FEBRUARY 2010 Tel. (02) 9559 7022 Fax: (02) 9559 7033 E-mail: vema@bigpond.net.au

THE GREEK AUSTRALIAN

VEMAThe oldestcirculating

Greeknewspaper

outsideGreece

Ban breaks the ruleson Cyprus

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s visit to Cyprus earliuer this month, marked neither the end of Cyprus’ reunification talks nor the beginning of the end, but perhaps the end of the beginning.

WWhhaatt aa cchhii lldd lleeaarrnnss ii ss iimmppoorr ttaanntt .. WWhhoo aa cchhii lldd bbeeccoommeess ii ss eetteerrnnaall !!Revisiting the principles of Orthodox Education

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Haiti quake tollrises to 217,000

Haiti raised the death toll from last month'squake above 217,000, while the focusturned to providing shelter for the homeless.

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Opening of the LawTerm Service in NSW

His Eminence Archbishop Stylianos conducted the Service for the Opening of the Law Term 2010 in NSW, on Thursday11 February, at the Cathedral of the ‘Annunciation of our Lady’.

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Arta:Bridge

to another

world

It might not catch the eye at first sight but this area

of Epirus is steeped in history

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SCRIPTURE LESSONS

LAUNCHED ON CD-ROM!

With the blessings of His Eminence Archbishop Stylianosthe State Schools Scripture Committee issued a fullrange of religious education lessons for 2010 on CD-ROM to all parishes in New South Wales.

The materials cover Kindergarten to Year 7 and provide acomplete series of student handouts. These were intendedoriginally for use in the Scripture Lessons in State schoolsin New South Wales but they might also find applicationas a defined Sunday School program in other States.

The Committee said that it was extremely grateful tothe Monastery of Pantanassa at Mangrove Creek.

The Monastery undertook the expense of preparingthe material. It combined the previous thematic lessonsinto a complete program for years K-7, produced the CD-ROM format and made them available at no cost.

The curriculumThis curriculum is meant to provide teachers with a struc-

tured program. There is a sequence of lessons which covers allof the most important topics. The program provides an outline ofthe main topics to be covered in each year and there are more thansufficient lessons for a full school year. Cont. page 2/20

The Greek Australian VEMATO BHMA2/20 FEBRUARY 2010

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SCRIPTURE LESSONS LAUNCHED ON CD-ROM !Cont. from page 1/19

The program is flexible enough to allowteachers to insert special lessons for im-portant feast days and for Easter, the Dor-mition and for patron saints.

The curriculum is designed to save tea-chers the problem of preparing their owndetailed program. The lessons are activitysheets for the pupils rather than teachingnotes. Teachers still need to prepare a les-son based on the topic and geared to theneeds or interests of their learners.

Eventually it is hoped to provide a tea-cher’s handbook to accompany thesehandouts.

Reproducing the materialsThe lessons are available as pdf files.

Parishes are free to reproduce the hand-outs individually or in booklets. Additionalcopies of the CD-ROM are available fromthe Monastery of Pantanassa.

Mixed classesWith combined age groups such as

Kindergarten plus Year 1 and Year 2 it isrecommended that teachers start with thelowest grade Kindergarten in 2010, use

Year 1 in 2011 and Year 2 in 2012. Theremay be other solutions.

The Committee mentioned that mostteachers would now be aware that any re-ligious education materials must be usedwith discretion and under the direction ofthe Parish Priest. The Committee also ex-pressed its gratitude to the large army ofvolunteer Sunday School teachers andScripture Teachers who contribute to thespiritual education of our children and ar-guably one of the most important mission-ary activities of our Church in Australia.

Dr Jim AthanasouSt Andrew’s Greek Orthodox

Theological College

EU approves Greek budget planThe European Commission has ap-

proved Greece's budget reform plans toreduce a massive deficit but opened aninfringement procedure against Athensover its unreliable economic statistics.

"Greece has adopted an ambitiousprogram to correct its fiscal imbalancesand to reform its economy... The commis-sion fully supports Greece in this difficulttask," EU Economic and Monetary AffairsCommissioner Joaquin Almunia, said.

However, "considering that Greece hasfailed in its duty to report reliable budg-etary statistics... the Commission is alsoinitiating infringement proceedings," theEU executive arm said in a statement.

The Greek Prime Minister ordered apublic salary freeze, a higher retirementage and a hike in petrol prices in a des-perate bid to tame a debt crisis ahead ofthe EU verdict. Socialist leader GeorgePapandreou urged political rivals to backhis crisis budget as he launched a newbid to reassure the international financecommunity. The scope of Greece's debtand its 12.7 per cent public deficit haveshaken the euro and put pressure onGreek sovereign bonds.

"The announcement strengthens thegovernment's commitment to deliver theprogram's objectives of more sustain-able public finances and a more compet-

itive economy," said Almunia."This is in the interest of the Greek

people, who will benefit from better andmore durable growth and job opportuni-ties in the future, and it is in the interestof the euro area and of the EU as awhole," he added.

The European Commission approvedPapandreou's measures to cut debt esti-mated at 294 billion euros ($A463.28 bil-lion) and to cut the deficit to 8.7 of grossdomestic product this year.

Under EU rules, government deficitshave to be eventually be brought belowthree per cent to be a member of the eu-ro zone, something Greece plans to doby 2012.

Almunia stressed that Greece's imple-mentation of its plans would be rigorous-ly monitored: "We have put in place per-manent system of surveillance," he said.

Greece is also required to submit afirst report in mid March, spelling out theimplementation calendar of the meas-ures to achieve the 2010 budgetary tar-gets.

Athens must also be prepared "toadopt additional measures if needed,"and will be required to submit quarterlyreports from mid-May onwards on theimplementation of the reforms.

AFP

The Greek Australian VEMA TO BHMA 3/21

EditorialFEBRUARY 2010

Not long ago, Greece stood head andshoulders above all its neighbors. It wasthe only member of both the EuropeanUnion and NATO and its economy haddeveloped way ahead of those in the re-gion - with the exception of Turkey's -which took off under the free market re-forms of the mid-1980s.

All this has changed. Turkey is now aneconomic powerhouse and regionalpower, with a uniquely important role inthe supply of oil and natural gas to Eu-rope.

Albania is moving toward EU and NATOentry, as is the Former Yugoslav Repub-lic of Macedonia, despite the ongoingdispute with Greece over its name. Bul-garia is now a member of both the EUand NATO and, as such, is an equal part-ner of Greece.

Greece still has the most developedeconomy in the region and its companiesare among the biggest investors, withsignificant stakes in all neighboring coun-tries. But, as Greeks at home are findingout, the economy is a crucial factor in allrelations. And, at this time of unprece-dented crisis at home, Greece's foreignpolicy finds itself in a new environment.

This has prompted a worried PrimeMinister George Papandreou to soundthe alarm that unless serious measuresare taken, Greece's economic problemscan undermine the country's sovereignty.The main concern is that foreign institu-

tions, such as the European Union (ratherthan the more dreaded InternationalMonetary Fund) may assume a leadingrole in efforts to reform the economy.

But there is no doubt that a Greecethat is evidently weakened in Europeaninstitutions such as the European Com-mission and the European Parliament,will have significantly less political capitalto press for diplomatic solutions to its lik-ing. If Greece does not act quickly to re-store confidence in its economy, thecountry's diplomatic clout will be similar-ly undermined. This is a time of nationalawakening in Greece, as its people

come to understand that they cannotcontinue living beyond their means, thatleaving problems to fester will only leadto a dead end and that they cannot counton the limitless understanding and sup-port of their partners. In today's world,every country and every nation is strug-gling to secure its place in the future.

Greece is struggling to come to termswith the present, hobbled as it is by allthe bad habits of the past.

That past is most evident in the farm-ers' blockades, which have soured rela-tions with Bulgaria, a country that haseconomic problems of its own and can-

not afford to see its trade hampered byGreek domestic issues.

These economic problems have alsoprompted the abrasive government inSkopje to be even more patronizing to-ward Greece. Greece's past will alsospring to the fore in coming weeks asunions mobilize to block the govern-ment's austerity measures.

What everyone needs to realize - bothin Greece and in neighboring countries -is that today no country can go it alone.What happens in Greece will have a pro-found effect on the region.

A weaker, poorer Greece will mean aweaker, poorer Balkans. Greek invest-ments in neighboring countries and thejobs provided to hundreds of thousandsof immigrants show the benefits of co-operation. Economic collaboration is theonly way out of the crisis, especiallywhen one considers the small popula-tions of most of the countries.

This need for closer economic tiesshould lead to more diplomatic initiativesaimed at improving each country's lot.Greece, struggling economically, can turnthe tables by surging ahead with diplo-matic initiatives that will bring the re-gion's peoples closer. And its neighborsmust see this and appreciate the needfor such an effort. This is the only wayforward.

ATHENSPLUS

With all the excitement concerning the publication ofschools’ results and the debate about league tables, Ibelieve that it is time to remind all readers of Vema ofthe very nature of Orthodox Education. While many maythink that this is the perfect opportunity to speak aboutthe successes of our Archdiocese’s Orthodox DaySchools, I feel that this is superfluous as the resultsspeak for themselves. Although a young ‘system’ theGreek Orthodox Day Schools performed admirablywhen compared to older, more established institutions,in many cases exceeding them, and ranking well bothstatewide and locally.

I will not be drawn into the debate about the merits,or otherwise, of publishing such results. What must besaid however, is that while all schools will speak aboutthe core principles of education which are aimed at de-veloping the whole child Intellectually, Emotionally, Phys-ically, Socially and Spiritually, the most important of

these (the student’s spiritual development) is given on-ly lip service, if that, in most of the schools listed on therankings. Ultimately statistics can be interpreted tomean anything and those who have vainly battled ourArchdiocese and Church and her institutions will contin-ue to do so. I challenge them however to show howother schools fulfill the spiritual needs of our childrenwhich include their FULL participation in the life of Christwhich is the only way one can grow ever deeper in ourfaith. As faith is an essential part of our lives, it must al-so be an essential part of the education experience.

Orthodox education aims at educating the whole childfor (the whole) life. This principle which lies at the verycentre of Orthodox schools is based on the Church’sbeliefs and practices. I was reminded of this again veryrecently when, just days after her baptism, my daughterparticipated fully in the life of the Church.

Our holy Church in her wisdom integrates children in-to the fullness of her life. Our holy Orthodox Church en-courages and fosters a personal relationship with Godfor all people, regardless of age. Many people who at-tend an Orthodox Divine Liturgy for the first time areoverwhelmed by the fact that children and babies aretaken to receive Holy Communion (in the CatholicChurch the general practice is that a children receivetheir first communion at about 7 years of age, while theProtestant and Reformed churches require an individualto make a profession of faith later in life if they are toparticipate fully in the life of the church). Therefore

while all churches and schools may speak about foster-ing spiritual development, it is the Orthodox Church,through her Divine Services and educational institutions,that provides a holistic and formative experience.

In a society that rarely supports children’s spiritualgrowth, the Holy Orthodox Church and her schoolsstand against the tide to provide them with these op-portunities.

As parents we have no excuses. The Holy Sacra-ments of the Church and her sacred icons and hymns,are an effective substitute for any school, but since con-temporary man is becoming increasingly secular anddisadvantaging his children not only by not taking themto the services of the Church but even actively discour-aging them from doing so, Church schools are becom-ing a necessity.

Let us all invite our families and friends, colleaguesand acquaintances and all around us to the Holy Servic-es of our Church and encourage them to find the truepath by providing a good example, reminding them thatwhat a child learns is important but who a child be-comes is eternal!

To comment, agree or disagree, visit http://peter-mav.livejournal.com/

* Peter Mavrommatis is a teacher of Orthodox Studies andPersonal Development at St Spyridon College Senior School Syd-ney.

By PETERMAVROMMATIS *

WHAT A CHILD LEARNS IS IMPORTANT. WHO A CHILD BECOMES IS ETERNAL!

Revisiting the principles of Orthodox Education

The economy and foreign policy

Prime MinisterGeorge Papandreou

The Greek Australian VEMA FEBRUARY 20104/22 TO BHMA

3rd Archdiocesan District

“St Stephan” Central Youth Committee With the Fatherly blessings of His Grace Bishop Nikan-

dros of Dorylaeon, on January 29 at the Church of SaintAnthony, Prospect, a Vespers service was held in Englishfor the feast day of the Three Hierarchs - Saints Basil theGreat, Gregory the Theologian and John Chry-sostom.Following this, a homily was delivered by the Very Rev.Archimandrite Fr Silouan Fotineas on the life of SaintAnthony and his witness for contemporary society.

At the conclusion of the homily, His Grace conducted ablessing for the cutting of Saint Basil’s pie and took theopportunity to express his heartfelt prayers to the youth ofAdelaide as well as to all those in attendance. We are verygrateful for the sensitivity that His Grace shows to theyouth of Adelaide. Such warmth, care and guidance onlycontribute to the unwavering vigilance that with joy andenthusiasm we feel he has for all people in our Archdio-cese who turn to him as their beloved Father in Christ. Wealso want to thank the host parish for the evening, SaintAnthony - Prospect, who through the guidance of Fr Nicho-las Pavlou and his tireless co-workers offered refresh-ments for all in their parish hall. Below we have someabstracts from the homily: “Saint Anthony the Great and hisWitness for Contemporary Society”:

Our venerable and God-bearing Father Anthony the Greatwas born into a wealthy family in a village called Coma(Kemn-el-Arouse) in the middle of Egypt at around 251 AD.When he was eighteen years old, his parents died, leavinghim guardian of his younger and only sister, Dious. Sixmonths later Anthony entered the church to hear theGospel, in which our Lord speaks to the rich young man,“If you would be perfect, go sell all you have, give to thepoor and come follow me.” (Matthew 19:21) Anthony tookthis advice as a personal invitation addressed to him byGod. He sold about 300 acres of fertile land, gave mostof the money to the poor keeping only a little for his sis-ter.

