perhaps it is for this reason that architec-tural developments in Western Europe (with a few majorexceptions)16 remained static (mostly on the level of thebasilica)17 in a period where the Byzantine penchant forimaginative innovation - in all areas - emerged and be-gan to take flight, reaching, as it were, the pinnacle ofchurch building achievements in the form of the domedstructure symbolising the celestial sphere of the cosmos(i.e. the stars, planets, etc).

These heights were reached during the reign of Justinian,whose architects utilised late antique architectural formsand magnified them on an enormous scale in Holy Wis-dom (Hagia Sophia),18 the cathedral church of his capital(see figure 1). Before turning to this church, it would be

prudent to comment on its smaller prototype begun byJustinian earlier in his reign, the church of Sts Sergiusand Bacchus, which is pertinently still called küçuk aya-sofya or ‘little Hagia Sophia’ in Turkish (see figure 2).

This building is one of the earliest to synthesise thedome (or, cupola), symbolic of the celestial vault, withthe above-mentioned ‘eighth day’ symbolism by sup-porting its dome on eight columns that “form an octagonplaced inside an irregular square.”19 The co-incidence ofthe celestial sphere (the dome) and the eschatologicalkingdom (the octagon) - within the terrestrial space ofthe church building (in this case the square structure) - isamplified in Holy Wisdom, which uses a range of archi-tectural features in order to support its giant dome,which, according to the historian Procopius (c. 500-565),seemed to be suspended in mid-air.20 This dome is sup-ported by four arches, themselves representing the side-real vault, that are buttressed by four pendentives thatlink them together, and by two semi-domes (or conches),each sitting below the east and west axes of the maindome, with the weight of the entire structure being sup-ported by four main piers that give the floor-plan theshape of a cross-in-square (see figure 3).21 The eschato-logical symbolism that had become characteristic ofEastern churches by this time, whilst clearly manifestedin the octagonal plan of Holy Wisdom’s baptistery (an-nexed to the exterior of the church to its south), was hereindicated by the church’s dome (see figure 4) - represen-tative of the celestial vault - which was pierced by thesun’s rays through forty windows which illuminated theentire space of the church; a space which was projectedoutwards in the form of a square that reached the fourcardinal points, and hence the entire universe, making

the church a definitive imago mundi, or image of theworld. In Holy Wisdom, heaven and earth were thereforereconciled in a sacred space that was meant to signify theChristian conception of the universe; a reconciliationthat was effected by the liturgical celebration.

Byzantine Church Architecture: Apogee andSwansong

The presence of such a building in the capital of an em-pire that, during Justinian’s reign, extended from Syria inthe East to the southernmost tip of the Iberian peninsula(Spain) in the West, meant that it would become the par-adigmatic form of Christian architecture, especially forthe Eastern Orthodox. Certainly, there were changes instyle, with multi-domed structures featuring many elabo-rations of standard designs such as the cross-in-square(and others) to incorporate side-chapels and baptisteriesbecoming commonplace, to say nothing of the intricatebrick-work that went into the ornate facades. Neverthe-less, whilst embracing creativity and variation theByzantines frequently reiterated the domed structuresthat gave such a profound witness to their worldview; aworldview that was enhanced by iconographical pro-grams that would place, for instance, Christ the Pan-tokrator at the centre of the dome, denoting thereby hismastery over the universe. This image, which was paint-ed in the dome of Hagia Sophia in 1355 and described bya contemporary, Nicephorus Gregoras, as “the enhypo-static Wisdom of God,”22 appears time and again in East-ern Orthodox churches. However, the fact that it wascovered up by calligraphy after the Ottoman conquestsignifies a dramatic turn of events for Eastern Christiansand, in turn, their churches; many of which were con-verted into mosques in those territories under Ottomanoccupation from 1453 onwards.23 Just as in ancientRome, Christians in this period were marginalised andoften persecuted by the state, and this in turn had an ef-fect on their architecture, which in many cases revertedto something resembling the early house churches inso-far as Christians were not permitted to build elaboratestructures.24 Moreover, with imperial and even publicsupport now lacking, the freedom to build churches thatreflected the mentality of God’s people was curtailed, atleast until the nineteenth century. Emerging from Ot-toman occupation in the nineteenth and early twentiethcenturies and spreading throughout the world in diaspo-ras catalysed by various events, Eastern Christians have,paradoxically, generally regained the freedom (therewere of course, exceptions)25 to express their mentalityand faith through their church buildings in our predomi-nantly secular, even atheistic world. Although perhapsnot always conscious of the reasons why certain archi-tectural features have been rehabilitated in the name of‘tradition,’ and what they symbolise, today one can findinnumerable examples of modern churches having beenbuilt using architectural motifs that are explicitly Byzan-tine. Perhaps none of these churches is more surprising,or breathtaking, than that which can be found in an iso-lated mountainous area in the Antipodes, namely, theholy monastery of the Mother of God Pantanassa.

Concluding Remarks

In this paper we traced in brief the highlights of a macro-historical evolution of Christian ecclesial architecturefrom the pre-Constantinian house churches to theChurch’s appropriation of basilicas and, later, the use ofnovel designs such as the ‘cross-in-square’ and dome in-corporating octagonal features. Whilst these architectur-al motifs are by no means exhaustive of Church archi-tecture in this period, especially as it emerged and devel-oped in the Eastern Roman Empire, nevertheless wedemonstrated that the latter became paradigmatic fromthe reign of Justinian in the sixth century onwards. It washis Hagia Sophia or Holy Wisdom, along with its fore-runner - the church dedicated to Sts Sergius and Bacchus- upon which many Orthodox churches were modelled inByzantium. With the empire’s fall to the Ottomans, ar-chitectural creativity waned until the modern period,where church buildings utilising Byzantine motifs beganto slowly reemerge. All of this material has served as abackdrop for perhaps the most striking and magnificent

example of such ‘new’ Byzantine churches, namely thekatholikon of the monastery of the holy Mother of GodPantanassa, which, as mentioned in the introduction, willbe the focus of part two of this article.

