“We came out of need, and out of faith.” With these words, His Eminence Bishop Irineos of Florina, Prespa and Eordaia set the tone for a rare and deeply symbolic visit to Australia, undertaken alongside Florina Mayor Vasilis Giannakis.
The visit brought Florina’s spiritual and civic leadership to Melbourne to appeal directly to the Greek diaspora for support, unity and engagement in preserving the religious and cultural heritage of northern Greece.
Travelling halfway across the world, the delegation reached out to Florinians living abroad, beginning their Melbourne visit at Agios Panteleimonas Church in Dandenong on Saturday, 24 January. A Vespers service was followed by a fundraising event, emceed by Kostas Alaveras, drawing together clergy, community leaders and parishioners.
Despite the summer heat, faithful members of the community chose church over beach — a quiet but powerful gesture of solidarity.
The message from Florina’s leaders was unmistakable: Florina needs its people.
An estimated 20,000 Florinians reside in Victoria alone — a number comparable to the population of Florina itself — with thousands more living in Sydney and Adelaide, both of which the delegation is also visiting.
A church closed, a city mourns
At the centre of the appeal stands the Church of Agia Paraskevi, which has remained closed since suffering severe structural damage during the earthquake of 9 January 2022.
Located on the northeastern edge of Florina, Agia Paraskevi is far more than a place of worship. Home to the revered icon of Panagia Pelagonitissa — a replica of the original housed at Sinai — the church has long served as the spiritual and social heart of the city.
Built by refugees from the Monastiria region (modern-day Skopje), the church was deliberately constructed on a grand scale.
“They built this church huge,” Bishop Irineos explained, “so that it could be seen by those who stayed behind in Skopje.”
That symbolism, he stressed, remains unresolved.
“We cannot call it something else. If they want to be Macedonia, it means there can be no borders — because Macedonia is one and will always be Greek.”
Damage to the church’s central columns and bell towers ultimately forced its closure, leaving Florinians without what many consider the city’s beating heart.
“It is our home,” the Bishop said. “A place of baptism, marriage, farewell, hope, consolation and strength.”
“The earthquake did not only touch buildings,” he added. “It touched our souls.”
The costly path to reopening
After more than 18 months of studies and approvals, supported by the Municipality of Florina, a restoration licence was finally granted in July 2025. Engineers estimate that €1.2 million is required to reopen the church safely.
To date, approximately one-third of the total cost has been secured, including €200,000 in government earthquake compensation, proportionately allocated among other damaged properties.
A video presentation shown on the night traced the church’s journey — from a modest refugee chapel built in 1934, to the majestic structure completed in 1974, and finally to its closure following the earthquake. Restoration works officially commenced in June 2025.
“I came to Florina and found this church shut,” Bishop Irineos said, “but all hearts and mouths open, calling for us to do everything possible to open it again.”
“With God’s help,” he added, “even in four years, we will see this church open again.”
“I build a church, I touch the sky”
The Bishop emphasised that the visit to Melbourne was intentional, drawing upon the diaspora’s long-standing tradition of building churches in xenitia — lands marked by distance, sacrifice and longing.
“We are not parochial,” he said, noting that the campaign’s informal slogan for overseas support is: “I build a church, I touch the sky” (Χτίζω ναό, αγγίζω ουρανό).
“A church is not built only with money,” Bishop Irineos said. “It is built with prayer. And that is what we ask of you first — your blessings.”
Mayor Giannakis praised the Australian Greek community for safeguarding Hellenism far from its birthplace.
“You preserve our Greek identity, history, values, customs and traditions,” he said. “Florina is where modern life meets romantic calm — rich in nature, culture, gastronomy and people.”
He described the restoration of Agia Paraskevi as both a civic and national responsibility.
“A church is not just a monument,” he said. “It holds our joys and our sorrows. When the church closed, Florina felt it deeply.”
Mayor Giannakis said he had been overwhelmed by the warmth of his reception in Australia.
“As a former teacher, I value relationships,” he said. “We need this connection with the diaspora — in Melbourne, Adelaide, everywhere — to strengthen our shared future.”
Surrounded by extended family in Australia through his wife Athina, the Mayor said he felt at home. A reunion dinner was held the night before at Donovan’s in St Kilda.
The community responds
During the evening, gifts were exchanged between the Florina delegation and the Dandenong community. Among them was a statue of a Macedonian freedom fighter (makedonomahos), presented by Mayor Giannakis to Steven Karamoschos, President of the St Panteleimon Church Greek Orthodox Community of Dandenong — a symbol of Florina’s historic struggles and enduring Hellenic identity.
The parish response was immediate and heartfelt. Congregants arrived bearing trays of food — a familiar and powerful expression of Greek communal life.
“We only found out about the visit two weeks ago and have been working non-stop,” Karamoschos said, noting that the Bishop of Madagascar was due to visit the following week. “This is what community is. Everyone brings a plate, everyone helps.”
Manningham Mayor Jim Grivas also attended, highlighting the importance of cooperation between Greek-background civic leaders and the potential for greater synergy.
Macedonian Program radio host John Papadimitriou, who helped coordinate the fundraising, said the initiative followed discussions held after Florina’s liberation anniversary.
“Anything done with love for God and country has results,” he said.
At the time of reporting, fundraising efforts across Melbourne had reached approximately $20,000, with further events planned in Thomastown and Adelaide. On the night in Dandenong alone, $5,720 was raised, later rounded up to $6,000 by the local Greek community.
Poet Fotini Troupi pledged $500 after reciting a poem dedicated to Florina, followed by another $500 after Bishop Irineos spontaneously joined in song — drawing warm applause and lifting the evening’s total to $7,000.
As the faithful dispersed into the warm Melbourne evening, one truth remained unmistakable: distance has not weakened the bond between Florina and its people — it has strengthened it.
Donations toward the restoration of the Church of Agia Paraskevi are being accepted via Piraeus Bank, IBAN: GR16 0171 2430 0062 4313 6832 265, to the account of the Holy Church of Saint Paraskevi of Florina.