He now devoted himself to a life of asceticism under theguidance of a recluse living on the outskirts of his village.It was the custom for young ascetics to stay under a spir-itual adviser and learn the principles of spiritual life, suchas prayer, humility and dedication to God. Around 285 ADAnthony went alone into the desert to live in complete soli-tude. It was in this solitude and silence that Anthony heardclearly the Word of God for his life. After 20 years in soli-tude, Saint Anthony emerged as one initiated into the mys-teries of God and inspired by the Holy Spirit (he became)a physician given by God to Egypt through whom the Lordhealed many people. His reputation attracted many fol-lowers who settled near him and who wished to emulatehis holy way of life. He died at the age of 105 in 356 ADand his biography, written by St. Athanasios created animmediate literary and theological sensation throughoutthe ancient world.

What can we, more than 1500 years later, learn fromSaint Anthony’s witness? Although he held no titles or posi-tion, his holiness marked him as one whose wisdom com-manded respect. Saint Anthony came to represent theideal type of Christian, the ideal portrait of the humanbeing, as he should be. This ideal witness of Christian faithand life was by no means limited to the desert. Once Itwas revealed to Abba Anthony while he was in the desertthat there was one who was his equal in the city. He wasa doctor by profession and whatever he had beyond hisneeds he gave to the poor, and every day he sang hymnswith the Angels.

What then is the meaning of Saint Anthony’s flight fromsociety into the desert? First, society - which meant classi-cal Roman pagan society, limited by the horizons andprospects of life “in this world” - was regarded by Anthonyand the many other desert fathers and mothers as a ship-wreck from which each had to swim for their lives. Thesewere men and women who believed that to let oneselfdrift along, passively accepting the non-Christian tenets ofwhat they knew as society, was purely and simply a dis-aster. These were men and women who had reached ahumility of which we have no idea, because it is not root-ed in an hypocritical or contrived depreciation of self, but

in the vision of God, and a humbling experience of beingso loved. These hermits who left the world as thoughescaping from a shipwreck, did not merely intend to savethemselves. They knew that they were helpless to do anygood for others as long as they floundered about in thewreckage. But once they got a foothold on solid ground,things were different. Then they had not only the ability buteven the obligation to pull the world to safety after them.Perhaps we cannot do exactly what Saint Anthony did. Butwe must be as thorough and as ruthless in our determi-nation to break our spiritual chains, cast off the dominationof alien compulsions and find our true selves in ChristJesus. In this sense warfare with the demons is at thesame time warfare with the self, and this contest hasmeaning only if it results in the attainment of divineempowerment and favor. Modern man seeks mainly for ‘experience’ - putting him-

self at the centre of things he wishes to make them sub-servient to this aim; too often, even God becomes thesource from which the highest experience flows, insteadof being Him Whom we adore, worship, and are preparedto serve, whatever the cost to us. Such an attitude wasunknown to the Desert, moreover, the Desert repudiated itas sacrilegious: the experiential knowledge which God inHis infinite Love and condescension gives to those whoseek Him with their whole heart is always a gift; its essen-tial, abiding quality is its gratuity: it is an act of Divine Loveand cannot therefore be deserved.The first Beatitude stands at the threshold of the Kingdom

of God: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is thekingdom of God” - blessed are those who have under-stood that they are nothing in themselves, possess nothing

which they dare call ‘their own’. If they are ‘something’ itis because they are loved of God and because they knowfor certain that their worth in God’s eyes can be measuredby the humiliation of the Son of God, His life, the Agony ofthe Garden, the dereliction of the Cross - the blood ofChrist. To be, to be possessed of the gift of life and to begranted all that makes its richness means to be loved byGod; and those who know this, free from any delusion thatthey can exist or possess apart from this mystery of lovehave entered into the Kingdom of God which is theKingdom of Love.

What then shall be their response to this generous, self-effacing, sacrificial Love? An endeavor to respond to lovefor love, as there is no other way of acknowledging love.And this response is the ascetic endeavor, which can besummed up in the words of the Lord Jesus Christ: “Re-nounce yourself, take up your Cross and follow Me.” Torecognize one’s own nonentity and discover the secret ofthe Kingdom is not enough: the King of Love must beenthroned in our mind and heart, take undivided posses-sion of our will and make of our very bodies the Templesof the Holy Spirit. This small particle of the Cosmos, whichis our soul and body must be conquered, freed by a life-long struggle from enslavement to the world and to thedevil, freed as if it were an occupied country and restoredto its legitimate King. “Render unto Ceaser that which isCeaser’s and to God that which is God’s”: the coins of theearthly kings bear their mark, Man bears the imprint ofGod’s Image. He belongs to Him solely and totally; andnothing, no effort, no sacrifice is too great to render to Godwhat is His. This is the very basis of an ascetic under-standing of life.

With the blessings of His Grace Bishop Nikandros of Dorylaeon, on January the 29th at the Church of Saint Anthony, Prospect,a Vespers service was held in English for the feast day of the Three Hierarchs - Saints Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian

and John Chrysostom.

LEFT: His Grace conducted a blessing for the cutting of the Vasilopita. RIGHT: His Grace presented awards to two couples,Micheal and Stavroula Psarommatis and Elias and Eleni Christolenis, members of the “St Stephan” Central Youth Committee,

who got married in 2009.

The Greek Australian VEMA TO BHMA 5/23FEBRUARY 2010

Opening of the Law Term Service in NSW

On Thursday 11 February 2010, at the Cathedral ofthe “Annunciation of our Lady”, His Eminence ArchbishopStylianos conducted the Service for the Opening of theLaw Term 2010 in NSW.

Dignitaries present were His Grace Bishop Seraphimof Apollonias, Bishop Irinej of the Serbian Orthodox Dio-cese, the Hon Jim Spigelman AC, Chief Justice of NSW,the Hon John Hatzistergos, MLC, Attorney-General ofNSW. Judges present from the Supreme Court wereJustice James Allsop, President of the Court of Appeal,Justice Peter Young AO, Justice Murray Tobias AM RFD,Justice David Hammerschlag, Justice Julie Ward and As-sociate Justice Joanne Harrison. From the FederalCourt: Justice Arthur Emmett, Justice Peter Graham andRegistrar Stephanie Kavallaris, Deputy District Registrar.From the Local Court: Chief Magistrate Graeme Hen-son.

Also present were Mrs Mary Macken, President ofthe Law Society of NSW, the Hon. Barry O’Keefe AM QC,Mr Jack Passaris, President of the Ethnic CommunitiesCouncil of NSW, and many others.

In his address His Eminence Archbishop Stylianosstated the following:

Your Honour, the Chief Justice,other distinguished Justices,Judges, Members of the Judiciaryand various Servants of the Law Profession,Reverend Clergy, sisters and brothers,

On behalf of my fellow Bishops, other Clergy and thefaithful of the Standing Conference of Canonical Ortho-dox Churches of Australia, I have the pleasure to ad-dress you once again in our Cathedral.

I am sure you all remember from previous years theway in which we tried, as Christians, to welcome you tothis annual official gathering in the Church.

In other words, you saw our spiritual need not only topray together with all members of the Judiciary and thelegal world in this State. At the same time, we had thesense of responsibility to commonly deepen ourthoughts, in a possible fair comparison between the ab-solute validity of the Word of God on the one hand,and the undoubtedly limited and changing authority ofhuman law on the other, as expressed at various timesand in a variety of legal forms around the world.

As we have just heard in the passage from theGospel according to St Luke, the flexibility of law toadapt to concrete conditions in order to serve not only

practical, but also moral and spiritual needs of humanbeings, is indeed a law in itself.

In these six verses (from 33 to 39) of the 5th chapter,we heard of the comparison between divine and humanlaw in a marvelous progression, as expressed by JesusChrist Himself with concrete examples taken from theimmediate environment of daily life.

You will allow me to draw your attention very brieflyto certain characteristic details of the text. Because ifwe do not evaluate accordingly these details, there isthe danger that we - both as religious Celebrants andas servants of Justice - will be led to basic misunder-standings.

The first thing we should note is the manner in whichthe Lord does not at all hide His self-understanding asthe Alpha and the Omega for all humanity, both in thislife and the next.

However, on the other hand, we should not overlookHis loving Providence in not allowing even those indi-vidual persons of the Biblical tradition to be scandalized.

The mere fact that the Lord proclaimed the unique-ness of His doctrine in the form of a parable does notdiminish at all the importance of His statement.

On the contrary, the form of parable is a more suit-

able way to embrace all people of good will, and notonly one tradition.

From these brief observations alone, I believe that wecan be certain that two factors converge at least in thefield of the protection of the human person in general.These are:

the care of the State, on the one hand, with thedisposition and love for humanity

of true religion, on the other.

However, it is precisely this mutuality in the fair taskof pursuing peace and justice among all peoples ofthe world community, which is undoubtedly the commondenominator uniting us every year in this sacred gath-ering of prayer.

I hope that all present, together with the representedservants of Justice, will encounter fewer judicial dilem-mas amidst the continually increasing criminality of to-day, so that, in co-operation with other State instrumen-talities of law and order, the necessary security may beensured for all people of modern times, for whom GodHimself became incarnate. AMEN!

His Eminence Archbishop Stylianos during his address after the Service for the Opening of the Law Term 2010 in NSW, at the Cathedral of the ‘Annunciation of our Lady’

The Judges during the service. Chief Justice of NSW Jim Spigelman appears in the foreground.

The Greek Australian VEMATO BHMA6/24 FEBRUARY 2010

Revd Dr Doru Costache *

The intention of this series is to provefrom within the ecclesial tradition that Or-thodoxy has no share in what secular peo-ple today designate as the Christian aver-sion to the body; furthermore, that from theviewpoint of our tradition there is more tobe said about the body than any secularmind can conceive.

Our journey continues with the explo-ration of another symbolic facet of the ec-clesial anthropology: the body as a temple.After a brief consideration of the occur-rence of this theme in Christ’s sayings, fur-ther attention will be given to the Paulineteaching. These references bring us to thevery core of what I elsewhere termed asthe anthropology of holiness.

The theme of the body as a temple isclosely connected to that which was ex-plored in my previous article, namely thebody as a metaphor for the Church (seeThe Greek Australian Vema, January 2010,6). One might say literally connected -since in the same Letter to the Ephesians(2:21), discussed last time, St Paul employsas an alternate approach the imagery ofthe temple: “In him [i.e. Christ] the wholebuilding [of God’s people, the Church] isjoined together and rises to become a holytemple in the Lord.” For the Apostle, Chris-tians participate in a sacred reality mysti-cally represented by the temple that fur-ther metaphorically signifies the ultimateperfection to which we are called. Let ussee where from this analogy.

This analogy could be traced back to theparadigmatic events of the consecration ofthe holy tent in the days of Moses (Exodus40:28/34) and the temple in Jerusalem un-der Solomon (3 Kings 8:10-11). In both cas-es, the divine presence was signalledthrough the indwelling of the cloud of glo-ry, an imagery that in turn reiterates theSabbath/presence of God in creation (cf.Genesis 2:2). Later interpreted as suggest-ing the incarnation, with the Logos inhabit-ing the human nature he has taken on (cf.John 1:14) from the Theotokos, the themeof the tent/temple as place of the divinepresence has been further elaborated up-on by other New Testament authors. Thus,for them the temple becomes either ametaphor for God’s people, the Church(see Ephesians 2:21; 1 Peter 2:5) or for thebody of each human being renewed in theChurch. There are, indeed, the sermon ofSt Paul in Athens arguing that God “doesnot live in temples built by hands” (Acts17:24) and the prophecy concerning theeschatological disappearance of the tem-ple (Revelation 21:22), that seem to ques-tion the temple as a place of the divine p-resence. Nevertheless, these referencesby no means annul the metaphorical rep-resentations of the Church and more sothe body as temple or place of the pres-ence.

The context where Christ uses the me-taphor of the temple in relation to his ownbody is, I presume, well known. John 2:19-21 renders a dialogue between him andsome Jews. Jesus is depicted as answer-ing their queries by saying: “Destroy this

temple, and I will raise it again in threedays.” Whereas, thinking of the building ofthe temple, the Jews wondered how thatwould be possible, the evangelist com-ments: “the temple he had spoken of washis body.” In light of this account, it be-comes clear that by the end of the firstChristian century (when the Gospel ac-cording to St John is thought to have beencomposed) the temple as a metaphoricalimage of Christ’s deified body has beengeneralised. Interestingly, the above dia-logue is altogether absent from the ac-counts of Mark and Matthew, although ref-erences to the words of Christ are quotedby both evangelists in the narratives of thejudgment (cf. Matthew 26:61; Mark 14:58)and crucifixion (Matthew 27:40; Mark15:29) of the Lord. For some reason, whichis not of interest here, in the Gospel ac-cording to St Luke there is no reference orallusion to this topic.

What matters, however, is the fact that inthe mind of the Church, the body - eitherhypostatically (i.e. personally) indwelled bythe Son of God through the incarnation ordeified within the context of the Christians’communion with Christ - is represented asa temple. The body is no longer seen as anobstacle to the spiritual life, the inferiorside of the human nature or worse a pri-son of the soul. Instead, it is venerated asa worthy vessel of the divine presenceand taken as sacred topography or thecentral part of our mystical anthropology.Nothing of the supposed Christian aversionto the body here... This comprehension hasfurther led the Church to the canonisationof the icons, with their definite anthropo-logical dimension, as objects of the pres-ence and channels of the divine grace.