1 In Greek, Ιερά Μονή Παναγίας της Παντανάσσης.2 Especially for refusing to worship the Roman emperor as a god, whichwas tantamount to transgressing the state on account of the intimate rela-tionship between the two. Cf. Ivor J. Davidson, The Church of the Church:From Jesus to Constantine, AD 30-312, ed. John D. Woodbridge andDavid F. Wright, The Monarch History of the Church Series (GrandRapids, MI: Monarch Books), 194-195.3 History of the Church 8.2, trans. G. A. Williamson (London: PenguinBooks, 1989), 259.4 History of the Church 10.5, at 322-24.5 Cf. Mark J. Johnson, ‘Architecture of Empire,’ in The Cambridge Com-panion to the Age of Constantine, ed. Noel Lenski (New York: CambridgeUniversity Press, 2006), 285.6 The eighth day was transcendent because, according to early Christiansaints such as Basil the Great, it went beyond the recurrent cycle of sevenday week exemplified in Genesis. Cf. Mario Baghos, ‘St Basil’s Eschato-logical Vision: Aspects of the Recapitulation of History and the EighthDay,’ Phronema 25 (2010): 91.7 From the Latin ‘basilicus’ (in Greek, βασιλικός), meaning “kingly, royal,princely, spending, magnificent.” Cf. ‘basilicus’ in Charlton T. Lewis andCharles Short, A Latin Dictionary (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1988), 223.8 On the Holy Spirit 27.66, trans. Stephen Hildebrand, Popular PatristicsSeries 42 (Yonkers, NY: St Vladimir’s Seminary Press, 2011), 106.9 Cf. Mircea Eliade, The Sacred and the Profane: The Nature of Religion,trans. Willard R. Trask (Orlando: Harcourt Inc, 1987), 37-39.10 Cf. Richard Krautheimer, Early Christian and Byzantine Architecture(New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 1986), 106.11 ‘Epist. XXV to Amphilochius, bishop of Iconium,’ in The Art of theByzantine Empire 312-1453 (Toronto: The University of Toronto Press,2009), 27.12 More specifically, the Nyssen referred to St Paul’s reflections on the“depth and height and length and breadth” (Eph 3:18) of Christ’s love asdesignating “each projection of the Cross by its proper appellation.” Hethen relates this to Philippians 2:10, where he asserts that Paul’s affirma-tion “that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven,and things in earth, and things under the earth” designates the dimensionsof the cross, namely its projecting arms positioned in the middle of the cos-mos (i.e. the earth), between the heaven and the infernal realm. The GreatCatechism 32 [i.e. the Catechetical Oration] in Gregory of Nyssa: SelectedWorks and Letters, trans. William Moore and Henry Austin Wilson, TheNicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, 2nd Series, vol. 5 (Grand Rapids, Michi-gan: WM. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1979), 500.13 Aναστάσεως βίου. PG 32, 132Α.14 The plan of Church of the Prophets, Apostles and Martyrs in Gerasa(Jerash) dating from 465 constitutes another good example of the cross-in-square design. Cf. Early Christian and Byzantine Architecture, 158.15 Mircea Eliade describes the square “constructed from a central point” asan imago mundi, or image of the world, which “from a center” projects“the four horizons […] in the four cardinal directions.” The Sacred and theProfane, 45, 47.16 For example, the sixth century octagonal martyrium dedicated to St Vi-talis in Ravenna, and later in the ninth century Charlemagne’s circularcathedral (joined to a basilica-like nave) in his capital city of Aachen.17 Cf. Early Christian and Byzantine Architecture, 203.18 Early Christian and Byzantine Architecture, 203.19 Ibid, 225.20 Buildings 1.i, trans. H. B. Dewing, Loeb Classical Library Series(Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2002), 17.21 In commenting on Holy Wisdom in her monograph Heaven on Earth,Linda Safran described the church’s plan as “basically that of an earlyChristian basilica” before enumerating some of its other architectural fea-tures. The plan that she produces (Fig. 4.3), however, clearly shows thatthe church elaborates on the cross-in-square design. Heaven on Earth(Pennsylvania: The Pennsylvania State University Press, 1998), 84.22 ‘Historia XXIX, 47 f,’ in The Art of the Byzantine Empire, 249.23 A process which, in some Eastern territories such as Syria, Palestine, andEgypt, began far earlier – with, for instance, the Islamic conquests thattook place in the seventh century.24 When first built in the sixteenth century, the Patriarchal church of StGeorge, for instance, was “kept deliberately drab on the exterior, and theerection of a dome visible from outside was forbidden.” Steven Runciman,The Great Church in Captivity (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press,1997), 191.25 Such as the onset of atheist-communist rule in Russia and many coun-tries in the Balkans, which resulted in yet another persecution of Christiansby the state authorities. For instance, see Michael Bourdeaux’s monographPatriarch and Prophets: Persecution of the Russian Orthodox Church(Oxford: Mowbrays, 1975).

Note: I am grateful to the Very Reverend Abbot Eusebios Pan-tanassiotis for inviting me to write this article, and for permit-ting me to photograph the monastery of Pantanassa. I am alsoindebted to Fr Dr Doru Costache for all of his encouragementand pertinent insights.

Mario BaghosAssociate Lecturer in Patristic Studies

and Church HistorySt Andrew’s Greek Orthodox Theological College

All photos taken by Mario Baghos

Figure 1 – Holy Wisdom (Hagia Sophia), now a museum in modern day Istanbul. With the exception of the minarets, the crescent moon and some minor external accretions,

this building exemplifies the domed cross-in-square design that became paradigmatic for Orthodox churches in general.

(l) Figure 2 – The octagonal/domed church of Sts Sergius and Bacchus, now the Küçuk Ayasofya Camii of modern dayIstanbul. (r) Figure 3 – The interior of Holy Wisdom, facing the entrance from the southern gallery. Pictured are two of the four

pendentives and arches supporting the dome (not pictured), as well as the inner side of the western conch or semi-dome(supported in a similar way). The Islamic calligraphy and faceless cherubim in the pendentives are from the Ottoman period.

Figure 4 – Above the cherubim in the pendentive (from the lateByzantine period), one can see part of the underside of the

dome pierced by windows (forty in all). To the right one cansee the eastern conch.

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TO BHMA 13/31MARCH 2013

Queensland’s Bribie Island is set to host retreats andconferences from Orthodox Christian groups from all overAustralia. Youth groups, seniors groups, parish retreatscan all be accommodated in comfortable cabin accommo-dation with a state-of-the-art dining hall in natural sur-roundings. It is also available to community associationsand for family holidays. The Bribie Island Retreat andRecreation Centre under the Greek Orthodox Archdioceseof Australia is indeed available to the wider Australiancommunity to use and enjoy.

This facility started with the bequest from Tom Lemnosto establish the chapel dedicated to Panayia Theotokos. ACrown Lease of 5 hectares of land has been provided bythe Queensland Government. In 2010 the KastellorizianAssociation of Queensland donated $52,000 for the care-taker’s cabin.

To develop the project’s vision in 2012 the Federal Gov-ernment granted $1.9 million for construction only of thefirst stage. Any individual donations to the Building Fundare tax deductible.

The Building Committee is pleased to announce thatconstruction has passed the 50% milestone. This is de-spite some setbacks in supply of material due to the ef-fects of Cyclone Oswald and intermittent wet weathersince February. Installation of roof and external wall shee-ting to the 7 accommodation units is complete along withthe installation of all walkway flooring and roof.

The community hall is now taking shape. Our builderhas started wall framing with the completion of the exter-nal facade and roof of the community hall. Chairman ofthe Building Committee said that, “with user group inputwe have selected a lively colour scheme that reflects itsbeachside and island position. Construction will be com-pleted by the end of May.

