The Hellenic Community of Western Australia (HCWA) will celebrate the centenary of its foundation this year, a major milestone for the organisation which has provided so much for the state's Greeks.
For many Greek Australians the Greek Orthodox church of The Holy Annunciation of Our Lady – commonly known as “Evangelismos” is an iconic symbol of our Greek community in Melbourne. Occupying a small parcel of land on the corner of Lansdowne Street and Victoria Parade, East Melbourne, it was described by Alexander Vangeli Maniachi, the first President of the Greek Community of Melbourne, as the “Free corner of Hellenism” (Ελεύθερη γωνία του Ελληνισμού).
Thousands of residents of Melbourne, irrespective of their race or religious affiliation, know it [Evangelismos] as the “Greek church on the corner…”
A robust red brick construction, with an almost medieval architectural flare, that dominates a busy corner of the Melbourne city fringe. Its footprint seems insignificant in comparison to churches of other denominations that dominated the Melbourne skyline at the commencement of the 20th century. Despite its so-called lack of aesthetic beauty,
Historical accounts and descriptions of early Greek-Australian events and ceremonies are by all indications a rarity. In contrast to today’s consumer society, the advancement of technology has made it easier to capture and showcase the memories of an event or a ceremony.
In many instances, when articulating our Australian Greek history, it seems fashionable to use anecdotal evidence as a means of information.
It is a relatively rare occurrence to discover a text or a testimonial that records with accuracy a Greek Orthodox sacrament that took place in Australia for the first time. In this instance we are referring to the first officially acknowledged Greek Orthodox wedding in Australia that was solemnized at St John’s Greek Orthodox Church Melbourne, on November 20 1898 by Fr Athanasios Kantopoulos soon after his arrival to Australia from Jerusalem.