The presence of the Greek Orthodox Church in Australia before the establishment of the Holy Metropolis of Australia in 1924: The Case of Darwin

This study explores the period before the founding of the Holy Metropolis of Australia in March 1924. Until the late nineteenth century visiting Orthodox priests and monks performed holy sacraments and church services. During that time, Greek community leaders corresponded with the Church of Greece, requesting resident priests to serve the religious needs of the Greek faithful in Australia. This was also the period when the first priests appeared in Australia without Ecclesiastical authority. Then in 1898, the first two resident priests were appointed to Australia by the Patriarchate of Jerusalem. From 1908 until 1922, the Church of Greece had the Ecclesiastical authority to appoint priests to Australia. This authority was finally claimed in an Ecumenical Patriarchal Synodical Act of Patriarch Meletios Metaxakis (1921-1923). By this Act, on the 7th of March 1924 the Metropolitan of Australia was founded under the name “Orthodox Metropolitan of Australia.” Earlier, in 1917, Reverend Father Chrysanthos Konstantinidis arrived in Darwin from Western Australia and remained in the Northern Territory until 1937. Our study highlights the previously unknown religious jurisdiction and authority of Father Chrysanthos.