The committee are now actively seeking support to fur-nish and fit out the centre with essential equipment as ourfunding only covers construction. This is your opportunityto contribute to help generations to come. The committeehas a list of requirements for the kitchen, dining and activ-ities hall, laundry, office and outdoor activities. To assistplease complete the form on this page or contact HelenPassaris on 07 3349 7647

The committee is also asking for people to provide andimplement activities, programmes and administration atthis unique facility. All enquires are welcome.

For more information, please refer to our website:www.gobribieisland.org

The Centre will be operational from 1st July2013. Bookings are now available. Contact HelenPassaris (07) 3349 7647.

The Greek Australian VEMA

Bribie Island Retreat and Recreation CentreArchitects perspective of the proposed community hall and self contained accommodation

This project is funded by the Australian Government through the Arts, Business and Community Centres for Young Australians Initiative

Island camp

Update on Bribie Island and an opportunity for you to contribute!

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TO BHMA14/32 MARCH 2013The Greek Australian VEMA

Let the Show beginEntertainment for the whole family

Plan ahead of time and make the most of the free en-tertainment and experiences on offer at the 2013 Syd-ney Royal Easter Show.

Michael Collins, the Show’s Chief Operating Officer,said there are plenty of ways for Showgoers to keepcosts low and planning ahead is the way to go to en-sure a great day at the Show with family and friends.

“The best thing to do is get online and visit My ShowPlanner, that way you can plan your day to make themost of the hundreds of free entertainment and experi-ences on offer,” said Mr Collins.

The list of free Show entertainment once inside thegates includes:

• Darcy’s Quest: the brand new night-time produc-tion featuring international acts never seen before inAustralia including the star of the show, Darcy, a chromi-um heroine standing at 11.2 metres high who duels withmonster cast iron reptiles, flying mythical daredevils andchallenges the giants of steel and lightning in her questto banish the forces of darkness and return animals tothe land.

• Sydney Royal Rodeo Series - Australia’s only inter-national rodeo featuring a true trans-Tasman battle;Australia v New Zealand.

• Taste test free food from some of Australia’s bestfood outlets in the Woolworths Fresh Food Dome andwhile you’re there check out the iconic District Exhibitdisplays - the only one of its kind in the World.

• The Woodchop is a must-see - watch the best axemen and women in a world-class competition.

• The Sunday Telegraph Animal Walk takes you past14,000 different animals: from beef and dairy cattle, tosheep, poultry, pigs, goats, alpacas, horses, dogs andbaby animals in the Animal Nursery.

• The very cute and extremely popular Racing andDiving Pigs are sure to make a splash with the wholefamily.

• Young children will be singing and dancing in theAmphitheatre when Madagascar 3, The Lorax and MoshiMonster Music take to the stage, as well as a range ofnew character shows and ‘meet and greet’ sessions toentertain and delight in Kids World.

• Psycho Sideshow is back with more surreal andsensational acts that are sure to mesmerise audiences.

Purchase your ShowLink tickets online. There areheaps of savings, including 15% off Early Bird ShowLinkFamily tickets which include public transport, availableuntil the 6 March 2013.

Life on the farm

The 2013 Sydney Royal Easter Show is the perfectplace to learn about life on the farm and say g’day to areal Aussie farmer.

Every year, each Australian farmer produces enoughfood to feed 600 people: 150 in Australia and 450 over-seas.

Royal Agricultural Society of NSW (RAS) General Man-ager of Agriculture, George Davey said that Australianfarmers from all over the country travel to the Showeach year with their animals and produce.

“The Show is home to more than 14,000 animals andover 10,000 pieces of fresh fruit and vegetables. Nomatter how young or old you are, there is something foreveryone and you don’t need to leave Sydney to see it,”said Mr Davey.

“The kids in particular will love the chance to learnwhere milk comes from, how to shear a sheep, get upclose to some of the enormous bulls and get their handsdirty when they plant a seed to take home and watch itgrow.”

With more than 14,000 animals at the Show over 14days, there are plenty of chances to meet and pat a

sheep, cow, pig, chicken or goat and many other ani-mals all around the Showground.

The Farmyard Nursery is Sydney’s largest free-rangebaby animal nursery and gives 450,000 young Showgo-ers every year the chance to play with 1,000 baby ani-mals, with feeding time always a favourite.

Around 250 sheep will be shorn over 14 days, mean-ing plenty of hard work for the real Aussie shearers, in-cluding Jim Murray, doing one of the toughest jobs of all.

“I’ve been coming to the Show and shearing sheep forthe past 12 years. We have a team of four shearers andwe’d shear 12 sheep a day at the show and about 200per day back in the bush. It’s hard work physically, butit’s a great way to travel Australia and the world,” saidMr Murray.

“The Show is an opportunity for people to experience

a day in the life of an Australian shearer and to showpeople what is involved.”

But it isn’t all about animals; the Show is home to thelargest District Exhibit display in the world, with over10,000 pieces of fresh fruit and vegetables arranged inspectacular designs, all in the Woolworths Fresh FoodDome.

While in the Dome, you can taste award-winning hon-ey, the freshest fruit salad and many other gourmet foodproducts all supplied by Australian farmers.

So make sure you say g’day and thank an Aussiefarmer for feeding you at the 2013 Sydney Royal EasterShow.

The Show runs from 21 March - 3 April, 2013. Formore information, including information on ticketing andtransport options visit: www.eastershow.com.au.

TO BHMA 15/33

Health

MARCH 2013

‘FLU VACCINE : NOW IS THE TIME

FOR YOUR ‘FLU SHOT!Each year at this time I like to remind people that the in-

fluenza vaccine, more commonly called the flu vaccine isnow available. The influenza virus is constantly changingso it is important to receive vaccination against the fluevery year in order to be protected against the most com-mon strains.

Getting an annual flu vaccination is a very important andeffective measure in preventing the illness. And the besttime to be vaccinated is in March or April to ensure max-imum protection. The protection develops two weeks af-ter getting the injection and lasts up to a year. Thereforeevery year people need to be re-vaccinated.

Influenza is a highly contagious infection of the nose,throat and lungs. Its effects are rapidly felt throughout thewhole body. Every year during the winter months, mostparts of the world experience an outbreak of influenzaknown as ‘flu.

Most young and fit people will recover fairly quicklyfrom influenza, but for others, it can be a serious life-threatening illness.

In an average year it’s estimated that 1500 Australiansdie and 20,000 to 40,000 are hospitalised as a result ofthe flu.

Influenza is caused by a virus. There are two mainviruses which cause the disease, influenza A and influen-za B. Each year, the virus changes slightly so that differentforms of one of these viruses appear every year. Thehealth authorities in this country go to great lengths to tryto anticipate the change so that a vaccine can be devel-oped.