This new understanding of the body as aprivileged - and deified - place of the di-vine presence appears to have been artic-ulated from the outset within a rigorousascetic framework. It is worth noting that inthis context asceticism does not imply thecastigation of the body and in fact refers tofinding the right use of it. This frameworkis thoroughly discussed in connection tothe body/temple imagery in the apostolicreading for the Sunday of the Prodigal Son(1 Corinthians 6:12-20).

The text opens with a tremendous state-ment referring to Christian freedom:“Everything is permitted to me but noteverything is beneficial; everything is per-mitted to me but I will not be dominated byanything” (v.12). For St Paul, the relation-ships between God and humanity are nev-er about us being prohibited from doingthis or that. God has created everythingand as such everything is a gift for us;therefore, we can taste everything and wecan enjoy all that is. The echoes from theparadise narrative in Genesis 2-3 are ob-vious… So the problem is not with what wetaste; it is with how we do that.

In a brief comment on the paradise nar-rative, St Maximus the Confessor (To Tha-lassius, introduction, second definition ofevil) argues that the divine command toAdam was not about not eating. Instead, itwas about waiting until he would havebeen capable of approaching the fruit -whatever it may be - in a Godlike manner.

Or, since God is free, Adam and we (creat-ed to live in the Image of God) are allcalled to be free of any earthly necessityand addiction. What St Paul says in v.12points to the same conclusion: we are giv-en everything but we cannot allow our-selves to be dominated by the sweetnessand beauty of the world/body. We cantaste and see the world/body, but weought to know better for we cannot enjoyit as if it were the ultimate reality. In itself,indeed, the world/body is a way of partic-ipating in God but definitely not God him-self; partaking of it cannot constitute there-fore the highest joy.

Only by freeing ourselves from the pas-sionate attachment to the beauty andsweetness of the world/body (a Lententopic par excellence), can we truly enjoythe gift. But more so we can thus becomewhat we are - true temples of the divinepresence. The climax of the paragraph isclearly reached in v. 19: “your body is atemple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you,whom you have received from God.” Theaffirmation seems to point to the day ofthe baptismal rebirth when Christians re-ceive the Spirit of God. Here, the Apostlereiterates the line of his thought in 1 Co-rinthians 3:16-7: “Don’t you know that you

yourselves are God’s temple and thatGod’s Spirit lives in you? [...] God’s templeis sacred, and you are that temple” (see al-so 2 Corinthians 6:16). Through this interro-gation, the ecclesial community is remind-ed of a teaching to which Christians weresupposed to be familiarised. Inhabited byGod, Christians should learn time andagain how to make use of their bodies inorder to appropriate the gift.

All things considered, it is obvious thatthe metaphor of the body as a temple wasalready articulated and spelt out with clari-ty in some of the earliest apostolic writ-ings. This indicates that for traditionalChristianity to be human and to live trulyrequires the exploration of the mystical di-mensions of this earthly body. Throughright use - surprisingly and paradoxically -the body can indeed be sanctified, becom-ing a receptacle of the divine presence.Whether or not this anthropology of holi-ness offers to many contemporary peopleglimpses into what is for them unknown, itnevertheless depicts a dignified icon of thebody.

* Revd Dr Doru Costache lectures in Patristics atSt Andrew’s Theological College, Sydney

Glimpses of a Symbolic AnthropologyPart Six: The Temple of the Body

The Greek Australian VEMA TO BHMA 7/25

Facts & StatsFEBRUARY 2010

Haiti quake toll rises to 217,000NSW leads recovery despite

top jobless rateNSW is still leading Australia's e-

conomic recovery, the state gov-ernment says, despite having thecountry's highest jobless rate.

NSW's unemployment rate fellby 0.3 percentage points in Janu-ary to 5.6 per cent, seasonally ad-justed Australian Bureau of Statis-tics (ABS) data released recentlyshows.

Queensland recorded the big-gest fall in unemployment, howev-er, with a fall of 0.4 points.

The drop indicates 7800 NSWresidents joined the workforce inJanuary.

Treasurer Eric Roozendaal saidthe figures showed the NSW la-bour market was recovering fromthe effects of the global financialcrisis. Mr Roozendaal said theNSW unemployment rate had nowdropped every month since April2009.

"This is a further step towardssustained recovery for NSW work-ing families and shows NSW isleading the nation in economic re-covery," he said in a statement.

However, the NSW unemploy-ment rate of 5.6 per cent remainshigher than the 5.3 per cent na-tional average.

NSW now has the highest unem-ployment rate in the country afterQueensland's rate dipped 0.4points to 5.5 per cent. WesternAustralia eased to 5.0 per centfrom 5.1 per cent, while the North-ern Territory fell to 3.3 per centfrom 3.4 per cent. Unemploymentrates in Victoria and Tasmaniawere unchanged at 5.3 per centand 5.2 per cent, respectively.

AAP

PM boostfunding to cut

indigenouschild mortality

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd hasboosted funding for a scheme tosupport indigenous mothers andtheir babies as he presented hisClosing the Gap report to parlia-ment. The annual report waspromised by Mr Rudd to showwhat his government was doing toclose the disadvantage gap be-tween indigenous Australians andthe rest of the community.

As part of the government'splan to halve the child mortalitygap by 2018, Mr Rudd pledged anextra $9.1 million over three yearsto extend support services formothers and babies.

Haiti raised the death toll from lastmonth's quake above 217,000, while the fo-cus turned to providing shelter for thehomeless before heavy rains and the hurri-cane season come.

"There are people who put forth the fig-ure of 230,000, but we have counted a bitmore than 217,000. These are verified fig-ures," Interior Minister Paul Bien-Aime said.

Earlier, the government said it buried170,000 bodies in mass graves in themonth since the January 12 quake.

The communications ministry said a state-ment from President Rene Preval that270,000 bodies were buried contained a ty-pographical error, and that the real count is170,000.

The government also declared a day ofmourning for Friday February 5, to mark onemonth since the quake struck, bringingdeath and destruction on an unprecedentedscale to the desperately poor Caribbeannation.

"There are around 1.2 million people with-out shelter," David Pappiat of the British RedCross told a summit in Montreal attendedby Red Cross and Red Crescent delegationsfrom 23 countries and two internationalbodies.

"We're trying to set up shelters that canwithstand the coming rainy season, the hur-ricane season, and that can last three to

five years," commented Haitian Red Crosspresident Michael Amedee Gedeon.

The International Red Cross and RedCrescent Movement has deployed some600 people to Haiti to help with relief ef-forts.

"Shelter is a huge issue," agreed LewisLucke, the US ambassador to Haiti, speakingin Port-au-Prince.

"Nothing really compares in terms of (this)monumental challenge, for right now andfor the coming weeks before the rainy sea-son and months before the hurricane sea-son."

Lucke said relief workers aimed to supplyeveryone with plastic sheeting by May 1,the nominal start of the rainy season.

The relief effort received a boost fromprivate donors, whom the United Nations

said had given more money than the singlebiggest national donor, the United States.

Individuals and businesses were said onWednesday to have given 118 million dol-lars to help quake victims since the disaster,more than the 115 million donated by theUS government.

Still, massive problems loom, and the se-curity situation in the makeshift camps andacross the Port-au-Prince remained precar-ious.

More than 50 looters besieged a quake-hit supermarket, just hours after a freshpart of it collapsed as contractors searchedfor the remains of those buried by the Jan-uary 12 quake.

Half a dozen shots were fired as ownerstried to disperse the mob - some of whomwere armed with knifes - as it raided thesupermarket's underground depot, makingoff with toy cars, garden chairs and othergoods.

Night rescue workers spent around sixhours trying to dig out another group oflooters believed trapped in the depot whenits roof fell in, bringing slabs of tangledsteel and concrete down on top of them.

The five-story building was popular withwell-off Haitians and was the capital'slargest supermarket. It was badly damagedin the quake, but remained partly standing.

AFP

His Eminence Archbishop Stylianos, has circulated last month to all Greek OrthodoxChurches in Australia, an encyclical requesting the collection of donations by Parishionersafter the Service on the 24th January 2010, for the Haiti Earthquake Appeal.

Once all proceeds are forwarded to the main Offices of the Greek Orthdox Archdioceseof Australia in Redfern, an official announcement will be made through all Media, for theexact amount collected, which in turn will be forwarded to the Australia Red Cross, whichwill distribute it accordingly to the victims of the devastating earthquake in Haiti.

The Greek Orthodox Church reaches out to the victims of the Haiti earthquake

Tourism weathers global downturnAustralia's tourism industry has weath-

ered the global financial downturn of 2009better than expected, with new data show-ing international visitors only slightly down.

Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) dataout showed just 1700 fewer internationaltourists visited Australia in 2009 comparedto 2008, defying an estimated worldwidedrop in international tourism of four percent.

But the number of Australians travellingoverseas skyrocketed by nearly half a mil-lion, outstripping arrivals.

Tourism Australia managing director An-drew McEvoy said the figures - which in-cluded gains and falls in different key mar-kets - highlighted the industry's resilience.

"Despite the headwind of the global finan-cial crisis and the outbreak of the H1N1virus, Australian tourism managed to breakeven on international tourist numbers, defy-ing the global downturn last year," he saidin a statement.

"These results show practical plans tolessen the impact of global events on travelto Australia last year have worked to apoint."

Mr McEvoy said a strong finish to the yearwas behind the better-than-expected resultand Tourism Australia would be workingwith industry to return international num-bers to growth in 2010.

Tourism Transport Forum (TTF) executivedirector Brett Gale said maintaining arrivalshad come at a cost, with businesses cuttingprices and sacrificing profitability to keepup demand.

Low airfares and great value accommo-dation deals had significant impacts onbusinesses' bottom lines, he said.

"The forecasts at the beginning of 2009were for a drop in international arrivals of4.1 per cent so holding steady is a great re-sult," he said.

But as many as 30,000 jobs in the indus-try had been shed as tourism operatorsbattled to stay afloat, he said.

Mr Gale said the good news was that de-mand had picked up, with convention dele-gates, holiday travellers and business trav-ellers all growing in December.

But the phenomenal growth in Australianstravelling overseas was "bad news" fortrade, as it meant Australia was now a sig-nificant net importer of tourism.

For only the second time in more than 20years, Aussie holidaymakers who left thecountry outnumbered international touristswho arrived, the statistics showed.

In 2008, the difference was about200,000. In 2009, 6.3 million Aussies flewoverseas and the difference ballooned tomore than 700,000.

AAP

The Greek Australian VEMATO BHMA8/26 FEBRUARY 2010

Greeks at theGrammys

By Anastasios Papapostolou

Kelly Clarkson is up for a Grammy in the

category “Best Pop Vocal Album”. The two

time Grammy winner is very proud of her

Greek heritage and roots.

Alexandra Patsavas is part of the team

that created the Soundtrack of Twilight which

is nominated for Best Compilation Soundtrack

Album For Motion Picture, Television or other

Visual Media

Golden Globe winner Alexandre Desplat is

the composer of the soundtrack for the

movie “The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button

(Disc 1)”. The Greek-French composer is nom-

inated in the category “Best Score Sound-

track Album For Motion Picture, Television Or

Other Visual Media”

Yolanda Kondonassis and her team are

nominated for “Best Chamber Music Perform-

ance” for Takemitsu, Toru: And Then I Knew

‘Twas Wind’. The track comes from: Debussy

& Takemitsu: Air: Music For Harp, Flute &

Strings.

Also, the 52nd Annual Grammy Awards will

feature a special 3D tribute to Michael Jack-

son. Revealing the centerpiece of the ‘This Is

It’ concert, the mini movie of ‘Earth Song’ will

be played for everyone to watch. Orianthi

Panagaris was in “This Is It” as the lead gui-

tarist of the King of Pop.

Source: www.hollywood.greekreporter.com

Greeks in Australia praised

The Premier of Victo-

ria, John Brumby (pho-

to), on January 27 reco-

gnised the contribution

of the local Greek com-

munity.

Speaking at an Aus-

tralia Day celebration

organised by the Asso-

ciation of Greek Elderly

Citizens’ Clubs of Melbourne and Victoria,

Brumby said Australia Day is a time to honour

the many different communities that make

the country a great place to live.

“Australia Day is also a time to reflect on

our beginnings and remember that we are a

multicultural community made up of migrants

from all over the world,” said Brumby.

“Our Greek community has played a very

important role in shaping the thriving and

cosmopolitan society Victoria is today - we

are immensely proud of our large and dynam-

ic Greek community.”

Kelly Clarkson

Freedom celebrated in South AfricaEvents mark 20 years since Nelson Mandela’s release from prison

South Africa heaped praise on Nelson

Mandela on Thursday as the nation cele-

brated the 20th anniversary of his release

from prison, an earth-shaking event that

hastened the demise of apartheid.

Key figures of the anti-apartheid strug-

gle, such as Archbishop Desmond Tutu,

paid tribute to the 91-year-old icon in a

ceremony at the former Victor Verster

Prison from which Mandela was released

after nearly three decades in captivity.

Special newspaper supplements and

broadcasts recalled the historic day when

Mandela, hand in hand with his then-wife

Winnie, walked proudly out of the prison

with his fist raised high - as the world

watched.

Nobel Peace Laureate Tutu exhorted

South Africans to use the day to remem-

ber the long road the country had trav-

eled since February 11, 1990.

“The day Nelson Mandela walked free

from Victor Verster Prison our collective

spirit soared. It was a day that promised

the beginning of the end of indignity.” Tu-

tu, widely hailed as the nation’s con-

science keeper, said that while much had

been achieved, there was still more to be

done. “If we really want to make a differ-

ence, we must recapture the spirit of that

day of Nelson Mandela’s release... We

must not forget the past,” he said.

Mandela, increasingly frail and rarely

seen in public, will make his only appear-

ance of the day when he arrives at parlia-

ment in Cape Town to hear a special com-

memmorative State of the Nation speech

by President Jacob Zuma.

