Eparchy of Australia

OUR CHURCH IN AUSTRALIA

History:

1851- Gold was discovered near Sydney, and shortly afterwards in Victoria. Some seem to have been Melkites, although it is hard to know the exact numbers.

1891- Archimandrite Silwanos Mansour was sent from Jerusalem to Sydney to act as the first priest for the Melkite Catholic community. 

1894- Permission was given to build the first Melkite church on an unnumbered property

1895- Melkite community built its first church (St Michaels) in Sydney in the inner city suburb of Waterloo.  

1920s-Increasingly prosperous Melkite community began to move out of the inner city into Sydney’s prestigious northern and eastern suburbs

1930s –Depression period caused even greater numbers to move out in search of work, and soon all that was left of a thriving community was the church and some shops.  Urban redevelopment followed, and today only the façade of the church remains (protected by heritage-listing) standing in front of a building which now serves as a housing commission apartment block.

1970- The first St Michael’s church ceased serving as a Melkite Church

1977-The new church of St Michael was inaugurated. 

1981- The new St Michael’s church was consecrated as a cathedral. .  His beatitude, Patriarch Maximos V Hakim traveled to Australia in order to consecrate the cathedral, becoming the first Melkite Patriarch to visit this important Diaspora community

1987- His Holiness Pope John Paul II established the eparchy, or bishopric, of Australia and New Zealand.  The first Melkite Bishop, His Grace, George Riashi, was appointed.

1997-The second Melkite bishop, His Grace, Isaam Darwish was appointed. And currently resides in Greenacre. From this time onwards the administrative centre of the Melkite Church has been in Greenacre (which, after all is closer to where most Melkites now live), yet St Michael’s remains the cathedral and the spiritual heart of the Australian and New Zealand Melkite communities.

Priests of the Australian Melkite Church

(1891-1929) -The Very Reverend Archimandrite Silwanos Mansour (BCO)

* Fr. Mansour was born in Ras-Baalbek in Lebanon in 1853.

* Educated at the local school and at the age of 20 joined the monastery of St John the Baptist in Khonshara.

* He was sent to Sydney in 1891 as a result of requests sent from the Australian Melkite community. 

* He approached Cardinal Patrick Francis Moran and received permission to raise funds to build a church. 

* He traveled through NSW, Queensland and Victoria appealing for financial assistance from the widely dispersed Melkite community and any others who were willing to help.

* The building began in 1893 and was completed with the consecration of the church in 1895 by Cardinal Moran. Fr. Mansour appointed the Very Reverend Archimandrite Archipos Zarzour (for a period of four years) and Father Nicholas Modawar (who returned to a more senior position in the Middle East in 1925) in order to assist him in the parish.

 (1908-1936)- The Very Reverend Archimandrite Sophronos Khoury (BCO)

* Fr. Khoury was born in Beirut in 1872.

* He arrived in Sydney in 1908 and worked under Father Nicholas Madawar at St Michael’s.

* He moved from Sydney to Brisbane in 1925.

* At first he served the Brisbane Melkite community through St Mary’s church in south Brisbane.

* In early 1929 the building of St Clement’s church was begun with the laying of the foundation stone by Archbishop Clement Malouf (who was at the time in Australia for the Eucharistic Congress).

* In 1936 the building was completed with its consecration by Archbishop James Duhig.  Fr. Khoury remained in Brisbane to minister to the local Melkite community.

(1925-1933)- The Very Reverend Archimandrite Nicholas Caba (BCO)

* Fr. Caba was born in Homs, Syria in 1890 and was educated in the local Jesuit school.

* He joined the monastery of St John the Baptist in 1905 at the age of 15 and studied literature, philosophy and theology.  He served in various roles in the Melkite Church in Lebanon; in particular he was a teacher and then rector at the Oriental College in Zahle.

* He was sent to Sydney to assist Fr. Mansour in 1925, soon becoming the pastor and serving in that role until his death at the young age of 43.

(1934-1967)- The Very Reverend Malatios Chahoud (BCO)

(1951-1952)- Father Alexios Malouf (BCO)

(1959-1960)- Reverend Father Joseph Hallit (BCO)

(1964-1996)-The Right Reverend Archimandrite Aftimos Haddad (BCO)

(1972-1999)- The Very Reverend Archimandrite Joseph Awaad

Parishes and Priests

For more information go to www.melkite.org.au

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For any information updates or amendments, please send an E-mail to GMA: gma@melkites.org,