The formulation of the influenza vaccines for use in Aus-tralia is determined each year by the Australian InfluenzaVaccine Committee based on recommendations from theWorld Health Organisation. The Australian Influenza Vac-cine Committee recommended strains for the 2013 sea-son are:

• A(H1N1): an A/California/7/2009 - like strain; • A(H3N2):an A/Victoria/321/2011 - like strain; • B/Wisconsin/1/2010 - like strain;

These are the three strains expected to circulate thisyear.

Influenza is generally spread by ‘droplet infection’. Thatmeans it is spread by the coughs and sneezes of an in-fected person which create little droplets which hang inthe air. These droplets are then inhaled by other people.The infection starts in the nose and throat of the recipientperson and may spread further down into the lungs whichcan result in bronchitis or pneumonia.

The patient with influenza will typically complain of feel-ing cold shivers or a high temperature which may comeon suddenly, aching muscles or (myalgia) and joint pains,a sore throat and a bad cough. The person feels very un-well and may be tired and lethargic for several days.

Almost anyone can get influenza, but there are a num-ber of ‘high risk’ groups who are likely to be affected.

The single most important preventative measure onecan take is to be vaccinated against the ‘flu. The vaccineis a single injection which can be given by your familydoctor.

The aim of the immunisation is to expose an individualto either a dead or inactive virus so that the body canmount an antibody response. The response is remem-bered by the immune system so that if it is exposed to areal influenza attack, the body can mount a much quickerand larger response to it.

The best time to be vaccinated is before influenza oc-curs in the community. This is usually in Autumn, but vac-cination can still take place in the first few months of Win-ter.

For the 2013 influenza season the following groups areeligible for a free influenza vaccine:

• All people aged 65 years and over• All Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged

15 years and over• All people aged 6 months and over who are at se-

vere risk of outcomes from seasonal influenza, such asthose with chronic conditions, including cardiac disease;respiratory diseases including: COPD, asthma and cysticfibrosis; diabetes and renal failure and people with neu-

rological impairment who have compromised respiratoryfunction and people with impaired immunity and childrenaged 6 months to 10 years on long term aspirin therapy.

• Pregnant womenAnnual influenza vaccination is recommended but not

provided free for, people who can transmit influenza topersons at an increased risk such as staff at nursinghomes, nurses, teachers and volunteer workers and per-sons who provide essential community. It is also recom-mended for all household contacts and other close con-tacts of children and adults with a medical condition thatputs them at increased risk of influenza complications.

The vaccine should not be given to anyone who suffersfrom severe egg or chicken feather allergies. The vaccineis a safe vaccine. It can cause redness or soreness at theinjection site, but severe side effects are extremely rare.Inactivated influenza vaccine has been available for overfifty years. Since that time, the formulation has been con-tinually improved resulting in far less adverse reactions.

In 2010 there were adverse events in children under 5years of age with the Fluvax brand. As in 2011 and 2012again in 2013 the Fluvax brand is not registered for use inchildren less than five years of age. The Australian Tech-nical Advisory Group on Immunisation has advised thatFluarix or Vaxigrip brands of influenza vaccine are suit-able for children between six months and five years ofage under the National Immunisation Program.

Now’s the time! talk to your family doctor about the fluvaccine.

Most people are aware of the benefits of having a vac-cination each year to protect themselves against influen-za.

The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisa-tion also recommends that all people over 65 years ofage should have an additional vaccine known as thePneumococcal Vaccine. This vaccine is now provided freeto all Australians over 65 years of age. This winter be ful-ly covered: add pneumococcal vaccination to your ‘flu vac-cine. Talk to your doctor about the pneumococcal vaccine.

Immunisation is there to protect you againstdisease. Now is the time to talk to your doctorabout both the pneumococcal vaccination and theseasonal influenza vaccination.

* The information given in this article is of a general nature andreaders should seek advice from their own medical practitioner be-fore embarking on any treatment.

HEALTHNEWS

The Greek Australian VEMA

More proof Mediterranean diet can ward off heart diseaseA Mediterranean diet high in olive oil, nuts, fish and

fresh fruits and vegetables may help prevent heart dis-ease and strokes, according to a large study from Spain.Past research suggested people who eat this type of di-et have healthier hearts, but those studies couldn't ruleout that other health or lifestyle differences had madethe difference.

But for the new trial, written up in the New EnglandJournal of Medicine, researchers randomly assignedstudy volunteers at risk of heart disease to a Mediter-ranean or standard low-fat diet for five years, allowingthe team to single out the effect of diet in particular.

"This is good news, because we know how to preventthe main cause of deaths - that is cardiovascular dis-eases - with a good diet,» said Miguel Angel Martinez-Gonzalez, who worked on the study at the Universidadde Navarra in Pamplona.

He and colleagues from across Spain assigned almost7,500 older adults with diabetes or other heart risks toone of three groups.

Two groups were instructed to eat a Mediterraneandiet - one supplemented with extra-virgin olive oil andthe other with nuts, both donated for the study - withhelp from personalized advice and group meetings. Thethird study group ate a «control» diet, which emphasizedlow-far dairy products, grains and fruits and vegetables.

Over the next five years, 288 study participants had aheart attack or stroke, or died of any type of cardiovas-cular disease.

People on both Mediterranean diets, though, were 28to 30 percent less likely to develop cardiovascular dis-ease than those on the general low-fat diet, the re-searchers said.

The new study is the first randomized trial of any dietpattern to show benefit among people initially withoutheart disease, said Dariush Mozaffarian, who studiesnutrition and cardiovascular disease at the HarvardSchool of Public Health.

It's the blend of Mediterranean diet components, andnot one particular ingredient, that promotes heart health,according to Martinez-Gonzalez.

"The quality of fat in the Mediterranean diet is verygood,» he told Reuters Health. «This good source of calo-ries is replacing other bad sources of calories. In addi-tion, there is a wide variety of plant foods in theMediterranean diet,» he added, including legumes andfruits as desserts.

He suggested that people seeking to improve their di-et start with small changes, such as forgoing meat oneor two days a week, cooking with olive oil and drinkingred wine with meals rather than hard alcohol.

Replacing a high-carbohydrate or high-saturated fatsnack with a handful of nuts is also a helpful change, ex-perts said.

"I think it's a combination of what's eaten and what'snot eaten,» said Mozaffarian, who wasn't involved in thestudy. «Things that are discouraged are refined breadsand sweets, sodas and red meats and processed meats.

"The combination of more of the good things and lessof the bad things is important."

Teresa Fung, a nutrition researcher at Simmons Col-lege in Boston, said that many people in the trial werealready on medications, such as statins and diabetesdrugs.

"The way I see it is, even if people are on medicationalready, diet has substantial additional benefit,» sheadded. «This is a high-risk group, but I don't think peopleshould wait until they become high-risk in order tochange."