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown

said in a tribute that the anti-apartheid

struggle was the “defining political ques-

tion of our time” and praised Mandela as

“forgiving, playful, utterly gracious and

with a generosity of spirit that lifts the

world.”

Mandela won the Nobel Peace Prize in

1993, jointly with apartheid’s last white

president, F.W. de Klerk, and became

South Africa’s first black president in a

landslide election victory for his African

National Congress (ANC) a year later.

Tutu and other prominent figures took

part in a commemorative walk through

the gates of the prison outside Cape

Town, now known as Groot Drakenstein

Prison, where he spent the final months of

his 27-year imprisonment negotiating his

release.

Veteran activist Cyril Ramaphosa re-

called that Mandela was serene as he pre-

pared to walk out a free man.

“Here is a man who’s about to be re-

leased from prison after 27 years. He was

as cool as a cucumber and younger peo-

ple would say he’s a cool cat,” said

Ramaphosa, who was part of the team

that welcomed Mandela outside the gates.

Veteran anti-apartheid activist Ahmed

Kathrada, released four months before

Mandela, told journalists he knew Mandela

would be freed soon after him. “There was

exhilaration, happiness but at the same

time sadness that we are released; we

came to prison together, and we are leav-

ing him behind,” the 80-year-old said. [AFP]

Nelson Mandela and his wife Winnie walk hand-in-hand with clenched fists raised uponMandela’s release from Victor Verster Prison, near Cape Town, on February 11, 1990.

US, Greek think-tanks join forcesDespite the remarkable progress

in stabilising the western Balkans

and positioning the region for Nato

and European Union membership

over the past decade, significant

work remains to be done in order

to fully develop the region as a

component part of the Euro-Atlan-

tic community.

In order to move this process

forward, think-tanks from the Unit-

ed States and Greece have brought

together their respective expertise

and resources, given that the two

longstanding Nato allies share com-

mon objectives of political stabili-

sation, regional security, respect

for human rights, economic devel-

opment and international institu-

tional integration for the entire Bal-

kan region.

In this framework, a collaborative bilateral initiative by

two key policy institutes in both countries, the US Centre

for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) and the Hel-

lenic Centre for European Studies (EKEM), in October

2009 established the US-Greece Task Force: Transform-

ing the Balkans - Security, Political Stability and Econom-

ic Development.

The project is co-chaired by

Theodore Couloumbis (professor

emeritus, University of Athens), and

Janusz Bugajski (Lavrentiadis chair

on southeast Europe, New European

Democracy Programme, CSIS).

The one-year project has already

produced papers on key Balkan is-

sues.

“The EKEM is operating under the

auspices of the Greek foreign min-

istry, which is, naturally, interested

in promoting Balkan cooperation,”

Couloumbis told the Athens News.

“In the context of the US-Greek

task force, we have already pro-

duced our first report that offers

an overview of the structure and

potential of Balkan transport net-

works, to be presented in Washing-

ton shortly. Another report that

EKEM is currently preparing covers the Balkan energy

sector.”

CSIS is separately working on the inter-related issues

of organised crime, trafficking

and security in the Balkans, Couloumbis added.

ATHENS NEWS

TheodoreCouloumbis

The Greek Australian VEMA TO BHMA 9/27FEBRUARY 2010

Inextricably intertwined with Greek lifesince antiquity, song continues to reflect so-cial, economic and cultural change. Ethno-musicologist Lambros Liavas traces some130 years of its modern trajectory in “Toelliniko tragoudi apo to 1821 eos ti dekaetiatou 1950” (Greek Song from 1821 to the1950s), published by Emporiki Greece. Pro-ceeds from the sale of the book will go tocharity.

With a career spent researching, writingabout, and making radio and television pro-grams about every aspect of Greek folkmusic, urban folk music and modern Greeksong, Liavas is uniquely qualified to presenta vast amount of information in a lively nar-rative.

He draws on a wealth of archival materi-al, including some 700 illustrations, most ofthem from the Hellenic Literary and Histori-cal Archive (ELIA), the rest from a number ofprivate and public archives.

Rejecting the notion of an unbroken threadconnecting ancient Greek song with the pre-sent, Liavas notes that Greece, at the cross-roads of East and West, north and south,has always been part of a broader culturalgive and take. Greek song had demonstrat-ed a remarkable ability to absorb elementsfrom Latin, Western, Arabic, Slavic and Alba-nian music.

The starting point of 1821 reflects thechanges that came about in the wake of thefight for independence and the establish-ment of the new Greek state.

Forces for change ranged from urbaniza-tion and a new Western outlook to the polit-ical and intellectual leadership’s attitude toliving tradition, which they saw both as folk-lore and part of the ancient heritage theyheld in such veneration.

Liavas sees “the anonymous bard of theindependence struggle” marking the shiftfrom the demotic to the urban folk reper-toire and the establishment of Athens as thecapital.

In the 19th century, when Athens had apopulation of just 100,000, the musical lifeof the capital encompassed foreign theatertroupes, Ionian Island influences, the growthof homegrown comedies and dramas thatwere performed in the country’s first the-aters and heated arguments about the at-tempt to impose four-part harmony on

Byzantine music. The rival claims of Eastand West, class, ideology and aestheticswere all the subject of vigorous debate.

The early 20th century saw the emer-gence of the Athenian cantada, or serenade,which was popular in tavernas and neigh-borhood settings, and of revues.

In their heyday - 1907-22 - revues werethe principal form of musical theater, bring-ing together song, news, political and socialsatire, and introducing new ideas, fashionsand imported dances. At the same time, op-eretta flourished, with local composersadding Greek flavor to Parisian and Vien-nese styles with elements from demoticsongs and Athenian and Ionian Island sere-nades.

A protracted period of armed conflictspanning the Balkan Wars, WWI and theAsia Minor campaign (1912-22) favoredmartial music. The words and music of bat-tle songs and marching songs were pub-lished as sheet music and leaflets, and, at a

time of widespread illiteracy, Liavas ex-plains, such publications often substitutedfor the written and spoken word. “Theywere like news bulletins and symbols of na-tional-political identity and historical memo-ry, both locally and throughout Greece,” hewrites.

The Karagiozis shadow-puppet theatre,“the last bastion of Anatolian tradition,” in Li-avas’s words, continued to wed words, mu-sic and action in classic style, up to the mid-war period when Athens still had some 40shadowpuppet theaters.

Liavas traces the growth of songs influ-enced by French boites and Berlin cabarets,alongside the rebetika music that arrivedwith the Asia Minor refugees and wastweaked and taken in different directions bylocal musicians.

Markos Vamvakaris bridged rebetika anddemotic song, and pioneered the dominanceof the bouzouki in rebetika. Vassilis Tsitsa-nis introduced new harmonies, orchestra-tion and the refrain. Rebetika, formerly as-sociated with prisons and hash dens, foundfavor with intellectuals and artists, eventual-

ly becoming popular, albeit in watered-down form, with the middle classes.

Later chapters cover the vibrant musicalscene among Greek migrants in the USA,the harsh censorship in postwar Greecethat clipped songwriters’ wings, and the ef-fects of new recording and reproductiontechniques that would make music into aproduct and affect singing and instrumentaltechniques.

The 1950s was a transitional decade forGreek song, argues Liavas, when traditionalpopular song - demotic and urban - gaveway to new songs with very different con-tent, and music that itself had changed frommelodic to harmonic, with the adoption ofWestern scales.

In what is bound to become a work ofreference, Liavas refers to a multitude ofcomposers, songwriters, singers and musi-cians, quoting extensively from their ownaccounts and other period documents. Briefcomments on developments in the 1960soffer a preview of a follow-up volume thatis already in the pipeline.

ATHENSPLUS (12/2/2010)

Lambros Liavas on song in modern GreeceEthnomusicologist traces 130 years of development after the war of independence

For the Bibliophiles…Byzantine Fashions

By Tom Tierney (Dover)

This valuable A4 softcover book looksto all intents and purposes like a colour-ing-in book, and that’s exactly what it is.But like all editions of the Dover ColoringBook series it also contains historically ac-curate information on the clothing of thetime and place. The only colourplates areon the cover, outside and inside, so to findout a bit more of what people - emperor,empress court dignitary, nobleman andwoman - actually wore, the interestedreader needs to go to the same sourcesas this book’s author. That is, the mosaicsand manuscripts of the Byzantine era.

From Church icons we can get an idea ofthe clothing, even if we look at the depic-tion of angels, of the dress of the day.Other wonderful sources of informationare manuscripts on paper and legal docu-ments on vellum which were often em-bellished with portraits or small graphicdesigns, the inks used being still as freshand vibrant today as they were hundredsof years ago. So, surround yourself withart books and icons, buy this little easilyaffordable book, get out your colouring-inpencils and away you go! You’ll learn a lotin the process, and have fun at the sametime, and best of all everyone in the fam-ily can join in.

A.C.

Sofia Vembo was the first Greek singer to become a star, negotiating better terms with recordcompanies. That was reflected in her striking album covers.

The Greek Australian VEMATO BHMA10/28 FEBRUARY 2010

ÉÅÑÁ ÁÑ×ÉÅÐÉÓÊÏÐÇ ÁÕÓÔÑÁËÉÁÓ

ÅËËÇÍÉÊÇ ÏÑÈÏÄÏÎÏÓ ÅÍÏÑÉÁ - ÊÏÉÍÏÔÇÓÁÃ. ÃÅÙÑÃÉÏÕ ÈÅÌÐÁÑÔÏÍ ÊÁÉ ÄÕÔÉÊÙÍ ÐÑÏÁÓÔÅÉÙÍ, Í.Á.

ST GEORGE ST GEORGE COLLEGECOLLEGE

His Grace Bishop Nikandros of Doryleon, The Very Reverend Father Diogenis Patsouris, Director of our College together with Father Kon and Father Peter at the College BlessingCeremony that was held on Thursday 4th February 2010.

His Grace Bishop Nikandros of Doryleon and stu-dents of our College at the conclusion of the College

Blessing Ceremony.

John Matsis with thePrincipal of our College at

the 2010 SACE MeritCeremony that was held

on the grounds ofGovernment House on the

9th February.

John was the recipient of aMerit Certificate as a Year11 student in 2009 for his

perfect score of 20 inModern Greek(Continuers).

We congratulate John forhis outstanding achieve-

ment in the Year 12assessments conducted by

the SACE Board. Weapplaud his efforts, perse-verance, dedication andspirit to excel and look

forward to his continuedsuccess in the future.

The Chairman, Board of Governors, Mr. Christou OAM,The Very Reverend Diogenis Patsouris, Director of our

College, the Hon Mayes former Minister and Member forUnley, Mr. Panagopoulos, Principal and Mrs. Del Vecchio,

Deputy Principal during Mr. Mayes’ recent visit to ourCollege. The Hon. Mayes played a significant role in theacquisition of St. George College Senior Campus by the

Community & Parish of St. George Thebarton & WesternSuburbs and as such it was appropriate for him to view theprogress and the significant building programs undertaken

by the College.

For enrolment information across all year levels from Play Group to Year 12 please contact our College on (08) 8159100.

As part of the Building the Education Revolution Programme, our College was successful in its application for the building of a brand new library facility. This state of the art libraryfacility is nearing completion and it is anticipated that the official opening will be in May of this year.

The Greek Australian VEMA TO BHMA 11/29FEBRUARY 2010

It’s all about building young lives.

S T S P Y R I D O N C O L L E G E

Senior School Campus – 1130 Anzac Parade, Maroubra NSW 2035 Junior School Campus – 80 Gardeners Rd, Kingsford NSW 2032 Tel: 02 9311 3340 E: enrolments@stspyridon.nsw.edu.au or visit www.stspyridon.nsw.edu.au

T S

RYPS

ODI

ON C

ELLO

EG

Senior Scho 02 9311 3340el:T

Anzac– 1130ol Campus .enrolments@stspyridon.nswE:

Maroubra NSW,aradeP .stspyridon.nor visit wwwedu.au

Campusunior SchoolJ2035 .edu.aunsw

Kingsford NS– 80 Gardeners Rd,s

SW 2032

The Greek Australian VEMATO BHMA12/30

InterviewFEBRUARY 2010

Desmond Tutu South African archbishop gives Cyprus reunification talks a dose of his positive energy

The ongoing searchfor truth and reconciliation

BY NICK MALKOUTZIS

On February 11, former South AfricanPresident Nelson Mandela celebrated 20years of freedom since his release fromVictor Verster Prison in Paarl. The 91-yearold remains a respected figure aroundthe world but makes few public appear-ances due to his frailty. Not so for Arch-bishop Desmond Tutu, who for many peo-ple was the voice and conscience of blackSouth Africans during the apartheid yearswhich Mandela spent in jail. Despite nowbeing at the advanced age of 78 himself,Tutu is as active as ever in promotingcauses and working with a number of in-ternational charities and organizations.

One of these groups is The Elders, a col-lection of former leaders and diplomatsthat attempts to provide support to politi-cians and people in areas of the world thatare divided or beset by crisis.

Last October, three Elders (Tutu, formerUS President Jimmy Carter and former Al-gerian Foreign Minister Lakhdar Brahimi)visited Cyprus to offer encouragement toGreek and Turkish Cypriots as CypriotPresident Dimitris Christofias and Turkish-Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat were be-ginning the second phase of their reunifi-cation talks.

These negotiations are now at a crucialphase and there is a possibility that noagreement will be reached before elec-tions in the Turkish-occupied part of the is-land in April, which could see Talat re-placed by hardliner Dervis Eroglu. Tututalked to Athens Plus about just how vital itis that the two sides make a breakthroughand how that goal might be achieved.

Recently you took part in thethird visit by The Elders toCyprus. Do you sense an improve-ment in the mood between thetwo sides since your first visit inOctober 2008?

