New Armenian Bishop for Australia and New Zealand Visits Greek Orthodox Archdiocese

greekorthodox.org.au

OCP News Service – 29/07/2025

Sydney – Australia: On Tuesday, July 29, 2025, His Grace Bishop Vardan Navasardyan, the newly appointed Bishop of Australia and New Zealand of the Armenian Church, paid an official visit to the headquarters of the Holy Archdiocese in Sydney, where he was welcomed by His Eminence Archbishop Makarios of Australia.

Bishop Vardan’s visit, just one month after his arrival on the continent, was his first official meeting, chosen as a sign of respect and appreciation for Archbishop Makarios and for the Ecumenical Patriarchate.

The two ecclesiastical leaders met in a climate of cordiality and mutual respect. They discussed issues of common interest related to pastoral ministry in the Diaspora, and exchanged thoughts and suggestions on how to strengthen the bonds of friendship and cooperation. In a gesture of concrete collaboration, Archbishop Makarios extended an invitation to Bishop Vardan to attend the upcoming International Theology Symposium titled: “Nicaea at 1700: A Council for the ages?”. The symposium, organized by St. Andrew’s Theological College and the Council of Churches of New South Wales, will be held on August 22-23, 2025, in Sydney, under the auspices of the Holy Archdiocese of Australia. Bishop Vardan graciously accepted the invitation.

To commemorate his visit, Bishop Vardan offered Archbishop Makarios a traditional Armenian embroidery and a bottle of fine wine produced in Armenia as a sign of friendship.

Source:

OCP News Service