[Reuters]

WITH DR. THEO PENKLIS *

The Greek Australian VEMATO BHMA16/34 MARCH 2013

A GREEK ORTHODOX EDUCATIONThe full-time Greek Orthodox colleges in

Australia express the desire to provide aGreek and Orthodox education within anAustralian context. It is reasonable to askwhether this program of religious educa-tion achieves its mission.

There is no definitive way of answeringthis question. A starting point is to considerthe descriptions of the schools. At least,this tells us what the schools say aboutthemselves.

As in previous articles, I have relied onthe official outline provided by each schoolat the Federal Government’s myschoolweb-site (www.myschool.edu.au).

School mission statements vary

Most schools state aims in their descrip-tions. These aims summarise the overallpurpose of the school. Three schools omit-ted to state any aims.

Typically the goals centred on academicperformances, adjustment to change, pro-viding a caring environment or cultural in-tegration. Only some schools mention thattheir objective is “to identify and teachChristian principles of living”. In all there is

far too much variation to say that ourschools have a common purpose. One hasto read between the lines to find the rea-son for their existence.

If you prefer a succinct reason for aschool, then the statement of the Head-master of Sydney Grammar School is unri-valled: “We exist in order to provide ourboys with a liberal, humane, pre-vocation-al education” (http://www. sydgram.nsw.edu.au/headmaster).

An emphasis on process and not on outcomes

The eight school statements deal mainlywith the services delivered.

One school describes the broad curricu-lum that is offered. Another outlines itsreading program. One indicates that it hasa leadership program for all students. Inall, I found only three short references tothe teaching staff, which one would havethought is a key component of any school-ing. There is mention of how the schoolwill treat students. Often this is somewhatbroad, such as: “establish each child’slearning and potential”.

The emphasis is mainly on the processand not on the outcomes of schooling. Thisis common in the statements of other topprivate and public schools that I have ex-amined.

Only two schools referred to specific de-tails, such as NAPLAN results or that “90%of Year 12 progressed to higher educa-tion”.

Our competitive advantage is not stressed

Greek Orthodox Colleges are a naturalextension of the internal educational mis-sion of the Orthodox Church in Australia.Taken as a whole, the way our schoolspresented themselves could better empha-sise this rationale.

They could accentuate the potential,competitive advantages of a Greek Ortho-dox school. These are: (a) an educationconsistent with the original Christian faithas well as (b) an immersion in Greek cul-ture.

I do not know anything about St John’sCollege but to its credit (see also St An-drew’s Grammar), the first part of the offi-cial description of this school embodiesthese ideas up-front:

Whether such statements are motivatingfor parents is ultimately a matter for themto decide.

One thing is certain - most parentswould have trouble reading the missionstatements. For instance, a formal assess-ment of the reading grade of all the de-scriptions shows that they are well beyondsenior high school level (by comparisonthis article is around Year 9 level). TheFlesch reading ease index shows that theyare best understood by university gradu-ates. I would not think that they communi-cate appropriately to the intended audi-ence. Other schools are not necessarilybetter.

In general, the reason why our schoolswere established was to assist students toachieve a firm commitment in their faithwith all its positive consequences. Thisoriginal purpose remains unchanged. For-tunately it remains highlighted in the schoolemblems.

The single word that is the focus for ourschools is “Orthodox” but it is saddeningthat this word is now removed from thenames of some colleges. Moreover, whyshould a reader have to wait until the lastsentence of an official description to seethe word “Orthodox”? In one instance therewas no reference at all to Orthodoxy!

Hopefully there is a lesson in this briefreview for the ways in which Greek Ortho-dox schools present themselves officially.My aim has been to focus our attention ondifferent features of this valuable endeav-our.

Dr James AthanasouUniversity of Technology, Sydney

athanasou@gmail.com

This report should be read in conjunctionwith the earlier reports in the November, De-cember and January editions of the VEMA. Theviews expressed are those of the author.

St Johns Greek Orthodox College of-fers a seamless P to 12 teaching andlearning program. We value and deliv-er the teaching of Greek language andculture. Within our Pastoral Care sys-tem, we teach Christian Orthodox Reli-gious Education. Our mission is to pro-vide high quality education and carefor our students in the Orthodox Chris-tian ethos and Greek tradition, in part-nership with families. Through learningfrom best practice, we provide expe-riences, knowledge, skills and valuesto prepare students for higher educa-tion, training, employment and life in achanging world. We aspire to be theschool of choice for all families. Weaim to achieve excellent student re-sults and high levels of student, staffand parent satisfaction.

The Greek Australian

VEMAThe oldest circulating Greek newspaper outside Greece

Tel: 02 9559 7022 Fax: 02 9559 7033email: vema@bigpond.net.au

Australian tourists spend the mosttime and money than any other holiday-makers who choose to visit Greece.

According to The Age newspaper, onaverage, an Australian tourist in Greecespends €1,420 ($1,820) each per tripand stays about 12 days longer thanmost other nationalities. Next biggestspenders are Canadians (€1,207), Amer-icans (€1,098) and Russians (€1,005), ac-cording to data from the Association ofGreek Tourism Enterprises.

The relevant article goes under the ti-tle Greece is the world for Australians,and highlights the fact that every year100,000 Australians travel to Greece,visiting friends and relatives. In fact, themajority of them are Greek immigrantstravelling on Australian passport.

Christina Kalogera, the director of theGreek National Tourism Organisation inAustralia stressed: ”It’s a good time totravel there because the exchange rateis favourable and prices for accommo-

dation, flights and tours are very com-petitive.”

She also stated: ”There is nothing fortourists to fear. There is very good infra-structure in Athens. There is a good sub-way and it is easy to move around. It ismore than safe.”

According to chief executive, SteveReynolds, of one of the major suppliersof holidays to Greece from Australia,Cox & Kings, there was a marked de-cline in interest in Greece during thepast summer due to negative mediaabout civil unrest.

”I visited twice and in my experience itwas absolutely fine to go. The unrestwas grossly overstated. This year weare experiencing good levels of in-quiries and bookings. I think there ispent-up demand,” he said.

Reynolds said that Santorini and My-konos are among the most popular pla-ces to see, but that interest in all ofGreece has increased.

AAuussttrraall iiaann ttoouurriissttss lloovvee GGrreeeeccee

The Greek Australian VEMA TO BHMA 17/35MARCH 2013

St. John of DamascusSt. John of Damascus (c.675 - c.750) is

regarded as one of the greatest Christiantheologians. He rose to prominence andpopularity through his defence of the ven-eration of icons during the iconoclast con-troversy, and also through his wide-rang-ing work, The Fount of Knowledge, whichbecame an influential summary of theologyin both the Greek East and the Latin West.But he was also a preacher of renown inhis day, and the Byzantine chronicler Theo-phanes the Confessor regularly calls John‘chrysorrhoas’ (literally, ‘flowing with gold’)“because of the golden gleam of spiritualgrace that bloomed both in his discourseand in his life.”