When I first visited with Jimmy Carterand Lakhdar Brahimi in 2008, Mr Christo-fias and Mr Talat were just beginning theirtalks. They have met dozens of times sincethen - sometimes with officials, sometimesprivately. They are now dealing with someof the most difficult issues, so naturallythere are some challenging moments. Thisis a crucial time. In their hearts, I believethese two leaders are committed to findinga solution and I’m impressed with theirdedication and hard work. I think they’vemade good progress and have agreed onmany issues, of course not all. It’s not aneasy job - and the media tends not to re-port the good news. But the fact is thatthey have made great progress and this isa unique moment - a rare opportunity forlasting peace in Cyprus and better securi-ty and prosperity for the whole region. Wewere also very impressed with the fantas-tic people we met from all walks of life,who are actively supporting the peace ef-fort. This movement seems to be gettingmore active and more organized - and that

is great. The leaders need the people to bewith them. They cannot do this on theirown – and the opportunity will not last for-ever. So I would say to any Cypriot whowants peace: Hurry up and get behind y-our leaders. Don’t wait. No solution is everperfect but a unified island will lay thefoundations for a better future for you andyour children.

In what ways do you believe TheElders can help the reunificationprocess on Cyprus?

We certainly didn’t come to Cyprus withthe answers. We are not oracles. We sim-ply hope that we can lend our support andshare our experiences. My fellow EldersJimmy Carter and Lakhdar Brahimi havebeen involved in peace negotiations in oth-er countries. I was involved in South Afri-ca’s reconciliation efforts. I do think it helpsCypriots who want a solution to know thatthey have support from others. There weretimes in my life when I thought it would beimpossible to break down the barrier ofapartheid in South Africa. But we tookcourage and strength from the internation-al support for our cause - and in the endwe did it. So maybe as Elders we can helppeople to keep going - to believe peace ispossible. We want Cypriots to know thatthe world is with them.

In terms of building trustbetween divided communities,where do you start with a prob-lem as basic but as profound asthat?

We are all human beings at the end ofthe day and our world is increasingly inter-connected. We have to learn to trust eachother if we’re going to keep on living to-

gether and [if we want to leave] this plan-et in good shape for our children andgrandchildren. Mistrust is generally causedby lack of contact between people. If youdon’t know the other person, it is easier tofear them and believe bad things aboutthem, especially if you live separately andyour children go to different schools. Build-ing trust has to start by reaching out, mak-ing contact and maybe sometimes takingsome risks in doing so. But you must beprepared to try. It does not mean you can-not be angry or bitter. This is natural andwe cannot ignore our feelings. But I findthat when people meet and have thechance to talk, they usually find they havemore in common than they imagined. Theymay find that they have suffered similarpain or loss. They might also share the de-sire for a happy home, a secure future fortheir children, for love, and laughter - thisis the beginning of empathy, and empathyis the beginning of trust. I have great faithin humanity. I have seen many times thatpeople have a great capacity for goodnessand we all have the potential to createpositive change in the world.

What part has your experience -for instance from your participa-tion in the Truth andReconciliation Commission (TRC)in South Africa - played in theadvice that you are passing on toGreek and Turkish Cypriots?

First of all, I am rather wary of giving ad-vice. What I can do is talk about the workthat has been done in other places, includ-ing South Africa, and see if some of it isuseful to people in Cyprus. It is importantto understand that every situation is differ-ent. In South Africa, we learned from other

countries like Argentina and Chile. Wecopied some of the things they did andchanged others. However, I do believe thatit is important to face up to the past - oth-erwise it always returns to haunt you. Peo-ple need to know what happened to theirloved ones. That is very important. And inthe end there is no future without forgive-ness, because forgiveness allows us tolook forward, not back. The TRC was diffi-cult work, we faced many obstacles andmany people criticized us. Sometimes evenI had my doubts. But we persisted and Ithink the TRC has helped South Africansfind a common story between black peo-ple and white people - and we have start-ed to heal the wounds of the past. Recon-ciliation takes a long time - I sometimesthink it may never end. I’ve been encour-aging Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriotswho want peace and who are trying tofind a shared understanding of the past tokeep up their good work. I am enormouslyimpressed and inspired by the Committeefor Missing Persons in Cyprus - they aredoing very important work.

If the two sides can establishsome basic trust, what do youthink the next steps in the reuni-fication process should be?

I think the two leaders already trust eachother - they wouldn’t have started the talksif they didn’t think they could work togeth-er. As for the two communities, when wevisited we saw numerous examples of co-operation and collaboration between thetwo sides. That is also a sign of growingtrust. More people regularly cross be-tween north and south. We were most im-pressed by the optimism and hope for thefuture in some of the young people wemet. I think most ordinary people are readyand willing to live together and work to-gether. The next steps are important andsensitive ones. They are up to the leadersand I have faith in them. They are also upto the people, to the media, to everyone.But I think the future of Cyprus could bevery bright if the people take advantage ofthis very unique opportunity for peace.

On a completely different subject,your country will be hosting theWorld Cup this year. Are youexcited by this and what kind ofopportunity do you think thisoffers South Africa?

Oh yes, I am almost giddy with excite-ment. The World Cup is such a terrific op-portunity for my country and the wholecontinent of Africa to showcase its talentedpeople and its beauty. The World Cup is achance for people to come together fromall over the world and celebrate, have fun,compete at the highest level and do [their]country proud. So I’m so glad that my owncountry will host this party. And I thinkSouth Africa will do very well in the foot-ball, too. I can’t wait.

ATHENSPLUS (12/2/2010)

The Greek Australian VEMA TO BHMA 13/31

HealthFEBRUARY 2010

ACNEAcne is a disorder of the skin that usually occurs in

the teenage years. Acne is the most common of skindiseases affecting 85 percent of Australians aged 15 to24 years.

Very few people manage to escape their teenageand young adult years without some pimples and black-heads.

Acne can occur in infants but is usually only mild. Ac-ne can also affect older adults.

Acne occurs when the skin becomes greasy, the oilglands called pores get blocked and form blackheads,pimples and cysts.

Acne usually clears spontaneously for many peopleby their mid twenties. However, for about 5 per cent ofpeople, it can be very severe.

What causes Acne?

Acne can occur on the face, neck, chest and upperback. This is because these areas have the highestnumber of oil glands. In the teenage years, in both menand women there is more male hormone called testos-terone in the blood. Testosterone can make the seba-ceous gland at the base of the hair follicles produce anexcess of oil. The oil may get clogged in the pores, andso bacteria can grow in the trapped oil and irritate theskin.

This process may result in white heads, blackheads,yellow filled pus spots or deep cysts on the skin.

Acne can run in families, so if there is a family histo-ry of acne there is an increase chance of developingacne.

Acne can be graded:• Mild acne is mainly limited to white heads and

blackheads and the pimples don’t cover large areas ofthe face or body.

• Moderate acne is made up of papules (raised red-dish bumps)or pustules (the same reddish bumps butwith white centres) that are widespread across the faceor body.

• Severe acne can cause large, deep, solid and pain-ful lumps or cysts under the skin. The breakouts coverlarge areas of the face or body and often stay formonths or years.

What can make acne worse?

Certain situations can make acne worse. Hormonalchanges such as menstruation or taking an oral contra-ceptive pill which is high in male hormones may makeacne worse.

Stress can exacerbate acne. So can certain medica-tions such as steroids and anticonvulsants. Oily cosmet-ics and working in hot and humid places with oil orgrease can make acne worse.

Myths About Acne

Many people believe that acne is made worse bycertain foods. There is no medical evidence to suggestthat this is the case.

Acne is not made worse by greasy hair on the face.Acne is not infectious, it cannot be caught.

Acne does not require a special diet though a healthywell balanced diet will generally make someone withacne feel better.

Adult Acne

Adult acne is not the same acne that affectsteenagers. Adult skin is drier and more fragile thanyounger skin which is oily. About 15 percent of womenin Australia have adult acne.

The cause of adult acne is not clear however adultacne has been linked to stress, family history, hor-mones and polycystic ovarian syndrome. Poor skin caremay also result in adult acne.

How is acne treated

The golden rule for treating acne is to leave the acnealone. Trying to remove black heads or to pick or

squeeze pimples is not recommended because this canmake the infection worse and make the acne scar. Gen-tle regular cleansing is advised and the avoidance ofregular scrubbing is recommended.

Cleansing should be with a mild skin cleanser forsensitive skin. The face should be cleansed twice a dayand the cleanser used to remove make up. Cleanserswith herbs, fragrances and vitamins should be avoided.

Creams or gels containing benzyl peroxide which canbe purchased over the counter at the chemist are use-ful for acne with blackheads. They get rid of bacteria onthe skin and make the top layer peel off. Caution needsto be exercised when using these creams or gels asthey may irritate the skin.

Benzyl peroxide can be used in combination with anantibiotic formulated for use on the skin. This formula-tion must be prescribed by a doctor.

Sometimes doctors will prescribe synthetic Vitamin Abased (retinoid) creams or gels. These creams makethe skin dry and peel.

Oral antibiotics can be used to treat acne. These areusually tetracyclines and must not be given to childrenunder twelve, (as they can discolour teeth), pregnantwomen or women planning a pregnancy as they canharm the baby. Women on the contraceptive pill mustexercise caution as the antibiotic may interfere with theabsorption of the pill and make the contraceptive pillless effective.

Some contraceptive pills can be use to treat acne.These are very low dose oestrogen and anti-androgencontraceptive pills.

On some occasions if the acne is severe and cysticthe doctor may need to refer the patient to a dermatol-ogist (skin specialist) who may prescribe a strongermedication isotretinoin. Isotretinoin is a retinoid whichinhibits sebaceous gland function and keratinisation.This medication works by unblocking and preventingfurther blockage of pores, reducing oil production andthe inflammation of acne. This medication is associatedwith a number of adverse effects and patients on thismedication are closely monitored. This medication canonly be prescribed by a skin specialist.

Remember acne usually gets better over time, how-ever if you are concerned about acne talk to your fam-ily doctor about the range of treatment options availableto treat acne.

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

HEALTHNEWSNEWS

WITH DR. THEO PENKLIS *

Warning over herbal remediesBy Danny Rose, Medical Writer - AAP

Herbal remedies can kill, says an Australian forensicpathologist, who warns against the "false perception" theyare "safer than manufactured medicines".

Professor Roger Byard, from the University of Adelaide,said the risk came not only from toxic substances found insome natural therapies but also from their problematicuse alongside conventional drugs.

St Johns Wort was known to reduce the effectiveness ofwarfarin, the drug which prevents blood clots from form-ing in people who have had a heart attack, Prof Byardsaid.

The popular herb could also cause bleeding in womentaking the oral contraceptive pill, he said.

"Herbal medicines are frequently mixed with standarddrugs, presumably to make them more effective," ProfByard said.

"This can also have devastating results."Other seemingly innocuous therapies - Borage Oil and

Evening Primrose Oil - were known to lower the seizurethreshold for epileptics while Gingko and garlic increasedthe risk of internal bleeding.

Prof Byard said many people who took complementarymedicines did not tell their doctor, despite the risks.

He also analysed 251 Asian herbal products found instores across the US and he found arsenic in 36 of them,

mercury in 35 and lead in 24 of the products.Prof Byard's paper, published in the Journal of Forensic

Sciences, includes cases of children who developed leadand arsenic poisoning after they were given complemen-tary medicines by well meaning parents.

"There's a false perception that herbal remedies aresafer than manufactured medicines, when in fact manycontain potentially lethal concentrations of arsenic, mercu-ry and lead," Prof Byard said.

"These substances may cause serious illnesses, exacer-bate pre-existing health problems or result in death, par-ticularly if taken in excess or injected rather than ingest-ed."

Prof Byard is calling on forensic pathologists to be morealert to the role that herbal therapies could play in unex-pected deaths.

Australians spend $2.5 billion on complementary thera-pies a year, according to the latest industry estimate.

The Complementary Health Care Council of Australiasaid therapies containing toxic substances were unlikelyto be made or sold within Australia though they wereavailable over the internet.

Executive director Dr Wendy Morrow also accused ProfByard of seeking to cause unnecessary alarm.

"I believe this is inflammatory and designed to causepanic," Dr Morrow told AAP.

She said information was available from complementa-ry medicine makers where there were potential drug-herbinteractions.

Consumers should always look for an "AUST L" or "AUSTR" number printed on the front of complementary medi-cine packaging, Dr Morrow said, as this showed it com-plied with standards set by the Therapeutic Goods Admin-istration.

"There is not a wide-held belief that complementarymedicines are 100 per cent safe," she also said.

"Every medicine has an effect on the body and so everymedicine should be treated with respect regardless ofwhether it is a pharmaceutical or a complementary medi-cine."

The Greek Australian VEMATO BHMA14/32 FEBRUARY 2010

CLINICAL INSIGHTS INTO HEALTH AND NATURAL SOLUTIONSBY CHRISTINA SCALONE*BHSc, Dip. Bot. Med, Dip.Hom, Dip. Nut

HEALTHY HEART 2

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the term used to des-cribe a number of conditions including heart attack andangina (chest pain), stroke, high blood pressure, blood clot-ting and other heart and blood vessel disorders.Cardiovascular disease is the number one cause of deathin western countries. Heart disease in Australia claimedthe lives of 45,670 people in 2006. Around 3.7 millionAustralians are affected by heart disease.

What causes cardiovascular disease?

The major preventable risk factors for CVD are:• Tobacco smoking• High blood pressure• High blood cholesterol• Insufficient physical activity• Excess weight and obesity• Poor diet and diabetes

Some risk factors that we cannot change are -• Age - the older you are, the greater the risk• Male sex - women are at lower risk beforemenopause

• Family history - especially heart disease in aclose relative under 55 years old.