Although John identified with the cultureof the Byzantine empire, he in fact neverset foot there, but lived the whole of hislife within the rapidly expanding Arab em-pire, first in Damascus and then in Pales-tine.

John was born in Damascus, the capitalof Syria and one of the oldest cities of theMiddle East - indeed, it is considered to beamong the oldest continually inhabitedcities in the world. Like the rest of Syria,the city was Christianized by the 4th centu-ry. But in 635 Damascus was taken byArab armies, and it has remained to thisday a predominantly Muslim city.

John came from an influential Christianfamily, one that played a leading role in thefinancial administration of Damascus.John’s grandfather was a high-level ad-ministrator, who witnessed the city fall tothe Persians and then to the Arabs, butwho retained his position through all thistumult. John’s father held a similar position,becoming the chief financial officer forCaliph Abd al-Malik, leader of the Umay-yad Arab dynasty centred in Damascus.

After receiving an excellent classical ed-ucation, John followed in the footsteps ofhis father and grandfather, serving in theMuslim administration as the caliph’s ‘firstcounsellor’ (protosymboulos), or vizier. At

the same time, he remained a Christianand employed Greek for writing, though hewould have been fluent in Arabic as well.

But around 706 he renounced his careerin the civil service, gave away his wealthand set off for Jerusalem to take up themonastic life. He settled at the Great Lavraof St Sabas, a renowned monastic settle-ment southeast of Jerusalem, and there hewas ordained a priest and passed his re-maining years studying, writing, teachingand preaching.

Although Jerusalem, like Damascus, wasat this time under Arab rule, events in theByzantine Empire would have a profoundeffect on John - and particularly the rise oficonoclasm (literally, the ‘destruction of im-ages’). This was a religious movement ofthe 8th and 9th centuries that denied theholiness of icons and rejected icon vener-ation. Fierce persecutions were carried outagainst the ‘iconophiles’ (or supporters oficons): patriarchs were beaten or blinded;monks were tortured or executed; andmonasteries and churches with suspectpictures were ransacked.

The iconoclast controversy was trigge-red in 726, when Emperor Leo III openlycondemned icons and even ordered thatan icon of Christ above the ‘Chalke gate’(the bronze gate at the entrance to thepalace) be removed - this caused a riot,and many protesters were severely pun-ished. In 730 Leo went further still, issuingan edict which commanded the removaland destruction of icons in churches. Icon-oclasm was now the official policy of theempire.

John, however, opposed iconoclasm, andhe could do so without fear of punishmentbecause he lived outside the Byzantine Em-pire. His three Discourses Against the Icon-oclasts remain an influential expression ofthe church’s theology of icons. In this workJohn draws a distinction between λατρεία(absolute worship, reserved for God alone)and προσκύνησις (prostration, veneration).

John points out that icons are venerated,not worshipped, and that the venerationshown to icons is directed not to wood andpaint, but towards the person depicted.John therefore likes to quote St Basil, whostated: “The honour given to the imagepasses to the prototype.” In this way, Johnshowed that icon veneration is not tanta-mount to idolatry.

In affirming material images, John alsowished to emphasize that matter is funda-mentally good and that it has become,through Christ, a vehicle of salvation. Johnexclaims: “Never will I cease honouring thematter which wrought my salvation!” (1.16)He goes on to say that, “God has deifiedour flesh forever, and has sanctified us bysurrendering His Godhead to our fleshwithout confusion.” (1.21) This implies thatall forms of material substance are now aworthy means of expressing and pro-claiming sacred realities. The incarnationtherefore legitimates, if not necessitates,art. As one scholar (Kenneth Parry) put it,“Without this theological rationale, Byzan-tine culture would have been the poorer.”

But none of this deterred Emperor Con-stantine V, the son and successor of Leo III.Like his father, Constantine was a zealoussupporter of iconoclasm, and in 754 hesummoned the Council of Hieria whichcondemned icon veneration and anathe-matised John Damascene. Nevertheless,John was to be vindicated posthumously,first in the 7th Ecumenical Council (held inNicaea, 787), and then in the Council of843, still celebrated today as the ‘Triumphof Orthodoxy’, which restored icon venera-tion for good.

Apart from his Discourses Against theIconoclasts, John’s most important work isThe Fount of Knowledge, which had greatinfluence on both Eastern and Western the-ologians. It is divided into three parts, thefirst of which is the most philosophical andis known by its Latin title, the Dialectica.This is a kind of philosophical dictionary,where important terms in logic and meta-physics are defined and explained, withthe aim of helping theologians to thinkclearly and to state their arguments in apersuasive way. John draws heavily uponthe Greek philosophical tradition, and es-pecially on Porphyry’s Isagoge or ‘Intro-duction’ to Aristotle’s logical works.

As this indicates, John was not afraid tomake use of philosophy, and in his Prefaceto the Dialectica he writes: “I shall set forthwhat is most excellent among the wisemen of the Greeks, knowing that anythingthat is true has been given to human be-ings from God, since ‘every good endow-ment and every perfect gift is from above,coming down from the Father of lights’[quoting James 1:17].”

However, unlike the Greek philosophicaltradition, John attached special importanceto the concept of hypostasis. In the Dialec-tica he notes that this notion is used in twosenses: to refer to being, substance (ou-sia); or to refer to an individual, the distinctprosopon. It is hypostasis in the lattersense that was viewed by John, and theGreek patristic tradition in general, as pro-viding the key to the fundamental nature ofreality: being is hypostatic, to be is to be inpersonal relation with others. This idea hasmore recently been expressed in terms ofBeing as Communion, to borrow the title ofa much discussed theological work by

Metropolitan John Zizioulas.In Part 2 of The Fount of Knowledge, John

turns to the subject of heresy, providing ahistorical overview of a number of here-sies. In the final chapter of this work, Johnfocuses on Islam, offering criticisms ofMuhammad’s teaching and addressingMuslim objections to Christianity. John alsodisplays here his knowledge of the Qur’an,which he would have read in the Arabicoriginal (since the earliest Greek transla-tions post-date him). Interestingly, thischapter is the earliest explicit discussion ofIslam we have by a Christian theologian.

In the third and final part of the work,known under its Latin title of De fide ortho-doxa (“On the Orthodox Faith”), John pro-vides a summary of Christian doctrine, in-cluding the nature and existence of God(chs 1-14); the nature of the created order,comprising the visible creation (the physi-cal world) and the invisible creation (angelsand demons), with the human being as thebond between the two (chs 15-44); and theIncarnation (chs 45-81), ending with a dis-cussion of a variety of miscellaneous top-ics (chs 82-100).

Following patristic tradition, John empha-sizes in the De fide orthodoxa the ‘infinity’of God. In ch. 4, for example, he writes:“The Divinity is both infinite and incompre-hensible, and this alone is comprehensibleabout Him - His very infinity and incompre-hensibility.”

Similarly, in one of his many professionsof faith, John states: “I believe in the Father,Son and Holy Spirit, who are one God, oneprinciple of all, one super-divine divinity,one super-entitative entity (μία υπεροού-σιος ουσία), one super-good goodness, anocean of infinite and boundless being (πέ-λαγος ουσίας απείρου και απεριορί-στου).” (De Recta Sententia Liber 1) This isreminiscent of a wonderful passage inGregory of Nyssa’s Contra Eunomium(book 1), where Gregory states: “Havingtraversed the ages and all that has beenproduced therein, our thought catches aglimpse of the divine nature, as of someimmense ocean...”

Dr N.N. Trakakis(Graduate of St Andrew’s

Greek Orthodox Theological College, and Senior Lecturer in Philosophy

at the Australian Catholic University)

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TO BHMA18/36 MARCH 2013

Arts, Food & WineA Fashion Revolution

Editor: Imogen Coward

By Dr Ann Coward

What is happening in the world of fashion? Or, moreprecisely, the clothing industry? Certainly, there arechanges taking place (yes, I was inclined to write ‘afoot’,but thought better of it!). We live in interesting times and itis anyone’s guess as to how the various trends will panout in the future.

Caste your thoughts back to the 1960s and 1970s (forthose who are old enough), and the alternative lifestylesought by many. Contrary to what some academic textsmay like to tell us today, drugs were not widespread, andthe hippie movement was definitely not approved of. Yetthere were influences that seeped into the general popu-lace, and one of these was a desire - amongst sections ofthe staid middle class - to get back to a more sustainableway of life. Sustainability may be touted as a new catch-word, but the concept certainly isn’t.

Essentially, what people were after was more directcontrol over their lives. There was not the well-oiled lan-

guage used by marketers to describe what they were try-ing to do, but even though they may not have signaledtheir intentions as being, for example, to minimize theircarbon footprint, they were definitely wanting to care forthe earth and all it offers. It was still considered a little bit‘whacky’ to take up weaving, dyeing, batik, pottery, wood-work, silversmithing, breadmaking, and the like, and to vis-it naturopaths and herbalists, but it still signalled a trend; adesire for a more direct involvement in taking responsibil-ity for one’s lifestyle. What happened? Well, to a degree,what usually seems to happens to trends. Some aspectsceased to be ‘alternative’ and entered the mainstream,while other aspects were taken up, in a somewhat dis-torted way, by those who could smell a profit waiting tobe made. People who didn’t have the time, for example, tomake a patchwork quilt, could buy cheap handmade quiltswhich, unknown to the end consumer, was made in a Chi-nese gaol. Still, people got their quilts.

Now, there’s no profit in hand-made goods, or short-runs manufacture in a developed country. Today, wewring our hands and wail about the lack of small businessenterprise and manufacturing in Australia, but it neverwould have existed in the first place had we not had tar-iffs. Remove the tariffs, and - of course - we can’t com-pete. However, while cheap clothing may be regarded asa boon for cash-strapped parents with a family to clothe,there is a growing trend amongst sections of the popula-tions in developed nations, especially amongst young peo-ple (the inheritors of the 1960s and 1970s crafty people),to view the situation a little differently.

Their concerns are not about costs, as they have not ex-perienced want. Nor do they appear to be concernedabout rampant consumerism, as they have grown up withit and regard excess as normal. Yet there are two dis-cernible movements afoot (well, I had to use it there, did-n’t I?). The first, and the one that attracts the most atten-tion in the media and has the most impact globally, interms of people, jobs and money, is sometimes referredto as Naked Fashion. Current texts, including “Basic Fash-ion Design 01: Research and Design” and “The Fabric Se-lector” contain sections on the responsibility of creatingsustainable fashion (to be mindful of how fabrics are cre-ated, how clothes are manufactured, discarded, reused)which would have been unthinkable in earlier times. No, Ishould qualify that statement. It should read... in earlierpeace times. Certainly, when Dior introduced his NewLook straight after the end of World War II, there was amassive reaction against it, to the point of legislation be-ing passed, as it wasted fabric.

In the book, “Naked Fashion: the New Sustainable Fash-ion Revolution,” the author details what being responsibleas a clothing designer, manufacturer, and consumer actu-ally implies. To begin with, the author asks why clothing isso cheap. To boycott a store’s collection, as some irre-sponsible knee-jerk news reports suggested when it wasfound how much one of our biggest supermarket chains -indirectly, to be fair - was paying textile workers inBangladesh, would spell disaster for thousands of people(not only the workers, but their whole families). Instead,the push for fair trade, and possibly more importantly,making fair trade fashionable amongst consumers, iswhat’s recommended.

A brief study of history of anything tells us that one erais not possible without the era before it. The craft move-ment of the 1960s and 1970s, while important in localizedareas, was not meant to change the world. And it didn’t.Today’s changemakers (a term used in “Naked Fashion”)think on a much bigger scale, being children of the inter-net, mobile phones, digital photography, and so on. Whatthey understand, is that it is not enough to find out aboutthe appalling conditions people live and work under, orthe devastating effect on the environment from chemicaldyes dumped on their countries, their waterways. Thepower to bring about change is through the end con-sumer.

Lets face it. The hand-spun, vegetable dyed, handwovenponchos of the 1970s had no chance of setting the fash-ion world alight, even if their makers wanted them to(which they didn’t). The current generation of changemak-ers, and changeseekers, however, want it all. And they areusing their knowledge of how the fashion world and its al-lied media works, in their attempts to get it all. Valentinomight have Anne Hathaway (of Les Miserables) to promotehis couture, but fair trade has Emma Watson (Hermione ofthe Harry Potter films) to draw attention to fashionableethical youthful clothing.

References:Minney, Safia. Naked Fashion: the New Sustainable Fashion

Revolution. Oxford: New Internationalist and People Tree, 2011Seivewright, Simon. Basic Fashion Design 01: Research and

Design. 2nd edn. Lausanne: AVA Publishing, 2012Willard, Dana. The Fabric Selector: the Essential Guide to Work-

ing with Fabrics, Trimmings and Notions. Sydney: Murdoch Books, 2012

Écoutez!Arts Review

The Story of Musicby Howard Goodall

(Chatto & Windus, 2013)

From one of our greatest present-day composersand music educators comes a book on music historyunlike any others. Howard Goodall, whose vast bodyof compositions includes stage musicals, film and TVscores (such as Blackadder), crosses genres and so-cio-cultural boundaries to trace what he identifies assome of the major changes in the development of mu-sic, focusing mainly on Western music. Refreshingly,he largely sets aside the boundaries that have tradi-tionally limited music histories, such as divisions be-tween ‘classical’, ‘popular’, ‘ethnic’, ‘sacred’ and ‘artmusic’. Thorny issues, such as the right to borrowfrom another culture’s music, and the presence of out-side influences ranging from natural disasters and therise and fall of patronage to the impact of new tech-nologies, make for fascinating insights into whatshapes our musical world. Filled with clear, com-pelling, oftentimes humorous, but above all thoroughlyreadable and unpretentious insights from a master inthe field, this is an excellent book for anyone interest-ed in knowing more about music and music history.