The risk strongly increases with age and is higher formen and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Aftermenopause, women are just as likely to develop cardio-vascular disease as men. New research suggests thatother factors including depression and social factors mayalso play a role.

In addition to these well-accepted major risk factorsthere are other factors that have been shown, in somecases, to be more significant than the “major” risk fac-tors. They are:

• Low antioxidant status - Antioxidant nutrients (such as beta-carotene, selenium, vitamin E, vita-min C and grape seed block the formation of damaging compounds caused by toxins like cig-arette smoke. These damaging compounds accelerate the process of atherosclerosis.• Low levels of essential fatty acids (like omega-3 oils) - Omega-3 fatty acids lower the levels of cholesterol, inhibit excessive platelet aggregation(explained below), and lower blood pressure in individuals with high blood pressure.• Low levels of magnesium and potassium - Magnesium and potassium are essential to the

proper functioning of the entire cardiovascular system. • Increased platelet aggregation (excessive stickiness)- that can lead to clot formation• Increased fibrinogen formation - Fibrinogen is a protein involved in the clotting system, excess of which can promote atherosclerosis.• Elevated levels of homocysteine. Homocysteineis thought to promote atherosclerosis by directlydamaging the artery and reducing the integrity of the vessel wall.

Diagnostic and therapeutic considerations:Individuals who are suspected of having any heart dis-

ease should have an extensive cardiovascular evaluation,including-

• A complete physical examination• An electrocardiogram• An echocardiogram• Laboratory tests-

- Total cholesterol- LDL cholesterol- HDL cholesterol- Lipoprotein (a)- Fibrinogen- Homocysteine- Ferritin

• Exercise stress test

The key point in regard to heart disease is that athero-sclerosis is largely a disease of diet and lifestyle.Therefore by developing healthy habits, the process ofatherosclerosis can be delayed significantly.

Reducing the risk of heart disease and strokes involvesreducing and when possible eliminating various risk fac-tors associated with premature death due to these condi-tions.

How can I reduce the risk of cardiovascular dis-ease?

• STOP SMOKINGSmoking can double the risk of heart attack orstroke and is the leading cause of cardiovasculardisease. Smoking damages the inside of bloodvessel walls. Cholesterol and other materials thenaccumulate at damaged areas and blood vesselsclog up. Smoking lowers the good cholesterol HDL(high density lipoprotein, good cholesterol) whileraising blood pressure and heart rate andincreases the chances of developing diabetes.The good news is that it is never too late to stopsmoking. Cessation reduces the risk of a heartattack by 50 per cent in the first years after ces-sation, the risk is similar to that of a non-smoker.So quit today! Call Quitline on 131 848 or ask yourpractitioner for helpful advice.

• REDUCE HIGH BLOOD PRESSUREHigh blood pressure (hypertension) is a risk fac-tor for both stroke and coronary artery disease.The optimum blood pressure in adults is 120/80.The four critical factors to address are exercise,weight loss, reduced alcohol and salt intake andstress reduction. Several herbs and nutrients maybe helpful. Ask your practitioner about which aremost suitable for you.

• REDUCE HIGH CHOLESTEROLCholesterol is transported around the body bycarriers called lipoproteins. The bad cholesterol,LDL (low density lipoprotein) is responsible forcarrying cholesterol into the blood vessels. HDL(good cholesterol) transports cholesterol out ofthe blood stream and into the liver for further pro-cessing and elimination.

• REDUCE HOMOCYSTEINE LEVELSHomocysteine is a toxic byproduct of cell metab-olism. It can damage the lining of blood vesselsand contributes to clogging of arteries. Elevated

levels of homocysteine in the blood are associat-ed with increased risk of heart disease. VitaminB6, B12 and folic acid are essential for metabo-lism and clearance of homocysteine.

Dietary and life-style modification recommendations:

• Eat plenty of whole-grain cereals, fruit, vegeta-bles and fish (or take fish oil supplement).Antioxidants help protect against the oxidation ofblood fats. Eat brightly coloured fruit and vegeta-bles each day for essential antioxidant nutrients.Include plenty of garlic in cooking and drinkgreen tea regularly.• Follow a Mediterranean-style diet to improvevascular health and reduce the risk of high bloodpressure. The Mediterranean diet is rich in cere-als, fruits, vegetables, nuts, whole grains, fishand olive oil; and low in animal fats. Researchshows this diet may have benefits for arthritis,Alzheimer’s disease, heart health and bloodpressure, diabetes, asthma, lung disease andallergies.• Walnuts have been shown to lower cholesteroland should be added to any diet. Soy beans alsohave well documented benefits in adults such asreducing LDL, total cholesterol and blood fats.• Soluble fibre can help lower LDL cholesterol,while maintaining HDL cholesterol. Soluble fibreis found in fruit and vegetables, legumes, somecereals (e.g. oats, barley), flaxseed, psyllium,slippery elm, inulin, acacia and pectin. A combi-nation of fibres is more beneficial than using asingle fibre.Ø Reduce coffee - in large amounts, coffee canelevate cholesterol. This has been observed in astudy done by New England Journal of Medicine.Ø Avoid foods with high sugar content, like icecream, cookies, pie, cake, etc. Also avoid refinedcereals, white bread, and soft drinks. Ø Consume less saturated fat and cholesterolby reducing or eliminating the amounts of animalproducts in your diet, with the exception of cold-water fish.Ø Increase the consumption of fibre-rich plantfoods - fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes, andraw nuts and seeds.Ø Do not eat fast/fried food (because of highfat content). Fried foods contain high amount ofcholesterol. Also, high temperatures used fordeep-frying results into toxic chemicals (whichare called free radicals) causing damage to thewalls of blood vessels and produce other dis-eases including cancer. Most stable oil for cook-ing and frying is extra virgin oil only, and use onlyonce for frying. Do not re-heat as this producesfree radicals. Ø Olive oil, a basic constituent of the Mediterra-nean diet, is preferable to all other oil. It is rich inomega-3 fats, antioxidants and has anti-inflam-matory properties. Ø Use of margarine or vegetable shorteningshould be kept to a minimum or better avoided,because they contain compounds called transfatty acids that become oxidised when heatedduring processing of margarine, etc, can clog theblood vessels and lead to heart disease.Ø One or two glasses of red wine with yourmeals is helpful in lowering high blood pressureas red wine has lots of antioxidants and is alsorelaxing. But remember no more than two glass-es per day!Ø The importance of fruits and vegetables richin antioxidants cannot be stressed enough. Alldark coloured veggies and fruits, chilies, greentea, garlic, onions, ginger and spices in generalare good.Ø Garlic, onions and ginger also helps to pre-vent clotting and lowers cholesterol.

The Greek Australian VEMA TO BHMA 15/33FEBRUARY 2010

Cont. from previous page

Ø Control elevated blood sugar. Diabetes in-creases the risk of cardiovascular disease andoften exits with other factors including high bloodpressure, obesity, elevated blood clotting factors,high cholesterol and high C-reactive protein (asign of inflammation). There are many herbs andnutrients available to manage healthy glucosemetabolism including Green Coffee, Bitter melon,Gymnema, chromium, magnesium, zinc andbiotin.Ø Maintain a healthy weight. Obesity is associ-ated with many cardiovascular disorders. TheHeart foundation recommends a waist measure-ment of - 94 cm for males and - 80 cm forfemales with a BMI (Body mass index) of 18.5 -24.9.Ø Remember to chew your food properly. Al-monds are an important snack food. Thoroughchewing of a handful of almonds has been shownto increase absorption of unsaturated fats andsuppress hunger for longer. Around 25 chews isbest.Ø Stay happy. Anger, hostility, depression, anx-iety, stress and lack of social support have allbeen associated with increased risk of cardiovas-cular disease. Take time off, have a massage, joina social club, play a sport, take up dancing, spendtime with friends and family and enjoy time out-doors among nature. For stress management, askyour practitioner about herbal treatments such asWithania or Rhodiola.Ø Exercise. Lack of regular physical activity dou-bles the risk of coronary heart disease. Regularexercise increases HDL (good cholesterol), lowershigh blood pressure, maintains healthy weight,enhances smoking cessation, improves insulinsensitivity and makes you happier! Exercise for30 min on most days or everyday of the week.

Nutritional supplements:• High potency vitamin and mineral formula -Specifically important are folic acid, vitamin B12and vitamin B6, as they help to lower the levelsof homocysteine.• Vitamin C -• Vitamin E - vitamin C and E, both are verystrong antioxidants, protects heart and bloodvessels.• Flax-seed oil - Flaxseed is a rich source ofalpha linolenic acid (ALA), fibre and lignans.Studies have shown ground flaxseed to reducelipoprotein (a) and improve insulin sensitivity inadults with high level blood fats.• Fish oils- Oily fish and omega 3 fish oil cap-sules may lower blood fats, reduce blood pres-sure, and reduce risk of most forms of cardio-vascular disease. The Heart Foundation recom-mends daily consumption of 1 g EPA(Eicosapentanoic acid) and DHA (Docosahexanoicacid), both found in fish; plus more than 2 galpha linolenic acid (ALA) the oil found inflaxseed.• Coenzyme Q10- It is important for all types ofheart disease. Coenzyme Q10 is stored in theheart, liver and kidneys. Studies have shown thatsupplementation with CoQ10 may lower highblood pressure without significant side-effectsand can be used safely with blood pressuremedication. People taking statin drugs tocontrol their high cholesterol are advisedto take CoQenzyme Q10 as statins cancause deficiency of this important nutri-ent.• Minerals - magnesium and potassium -Several studies show that increased potassiumintake is associated with decreased risk ofstroke and that potassium may lower bloodpressure. Potassium is found in all vegetables.Taking a magnesium supplement may helplower blood pressure even in people with nor-mal magnesium levels. It is important to get themineral balance right. For example calcium sup-plementation without magnesium may increase

the risk of forming a blood clot (thrombosis).• Vitamin K1 (found in green leafy vegetables)may show hardening of the arteries in peoplewith atherosclerosis. A good multivitamin withvitamin K has also been shown to reduce theprogression of calcification in the arteries of theheart.

Botanical medicines:• Hawthorn - (Crategus spp.)- is a general hearttonic, as it has antioxidant and anti-inflammatoryproperties.• Grape seed extract - is richest in flavonoids,which helps to support your blood vessels. • Dan Shen (Salvia miltiorrhiza) - • Valerian (Valerian officinalis) -• Coleus (Coleus forskohlii) -

[Antioxidants, in general also have anti-ageing prop-erty.]

Please refer to previous articles on Diabetes,Cholesterol and High Blood Pressure for moreinformation.Please consult your health care practitioner forproper nutritional and naturopathic support forany condition as some nutritional supplements andherbal remedies can interact with conventionaldrugs.

* Christina Scalone is a very experienced and successful naturopath with over20 years experience. She holds a Degree in Health Sciences, a Diploma inBotanical Medicine, Diploma in Homoeopathy and a Diploma in Nutrition. Shehas maintained a full time practice, has held a position as a senior practitioner/naturopathic consultant, a clinic manager and trainer for Blackmores and is aclinic student supervisor as well as a lecturer at the Australian College of NaturalTherapies. She also maintains her own private practice with successful results.

Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia

ST IOANNIS GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH celebrating 50 years: 1960 - 2010

11 Hassal St, PARRAMATTA, NSW 2150

Parish Priest: Fr Dimitri Kokkinos, ph.: 0418 298197, hm (02) 9740 8888, email: fr.dimitri@orthodoxresources.org www.stioannis.org

Tuesday 23rd February, 2010 Theoretical Foundations for Good Parenting

(An important lecture that will lay foundations for the subsequent more practical sessions)

Tuesday 2nd March, 2010 Parenting: Practical Aspects

(Communication, Self esteem, Decision Making, Parental Expectations, etc)

Tuesday 9th March, 2010 Parenting: Practical Aspects (Discipline, Sibling Rivalry, etc)

Tuesday 16th March, 2010

Parenting: Our Orthodox Church’s Perspective (How to help our children become spiritually healthy)

All sessions 7pm (sharp) till 8.30pm, in the Church hall of St Ioannis, 11 Hassall St, Parramatta

There will be a lecture, then refreshments, then your questions to a panel. Child minding will be available in the playgroup area under the hall.

No fees.

Speakers and Panel: Deacon and Dr George Liangas, Greek Orthodox Deacon and Psychiatry registrar

specializing in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Maria Petrohilos, Psychologist , Greek Welfare Centre Dr John Psaromatis, GP and President of Greek Orthodox Christian Society Presvitera and Dr Thekla Kokkinos, Career Medical Officer, St John of God Private

Psychiatric Hospital Fr and Dr Dimitri Kokkinos, Parish Priest, St Ioannis

All sessions 7pm (sharp) till 8.30pm,in the Church hall of St Ioannis, 11 Hassall St, Parramatta

The Greek Australian VEMATO BHMA16/34 FEBRUARY 2009

Archaeology

One glance at the stout towers and highdefensive walls of Ancient Messene, in thesouthwest of the Peloponnese, leads to therealization that the massively fortifiedClassical and Hellenistic city had some-thing great to fear.

Located about 25 kilometers northwestof modern Kalamata, Ancient Messene layin the region of Mes-senia - a large, fertiledistrict that constituted a desirable hinter-land for powerful neighboring Sparta. Al-though separated by Mount Taygetos,Messene and Sparta had close ties - notas friendly allies but as longstanding ad-versaries.

The Spartans, wishing to dominate thegreater region, set about subjugatingMessenia in the early centuries of the IronAge (10th-7th centuries BC).

The Messenians, however, were an in-dependent people, aggressive and warlikein their own right, who resented the sub-servient role that required them to provideregular tribute and military service to theirSpartan masters.