IC

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The Greek Australian VEMA

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TO BHMA 19/37MARCH 2013

Catechetical homily on the occasion of the beginning of the Great Lent

The Greek Australian VEMA

Greek exports' growth rate to be highest in Eurozone in 2014Greece and other regional Eurozone

states will enjoy the highest export growthrates in 2014 as the region will return toeconomic growth rates after several yearsof recession, according to a recent reportby Ernst & Young.

The Eurozone Forecast Spring 2013 re-port said that exports are expected togrow by 9.3 pct in Greece, 4.4 pct in Ire-land and 4.1 pct in Spain in 2014 and not-ed that these three countries haveachieved the biggest improvement in laborcost per product unit and of their competi-tiveness in general since 2008.

The report, however, noted that unem-ployment would remain at very high levelsin Greece and Spain, surpassing 26.5 pctthis year, while in the Eurozone, the unem-ployment rate will reach a record high lev-el of 12.4 pct.

Ernst & Young said it expected the Euro-zone economy to recover this year, as arisk of a break-up continued evaporating.However, despite signs of improvement inbusiness confidence since the start of theyear, several fundamental data in the Euro-zone remained weak and unpredictable,the report noted.

It stressed that the release of morefunds and a loosening of targets were con-vincing enough to avert the risk of a Greek

exit from the euro this year, boosting opti-mism over the country’s future within theEurozone.

Ernst & Young said that Greece still facedan austere fiscal policy in the next fouryears, raising implementation risks be-cause of the social cost of the programme.

The report expects the country’s GDP toshrink by more than 5.0 pct this year andsaid Greece needed a further cut of itsdebt to the official sector to become sus-tainable in the long-term.

TO BHMA20/38 MARCH 2013The Greek Australian VEMA

By H. Dixon - Kathimerini, Athens

Cyprus’ deposit grab sets a bad precedent. Money hadto be found to prevent its financial system collapsing. Butimposing a 6.75 percent tax on insured deposits - or eventhe 3 percent being discussed - is a type of legalised bankrobbery. Cyprus should instead impose a bigger tax onuninsured deposits and not touch small savers.

Confiscating savers’ money will knock confidence in thebanks. Trust in the government will also take a hit, sinceNicosia had theoretically guaranteed all deposits up to100,000 euros. Small savers should be encouraged notpenalised.

They are the quiet heroes of the financial system, whosquirrel away their savings, not those who drag it downby engaging in borrowing binges.

Nicosia has not technically broken its promise to guar-antee small deposits. That’s because it is not the bankswhich are failing to repay savers - something whichwould have triggered the insurance scheme. Instead, it isthe government itself which is grabbing a slice of de-posits.

The pill is also being sugared by giving savers shares inthe banks and some of the hoped-for revenues from apossible natural gas bonanza as compensation. That said,the mechanism is still an effective breach of promise.

There’s no denying that Cyprus needed a solution. Thesmall Mediterranean island was on the brink. Its bankingsystem - which had grown to eight times GDP on the backof inflows of Russian money and aggressive expansion inGreece - was technically bust. Its exposure to the Greekeconomy, Greek government debt and Cyprus’ own burstproperty bubble had seen to that.

Nicosia’s euro zone partners made clear there was notime to waste.

In total, Cyprus requires 17 billion euros - almost 100percent of GDP - to rescue its banks and deal with thegovernment’s own bills.

If Nicosia had borrowed all that cash on top of its exist-ing debt, it would have been carrying an unsustainableburden. It would have only been a matter of time beforethe debt needed restructuring.

Cyprus’ euro zone partners and the International Mone-tary Fund rightly decided not to lend it so much money,limiting the bailout to 10 billion euros. This means Nicosiashould end up with debt equal to a manageable 100 per-cent of GDP in 2020.

The problem was where to find the extra 7 billion euros.Given that Germany and other northern European coun-tries weren’t prepared to give a handout, there were twooptions: haircut the government’s own bondholders or hitbank creditors.

The option of haircutting government debt - as Greecedid last year - was rejected. Many bonds are held byCypriot banks, so a haircut would just have increased thesize of the hole in their balance sheets, meaning theywould have needed an even bigger bailout. The Cypriotgovernment’s credit would have been destroyed for littlebenefit.

So, by default, the banks’ creditors had to be tapped.Ideally, bank bondholders would have taken the strain. ButCypriot banks have hardly any bonds. So there wasn’tmuch money that could be grabbed there.

This, incidentally, rams home the importance of requir-ing all banks to have fat capital cushions - consisting ei-ther of equity or bonds that can be bailed in during a cri-sis.

The sooner international regulators come up with a min-imum standard for so-called “bail-in” debt, the better.Giv-en that Cypriot banks didn’t have such a cushion, the re-maining option was to hit depositors - for 5.8 billion euros.

There was even some rough justice in the policy. Afterall, up to half of the country’s 68 billion euros of depositsis held by Russians and Ukrainians - and some of thismoney is thought to be black money laundered throughCyprus.What’s more, the country’s banks have been pay-ing high interest rates in recent months - in some casesup to 7 percent on euro deposits. That is clearly dangermoney. Depositors should have known there were risksattached to such high rewards.

If the deposit tax was confined to uninsured deposits,which are facing a 9.9 percent levy, such argumentswould have merit. But the original plan was also to hit in-sured savers with a 6.75 percent tax. It would be better toget the money entirely from the 38 billion euros of unin-sured depositors.

Following an uproar, the Cypriot government was re-thinking its plans which risked being voted down in parlia-ment.

The latest idea doing the rounds is that insured saverswill be hit with a 3 percent levy and those with more than100,000 euros being charged somewhere between 10-15percent. This is clearly an improvement on the originalproposal. But why not exempt insured depositors entirely?The tax on the uninsured would then have to be 15 per-cent.

The Cypriot government didn’t want to do this, becausethe uninsured deposits are disproportionately foreign and

it is worried that such a high tax would undermine its sta-tus as an offshore financial centre. Even if there is do-mestic political logic in cushioning Russian mafia at the ex-pense of Cypriot widows, such a policy is bad for the restof the euro zone.

Provided the Cypriot parliament approves some planand the banks open tomorrow, there probably won’t beany immediate contagion from Cyprus to other crisiscountries.

After all, banking systems in Greece, Spain, Portugal andIreland have recently been recapitalised. Meanwhile, thecombination of Cyprus’ relatively huge banking sector andthe fact that it is perhaps small enough to experiment withmake it a special case.

But unless Cyprus’ insured deposits are totally exempt-ed from this raid, citizens in the rest of the euro zone nowknow that, if push comes to shove, their savings could begrabbed too.

Cyprus deposit grab sets bad precedent