The Messenians, along with similarlysubjugated peoples in Sparta’s own homeregion of Laconia, were known as “helots.”Messenian helots were more resistant toSpartan domination than their Laconiancounterparts but all helots were consid-ered suspicious by the Spartans -who reg-ularly took measures to keep them su-pressed and obedient.

Nevertheless, Messenian hunger forself-determination burned on, resulting inseveral historically recorded revolts in thelate 8th, 7th, and 6th centuries BC. Contin-uous Messenian aggression, according tocontemporary specialists, directly led tothe Spartans’ characteristic embrace ofstrict military discipline and rigorous train-ing. In short, the Messenians forced theSpartans to become the supremely toughwarriors they are still renowned as.

After another uprising of many years,beginning in 464 BC, the Spartans finallyoverran the Messenians and forced theminto exile.

The Athenians, who helped the Messeni-ans to resettle in Nafpaktos and later onCephalonia, benefited in return fromMessenian assistance during the humiliat-ing defeat of Spartan hoplites at Pylos in425 BC. Thanks to such continuing ten-sions, the Messenians were unable to re-turn to their native territory until 369 BC,when the Theban general Epaminondas re-established them in the newly founded cityof Messene. The rich archaeological site ofMessene now evident today representsone of the best- preserved late Classicaland Hellenistic cities in Greece.

Excavations at Messene, conductedsince 1987 by Petros Themelis, professorof Classical archaeology at the Universityof Crete, have revealed and re-corded theextensive remains of an elaborate citynestled against the slopes of MountIthome.

The fortification walls, augmented by nu-merous towers and gates, are preservedto a length of 9.5 kilometers. Themelis’sinvestigations ha-ve focused particularlyon the Asclepeion (a grouping of buildingsdedicated to Asclepius) and other struc-tures composing the heart of the city, in-cluding a theater, gymnasium, stadium andpalaestra.

The Asclepeion was originally adornedwith more than 100 bronze and stone stat-ues, most of them depicting political fig-ures. On all four sides of this square spacewere Corinthian-style stoas (colonnades),with a large Doric temple of Asclepius inthe center.

Apparently not a place of mass healinglike the sanctuary of Asclepius at Epidau-ros, the Asclepeion at Messene was in-stead an art gallery and public meeting

place adjacent to the city’s central squareand marketplace (agora) next door. Largechambers to the east of the Asclepeioncontained the Ekklesiasterion (a small the-ater-like assembly hall for political gather-ings, plays and musical performances),bouleuterion (a council hall for meetings ofrepresentatives of Messenian cities) andan archive.

Opposite the Ekklesiasterion on the As-clepeion’s western side stood a series ofniches that represented small shrines orsanctuaries, including one dedicated toArtemis.

Preservation of Ancient Messene’s ex-tensive architectural remains is well underway, with the consolidation of walls, re-spositioning of displaced blocks, re-erec-tion of columns and partial restoration ofkey features already having been accom-plished. A protective shelter was erectedover the Artemision in 1990.

Especially impressive now is the Ascle-peion complex and the ancient city’s forti-fications, whose reassembly and partialrestoration during the period 2003-05were done under the supervision of archi-tect Eleni Anna Chlepa.

Themelis’s ongoing excavations, under

the auspices of the Archaeological Societyof Athens, have also uncovered the intrigu-ing traces of city streets laid out orthogo-nally, public fountains, monumental gate-ways, a bath complex, small outlying shri-nes and a residential quarter with at leasttwo basilicas belonging to early Christianswho inhabited the site in the 5th- 7th cen-turies AD.

Most recently, archaeologists have dis-covered a large, round colonnaded struc-ture 10 meters in diameter that Themelishas postulated may have been a Hellenis-tic temple to Aphrodite destroyed by anearthquake in AD 375.

A second circular Romanera structurewith mosaic floors has also been revealedin the latest investigations, which have in-cluded further excavation of the 186- me-ter-long north stoa within the city’s largeagora.

The discovery of five further statue ba-ses in this last area offers additional proofthat Messene, despite its position in theshadow of Sparta, was once an elegant,powerful, thriving city whose inhabitantscherished their hard-won freedom.

ATHENSPLUS

Messene: A free-spirited city in the shadow of SpartaAt the foot of Mount Ithome, this vast, fertile region was once coveted by powerful

rivals on the other side of Mt Taygetos

Excavations by Petros Themelis revealed, among other things, a stadium, a palaestra and a theatre.

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You have been to more than halfof the roughly 195 countries inthe world. How did it all begin?

Many people would love to beable to travel as much as you butthe financial implications arerestrictive. How do you do it?

How long does it take to plan ajourney?

Some of the places you have visit-ed are considered dangerous des-tinations. Were you ever in a situ-ation that made you feel uncom-fortable or unsafe?

When you nearly lose your life,what is it that still makes thetraveling worth it?

Does it ever get lonely?

Have you ever been tempted notto come back?

How do you get by with the lan-guage barrier?

What’s the most useful thing youcan have with you when you’retraveling?

What do you get out of it all?

The Greek Australian VEMA TO BHMA 17/35FEBRUARY 2010

Travel

BY H. ARGYROPOULOS

From the highway some 80kilometers south of the legend-rich city of Ioannina in westernGreece, travelers have a some-what uninviting picture of the re-gion’s second-largest city, Arta:a “forest” of apartment blocks.

However, Arta - and its broad-er district - deserves a closerlook, not only for its rich histori-cal past but also for its own fairshare of legend.

The “forest,” for a start, is in-terspersed with plenty of antiq-uities, sitting on the site of An-cient Amvrakia, whose extantruins include a small theaterwith a perfectly rounded orches-tra, the Doric Temple of Apollo

Pythios Soter and ancient ce-meteries. The ancient city, who-se most impressive remains areits castle and fortification walls(“Rizokastro”) (open 8.30 a.m. to3 p.m. daily) - built using hugeboulders and added on by theByzantines - was praised by Ar-istotle for its system of govern-ment. It had a model town plan -probably better than the moderncity - and its own mint. King Pyr-rhus of Epirus made it his capitalin 295 BC before launching hisquestionably successful cam-paigns against the Romans. Thelatter eventually sacked the cityin the 2nd century BC (and mostof its inhabitants were forciblytransferred to neighboring Nico-polis).

But Arta’s best surviving land-mark and claim to fame is themedieval stone bridge over theArachthos River, originally builton the foundations of an ancientbridge in the 13th century whenthe city was the capital of a By-zantine principality.

The largest of its four archescollapsed and had to be rebuiltin the 17th century under the Ot-tomans.

According to legend, severalattempts failed before the des-perate masterbuilder decided tomake the ultimate sacrifice forthe project to succeed:

He slew his beautiful wife.Modern Arta is a bustling citythat has acquired new luster andambience in recent years withthe pedestrianization of much ofits center. Its historical monu-ments, particularly several im-pressive churches, attest to itsflourishing past. The Byzantineprincipality of the Despotate of

Epirus was a cosmopolitan cen-ter that attracted fugitive schol-ars and artists, princesses anddiplomats, brokers and traders.The 13th-century fort is one ofthe best preserved in Greece.The old cathedral of thePanaghia Parigoritissa Monaste-ry, now a museum, is an impos-

ing and impressive example ofByzantine architecture. The com-mercial center has a relaxed at-mosphere, attracting peoplefrom the wider district whocome to shop and be seen. Inthe side streets, where tradition-al houses sit alongside modernapartment blocks, the keen ex-plorer will find rare gems in theantique shops.

South of the city, the Amvra-kikos, or Ambracian, Gulf is oneof Greece’s most important nat-ural habitats, with three lagoonswhich are a breeding ground formore than 280 bird species andhost fish-farming installations,

as well as a few dozen buffalos.At Kopraina, Arta’s old exportharbor, the restored buildingshost two museums - of NaturalHistory and of Fisheries - aswell as the Arachthos Environ-mental Educational Center. Themuseums exhibit a variety ofboats and specimens of most ofthe species of flora and faunathat live in the gulf. Opposite theenvironmental center is the oldlighthouse - now a “LighthouseKeeper’s Museum.” The road tothe lighthouse affords a won-derful view of the gulf.

Fifteen minutes by car north ofthe city, near Ammotopos, is An-

cient Orraon, a ruined fort withpanoramic views and ancienthouses with only the roofs miss-ing. Further north is the impres-sive Roman aqueduct near Aghi-os Georgios, past Filippiada.Northeast of Arta and and theRiver Arachthos is the lush andmountainous district of Tzou-merka, populated mostly bystock-farming communities.

Voulgareli, some 60 km fromArta at 800 meters above sealevel, is a village hub in the area,with some shops, tavernas andthree guesthouses. Go there andlisten to the silence.

Where to stayVyzantino (tel 26810.52202-10):

fourstar hotel in Filothei, 5 kilometersfrom Arta, comfortable rooms andByzantine-style deco in the public ar-eas, from 95 euros; Arta Palace (tel26810.61530): four-star, 5 kilometersfrom Arta, 10 kilometers from thebeach, has spa, swimming pool, con-ference center; Xenia Frourio (tel26810.27413): three-star, on thebeach, with basketball and tenniscourts. In Voulgareli: Archontiko VillaSofia (tel 26850.22713/22735), done-up guesthouse; Panthoron (tel 26850-22251), studios; Galini Hotel (tel 268-50.22380), small hotel with views.

Transport Arta is 367 kilometers from Athens

via the highway to Patra and the Rio-Antirio bridge. The alternative route,via Trikala, Pyli and Mesohora fromthe northeast, is longer and windingbut one of the most scenic in thecountry. After Pyli, the road passesthrough the verdant valleys of theAcheloos River and its tributaries.There are eight intercity (KTEL) bus de-partures from Athens daily (LiosionStreet station, tel 210.513.3139) andthe journey takes 5 hours, 30 minutes.The distance from Thessaloniki is 440kilometers via Ioannina (3 hours, 30minutes).

Where to eatProtomastoras (17 Thiakoyianni, tel26810.75686): excellent stuffed porkfillet and mezes with ouzo; Al Mama(72 Vas. Constantinou): Mediterraneancuisine in a welcoming ambience; Εiri-ni Tasiou, in Voulgareli, for classicGreek dishes, pies and grilled meats;Costas Ploumis and Thomas Plevris, inVoulgareli, for roasted and grilledmeats; for fresh fish go south to thetavernas at Koronisia. Night owlsshould check out Vegera (20 K.Aitolou), the trendiest bar in the area,as well as Kapote (1 Ag. Constanti-nou), which has novel décor and goodmusic.

What to seeThe city’s oldest neighborhood,

Aghios Nikolaos; the Folk and HistoryMuseum opposite Panaghia Parigori-tissa; the 9 km stretch between thebridges of Politsa and Plaka over theArachthos River is very popular withrafters, contact Trekking Hellas (tel69728.87860) or Via Natura (tel 268-50.31200), which also offers a varietyof alternative sports. March 11 is thefete of patron saint Aghia Theodora.Listen to traditional Greek music atNeon in Monopoliou Square (tel 268-10.79039) and Aeriko in the Baikousiarea (tel 26810.74116).

21 3 4

ArtaIt might not catch the eye at first sight but this area of Epirus is steeped in history

Bridge to another world

The Greek Australian VEMATO BHMA18/36 FEBRUARY 2010

Arts, Food & WineEarly Music and the spread

of non-Western Music

Editor: Imogen Coward

By Imogen Coward

The early music movement, which became prominentthroughout Western academia in the 1970s in particular,has helped to revive lost, and semi-lost music, musical in-struments and performance practices making them famil-iar to modern audiences. If you have ever heard arecorder consort or the sounds of a harpsichord, viola dagamba or a theorbo, it is largely thanks to this movement.Historically, the early music movement has been associat-ed with a number of musicians and musicologists who as-pired to faithfully re-create every detail of how a com-poser heard his work in his time, primarily through usingthe same instruments and performance practices. Buthow can you faithfully re-create a performance, for ex-ample, from 17th century Europe? Where are you going tofind a genuine 17th century audience, capable of listeningand applauding, to go with your genuine performance?!Following much heated debate amongst both musicolo-gists and performers, this aim has been watered downand is not so much of a priority today. We can’t changethe fact that we are products of our time and also that, inreality, the early music movement is very much a 20th-

21st century phenomenon. The early music movement, however, has given a new

lease of life to old-fashioned instruments, with the legacyof the investigations into the history of early music settlinginto a trend more characterised by an aim to create ‘his-torically informed’ performances. Essentially, this is wherethe musicians undertake to interpret and perform workswith some awareness of how a particular piece of musicwas approached and performed in its own time, includingwhat instruments would have been used. The piano as weknow it today, with it’s iron frame, felt hammers and large,full sound, for example, did not exist during Johann Se-bastian Bach’s lifetime (1685-1750). Using an historicallyinformed approach to music means that if you attend aperformance of works by Bach, chances are it won’t beperformed on a modern piano, or if you go to an opera byHandel staged in one of the major opera houses more of-ten than not you’ll find the orchestra is playing on ‘periodinstruments’, that is, the instruments used in Handel’stime.

Although the early music movement is often associatedwith European Art Music of the Baroque period and earli-er, the movement and in particular the early music spe-cialist Jordi Savall is helping not only to cross the bound-aries of time between the present and the past, but alsoto bridge cultural divides. Savall, a noted academic and

leading player of the viol family (pre-cursors of the mod-ern violin, viola and ’cello) and his ensemble HesperionXXI perform and record a wide range of music fromaround the world, bringing Western and non-Westernrhythms, sounds and instruments to a wider audience.

Alongside a number of European classics such asMozart’s Eine Kleine Nacht Musik recorded by Savall’s en-semble, many of the recordings sold on his Alia Vox label,are of special interest to those who are interested inMediterranean, Middle Eastern and Sephardic music. Inparticular, the Ninna Nanna CD (AV 9826), with vocals per-formed by Savall’s wife Montserrat Figueras, contains a s-election of lullabies from around the world, includingGreece (the Aegean), which date from 1500 to 2002. Dias-pora Sefardi (AV 9809 - 2 CDs) is also of special interestfor the recordings of Greek ballads that were adapted bythe Sephardic communities, while Istanbul (AVSA9870)contains a mixture of works by Dimitrie Cantemir (1673-1723, a composer, Moldavian prince, a one time hostageof and, later, envoy to the Ottomans) as well as Armenianand Sephardic tunes. An added bonus is that each record-ing comes with detailed historical notes concerning all theworks performed. The Alia Vox CDs are available frommany record and book stores including Fish Fine Music inSydney, and also online at www.alia-vox.com.

Écoutez!Arts Review

Super-Fast fruit pastries

If you’re pressed for time these pastries are theperfect solution. These tasty treats use commerciallyprepared ingredients that you can store in yourkitchen for extended periods. Assembly is easierthan boiling an egg and takes about the sameamount of time (5 minutes) plus the extra 20 minutescooking time is just long enough to put your feet upand relax!

Makes 27 small pastries.

Ingredients:500g or 3 medium sized sheets, frozen butter puff

pastry (Pampas comes in a pack of 3 pre-preparedsheets)

410g Jar Fruit Mince (Robertson’s works well - ifyou can find it)

1/4 cup milkicing sugar to dust

Method:

Pre-heat oven to 220 degrees Celsius. Lightlygrease one extra large baking tray (or two medium-large trays). Remove puff pastry from the freezerand allow it to defrost. Cut each pastry into squares(approximately 3inches x 3inches) - if you’re usingpampas you will get 9 squares per sheet (3x3). Placeone teaspoon of the fruit mince in the centre of eachsquare. Then take one corner of the square and foldit over to touch the opposite corner (making a trian-gle). Pinch together the two layers of pastry on theshortest sides of the triangle, then curl it over andpinch again to make a good seal. Place each triangleon the tray, leaving some room between each. Brushthe pastries lightly with milk then bake in the oven forapproximately 15-20mins or until golden brown. Re-move from oven and immediately remove pastriesfrom the tray (use a slide) and place them on a cool-ing rack. Pastries may be served hot, or, allow themto cool then dust lightly with icing sugar. Pastrieskeep for approximately one day (if they don’t get eat-en first!). I.C.

FFoooodd && WWiinnee

The Greek Fiddler complete editionselected and arranged by Edward Huws Jones

(Boosey & Hawkes, 2008)

This collection of sheet music contains a selectionof some the most popular Greek folk tunes includingzeibekikos, samiotissa, rethemniotiko pentozali, bour-novalios syrtos, and other tunes from the Greek main-land, islands and diaspora. The arrangements are forsolo violin with optional violin accompaniment, easyviolin, guitar (chord charts), and piano accompanimentparts. Although the collection unfortunately doesn’t in-clude lyrics, it does provide brief notes in English,French and German about the origin of each song col-lected and arranged by Edward Huws Jones, and isalso illustrated throughout with photographs. Wellworth adding to the collection of any musician or mu-sic student. The Greek Fiddler complete edition retailsin Australia for around $50 and is available throughgood sheet-music stores or online from the publish-ers www.boosey.com

I.C.

JANUARY 2010 Tel. (02) 9559 7022 Fax: (02) 9559 7033 E-mail: vema@bigpond.net.au

THE GREEK AUSTRALIAN

VEMAThe oldestcirculating

Greeknewspaper

outsideGreece

Northern DramaThis Macedonian district boasts stunning

forestland and rare natural habitats.

LLii ffee iinn AAuusstt rraall iiaa :: rreepprroodduucciinngg aa cc llaassss iiccPAGE 18/36

Scripture Lessons in schools start again in 2010

In February Scripture Teaching will again be-gin in State Schools of New South Wales.

PAGE 4/22

Acropolis destructions

With the recently completed restoration ofseveral columns in the Propylaia, the AthenianAcropolis now looks more like it did in Peri-cles’ day than it has in many centuries.

PAGE 14/32

PAGE 17/35

Australia-born

World

traveler

Kostas Mitsakis

talks

about riding

around

the globe

on a

motorcycle

PAGE 15/33

Rescuers are racing against the clockto find survivors among thousands ofcorpses in quake-hit Haiti, as plane-loads of international aid began arriv-ing in the ruined nation.

With officials warning the overalldeath toll may top 100,000, there werefears that desperate Haitians, alreadyliving in one of the world’s poorest na-tions, will soon fall prey to hunger anddisease.

The stench from rows of unclaimedrotting corpses began to hang over thecapital Port-au-Prince, as the interna-tional aid operation led by the UnitedNations and the United States swunginto place.

A planeload of 50 Chinese soldiersflew into the capital’s airport at firstlight bringing with them three snifferdogs, swiftly followed by two teams ofFrench firefighters also backed bytrained dogs.

“People throughout the world want tohelp,” UN chief Ban Ki-moon said, ashe also revealed that 36 UN staff had

been killed in Tuesday’s (12/1) 7.0quake, in the worst disaster ever forthe global body. (Cont. p. 9/27)

110000,,000000 FEARED DEADin horrific Haiti quake

Injured people sit alongDelmas road the day afterthe earthquake struck Port-au-Prince (AP Photo/JorgeCruz)

The Greek Australian

VEMAThe oldest circulating

Greek newspaper outside Greece

Tel: (02) 9559 7022 Fax: (02) 9559 7033Email: vema@bigpond.net.au

The Greek Australian VEMA TO BHMA 19/37FEBRUARY 2010

Gone are the days when parents had only Catholic orAnglican school from which to choose if they wanted theirchildren to have an education based on a religious faith.

Today more than 85 per cent of independent schoolsare faith-based and although more are still Anglican orCatholic, there is an increasingly varied number of reli-gions now represented, including Jewish, Greek Orthodox,Baptist and Islamic.

“According to surveys of parents that have been con-ducted over many years, one of the most common rea-sons for choosing a faith-based school is that the valuesalign closely with the family’s values framework,” the ex-ecutive director of the Association of Independent Schoolsof NSW, Dr Geoff Newcombe, says.

“While this is usually related to the particular faith or re-ligion of the family, it is also common for families withoutstrong religious views to choose faith-based school be-cause they are comfortable with the focus on what theyconsider to be ‘universal’ values. It is not unusual for chil-dren from a non-Christian background to attend a schoolthat is considered Christian in some way.”

“The principal of William Carey Christian School in south-west Sydney, Ian Make, says the school’s open enrolmentpolicy has meant it attracts two sets of people.

“Obviously we have Christian families coming here forthe prime reason that the beliefs and values they instil athome will be consistent with the messages from school.

And because of our enrolment policy, we also havefamilies from different faiths, like Hindu, and Muslim, whooften come here because of our values or morals - theyare happy with the Christian ethos,” Wake says.

“We have students from all faiths so we treat them withintegrity. We don’t make all kids pray and when we teachthe Bible we tell them to make the decisions about whatthey believe themselves.”

The principal of All Saints Greek Orthodox GrammarSchool in Belmore, Anthony Tsoutsa, says although most ofhis students come from a Greek Orthodox background,between 5 per cent and 8per cent are neither Greek norfollowers of the Orthodox faith.

“Because the faith is Greek Orthodox, most of our pop-

ulation tend to be Greek Orthodox. For parents, they seethe school as extending the family’s customs and beliefsand in our curriculum students have the benefit of learningabout their faith, recognising their traditions and under-standing that,” Tsoutsa says.

“Considering most of our families are second-, third,-and fourth-generation Greek, many of them are youngparents who may not have had the opportunity of attend-ing this type of school when they were growing up and,as parents themselves, now they see that their past isvery important.”

Although faith is one of the most important reasons forparents in choosing a school, Tsoutsa says another factoris the pastoral care and sense of community, which is im-portant to families because they know when children havedone something wrong we will not be shy in saying thatand ensuring that the children account for their behaviour,”he says.

A MATTER OF SHARED VALUES

Knowing her children are being taught the same valuesat school as they are at home is important for Soula Stil-lianesis. And being able to keep her three children -Samantha, 14, Georgia, 11, and Alexander, 8 - at the sameschool for their secondary education is a bonus.

The Stillianesis children are students at the All SaintsGreek Orthodox Grammar School in Belmore.

“I think we generally wanted a school that held the samebeliefs as us - Greek Orthodox - which would be an ex-tension of our family and what we were teaching them athome,” Stillianesis says.

“We also loved the fact that the class numbers weresmaller and all the children were familiar with each other.It is very family-oriented... plus it is a co-educationalschool which meant with our family it could cater for allthe kids.”

She says the structured rules of the school were also anattraction.

SYDNEY MORNING HERALD (4/2/2010)

Beliefs continue in classroomKeeli Cambourne discovers how faith is a significant

factor for parents deciding on a school

School Captain of St Euphemia

College receives Young Citizen

of the Year award

Bankstown's local Australia Day celebrationsfor 2010 began with the announcement of theCity's Australia Day Award winners.

Bankstown City Council honoured those whohave made outstanding contributions to the com-munity with the presentation of five prestigiousawards recognising the invaluable work of indi-viduals and organisations within the Bankstownarea.

Every year for over 26 years, Bankstown Coun-cil has presented Australia Day awards to com-mitted community members.

"Australia Day is a national day of pride, atheme that resonates strongly throughout our city.As Mayor I am always thrilled to celebrate localachievements," said Bankstown's Mayor, ClrTania Mihailuk.

This year's Australia Day Awards included fivecategories - Citizen of the Year, Young Citizen ofthe Year, Community Services Award for an Indi-vidual, Community Services Award for an Organ-isation, and Sports Award.

Amongst this year's award recipients wasSophia Komarkowski, who has received theYoung Citizen of the Year award.

Sophia was 2009 School Captain of St Eu-phemia College, member of the Student Repre-sentative Council and Peer Support Leader andhas participated in many fundraisers includingRed Nose Day, Genes for Jeans Day, BandagedBear Day, Daffodil Day, and the Cancer Council.

It is through her dedication and hard work thatshe was awarded the Order of Australia Medal-lion and a Certificate of Commendation in recog-nition of her services to the community by HerExcellency Governor of NSW, Professor MarieBashir at Government House in November 2009.

Additionally, she was awarded the State Parlia-ment School and Community Service Award eachyear from 2004 through to 2008 and was pre-sented with the Pierre de Coubertin Award in2008 from the Australian Olympic Committee forteaching the Olympic values within schools.

Source: www.bankstown.nsw.gov.au

SophiaKomarkowski

The Greek Australian VEMATO BHMA20/38 FEBRUARY 2010

Ban breaks the rules on CyprusUN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s

visit to Cyprus earlier this month, markedneither the end of Cyprus’ reunificationtalks nor the beginning of the end, but per-haps the end of the beginning.

And because the beginning leaves littleroom for optimism, the secretary-generalpersonally launched, in effect, the massiveinternational pressure on Cyprus PresidentDimitris Christofias to find a solution.

Christofias and leaders of Greek-Cypriotparties were up in arms over Ban’s deci-sion to meet on February 1 with Turkish-Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat at his so-called presidential office.

Ban thus became the first UN chief to of-fer indirect recognition of the breakawaystate in Turkish-occupied Cyprus. Christo-fias reportedly lodged a strong verbalcomplaint with Ban.

Still, Cypriot government spokesman Ste-phanos Stephanou the next day put a pos-itive face on the visit, saying it gave a pushto the lagging talks. Stephanou claimed thatBan was duped and that the Turkish-Cypri-ots ushered him without his knowing intoTalat’s “presidential mansion” and not theTurkish-Cypriot leader’s residence as wasagreed.

SymbolismThe severe diplomatic backlash led

Ban’s special adviser in the Cyprus talks,

Alexander Downer, to read a statement.“The secretary-general has met with MrTalat in his capacity of the leader of theTurkish-Cypriot community, in the contextof the negotiations for a solution of theCyprus problem. The venue of the meetinghas no political significance,” Downer said.

That convinced no one on the Greek-Cypriot side, and four parties - socialist

EDEK and centrist DIKO, who are part ofthe governing coalition, as well as the Eu-ropean Party and the Ecologists - boy-cotted a reception for Ban.

If Ban’s visit to Cyprus was intended toboost Talat’s hopes of winning re-electionin April - as many Greek-Cypriot and Turk-ish-Cypriot media suggested - the visit toTalat’s offices may well have been intend-

ed as a campaign gift. Talat is trailingDervis Eroglu, who openly calls for the par-titioning of Cyprus into two separatestates.

Greek-Cypriot politicians stressed thatthe UN cannot help Talat at the expense ofthe internationally recognised Republic ofCyprus and the UN’s own resolutions.

ContradictorySocialist EDEK leader Yannakis Omirou

declared that Ban’s move was an “un-precedented deviation” that trampled onthe UN Security Council’s own resolutions.He cited UN Security Council Resolutions541 and 550, which urge member statesnot to recognise directly or indirectly thebreakaway state. The only concrete out-come of the Ban visit was that the twosides promised to keep negotiating untilmid-April.

Before Ban’s visit, Christofias steadfastlyrefused the idea of an interim agreementthat would enshrine Greek-Cypriot conces-sions, such as a rotating presidency.

He agreed, instead to issuing a jointstatement with Talat, which Ban read outon February 1. It declared that “importantprogress” had been made.

Most importantly for the Greek-Cypriotside, the statement stressed that “nothingis agreed until everything is agreed”.

ATHENS NEWS

Hope springs eternal: UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon shakes hands with Cyprus PresidentDimitris Christofias (L) and Turkish-Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat (R)