JANUARY 2009 Tel. (02) 9559 7022 Fax: (02) 9559 7033 E-mail: vema@bigpond.net.au

THE GREEK AUSTRALIAN

VEMAThe oldestcirculating

Greeknewspaper

outsideGreece

Gaza Crisis-AustralianChurchesRespond

PAGE 6/28

Buried aliveon SantoriniA volcano, a very old piece ofwood and the riddle of theAegean civilisations

PAGE 14/36

OUR PRIMATE’S VIEW

‘CAROLS’ AT THE ‘CATHEDRAL’PAGES 4/26 - 5/27

MANAGING CHOLESTEROL NATURALLYPAGE 13/35

DR BILL GIANNAKOPOULOS:

‘Australia is at the forefrontof medicalresearch’

PAGES 16/38 - 17/39

UNHCR rings

the alarm bells

6 million

trapped as

long-term

refugees

create burden

on developing

nations

PAGE 12/34

SKOPJE GIVENULTIMATUM

Greek PM threatens to withdraw funding if FYROM officials continue with provocations

Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis hardened hisstance against the Former Yugoslav Republic ofMacedonia (FYROM), warning that Greece wouldblock a scheduled investment of 50 million eurostoward infrastructure in the neighboring coun-try unless Skopje stops its provocative behavior.

“Let us be entirely clear: As long as a climate of provoca-tion, nationalism and bigotry is cultivated, not one euro willbe disbursed,” Mr Karamanlis told Parliament in reference tothe 50 million euros Greece has pledged toward the con-struction of FYROM’s section of the pan-European Corridor10, connecting Serbia in the north to Greece in the south.

“The decisions by Skopje, apart from anything else, arejeopardizing the funding, and swift progress, of pan-European Corridor 10,” the Prime Minister added.

Mr Karamanlis was reacting to the news that FYROM’sPrime Minister, Nikola Gruevski, has decided to name thishighway Alexander the Macedon, after the ancient Greekwarrior Alexander the Great. The move was criticized by

European Union officials. Karamanlis said the decision byofficials in Skopje displayed a lack of respect for Greece andits historic heritage and would not win them any friends inthe international community.

“All they are doing is confirming, in everyone’s eyes, theirobstinacy and fixation on a murky past of fanaticism andnationalism,” Greece’s Prime Minister said.

Mr Karamanlis added that the development would do littlegood for Skopje’s European Union and NATO bids. “FYROMcannot be accepted if they continue to ignore the basic prin-ciples of good-neighborly relations and both alliances havemade this very clear,” he said.The Greek Prime Minister also slammed FYROM officials for

obstructing progress in United Nations-mediated negotia-tions aimed at solving the Macedonia name dispute. “Theyhave attempted to derail the talks from their focus and tothrow up barriers to procedures,” he said.

Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis, speaking from Vienna,said solving the name spat was crucial and criticizedGruevski for his “excessive provocation of the Greek peo-ple.”

The Greek Australian VEMATO BHMA2/24 JANUARY 2009

This DayII nn HH ii ss tt oo rr yy

January 26, 1788

Australia DayOn January 26, 1788, Captain

Arthur Phillip guides a fleet of 11British ships carrying convicts to thecolony of New South Wales, effec-tively founding Australia. After over-coming a period of hardship, thefledgling colony began to celebratethe anniversary of this date withgreat fanfare.

Australia, once known as NewSouth Wales, was originally plannedas a penal colony. In October 1786,the British government appointedArthur Phillip captain of the HMS Sir-ius, and commissioned him to estab-lish an agricultural work camp therefor British convicts. With little idea ofwhat he could expect from the mys-terious and distant land, Phillip hadgreat difficulty assembling the fleetthat was to make the journey. Hisrequests for more experiencedfarmers to assist the penal colonywere repeatedly denied, and hewas both poorly funded and outfit-ted. Nonetheless, accompanied by asmall contingent of Marines and oth-er officers, Phillip led his 1,000-strong party, of whom more than700 were convicts, around Africa tothe eastern side of Australia. In all,the voyage lasted eight months,claiming the deaths of some 30 men.

The first years of settlement werenearly disastrous. Cursed with poorsoil, an unfamiliar climate and work-ers who were ignorant of farming,Phillip had great difficulty keepingthe men alive. The colony was onthe verge of outright starvation forseveral years, and the marines sentto keep order were not up to thetask. Phillip, who proved to be atough but fair-minded leader, perse-vered by appointing convicts to po-sitions of responsibility and over-sight. Floggings and hangings werecommonplace, but so was egalitari-anism. As Phillip said before leavingEngland: "In a new country there willbe no slavery and hence no slaves."

Though Phillip returned to Englandin 1792, the colony became pros-perous by the turn of the 19th centu-ry. Feeling a new sense of patriot-ism, the men began to rally aroundJanuary 26 as their founding day.Historian Manning Clarke noted thatin 1808 the men observed the "an-

niversary of the foundation of thecolony" with "drinking and merri- ment."

ARMCHAIR JOURNEYThe Colossus of MaroussiBy Henry MillerWakefield Press 246pp, $24.95www.wakefieldpress.com.au

I first read Henry Miller’s ecstatichymn to the glories of Greece, TheColossus Of Maroussi, in the late1960s. Having read Miller’s infamousTropic Of Cancer, Tropic Of Capricornand the trilogy Sexus, Plexus andNexus I was ready to devour anythingthis vibrant, life-affirming and larger-than-life storyteller had written.

The book left such a lasting impactthat now, 40 years later, I still loveGreece and believe, passionately, withMiller that “marvellous things happento one in Greece - marvellous goodthings which can happen to onenowhere else on Earth”

Yes, this book really did change mylife and I am delighted to have anothercopy courtesy of a reprint published,surprisingly and adventurously, byWakefield Press, a small Adelaidepublisher. To read this book is to bereminded of the joy of travel - the

emotional impact that seeing and feel-ing new landscapes and cultures canhave on the soul.

Miller had been living in Paris at thetime and he travelled to Greece on therecommendation of his friend, thewriter and poet Lawrence Durrell,who, at the time, was living on Corfu.Miller is overwhelmed by Greece. Heloves the light (that eye-squintingwhiteness that seems to wash out thecolours and makes Greece seemsomehow brighter than the rest of theworld), the spirituality, the mythology,the people, the food, the sea, the is-lands and in one superb and sustainedpassage, he loves the peace at the an-cient holy site of Epidaurus.

Miller is an enthusiast and his writ-ing technique is to build image uponimage until the reader is simply over-whelmed. As a travel writing techniqueit works brilliantly because it infusesevery description with passion and al-lows the reader to experience thelandscape and the people in a very re-al and emotional way. Read it, fall inlove with Greece - then with the book

in your luggage, visit the country andexperience the power of truly greattravel writing.

Reviewed by Bruce ElderS.M.H. (22/11/2008)

By Tom Stoukas

About 400 police officers inAthens demonstrated againstviolence, following riots inGreek cities and attacks on po-lice by a terrorist group.

Some protesters were in uniform asthey gathered in the city's main Syn-tagma Square.

Last month’s riots were sparked bythe fatal police shooting Dec. 6 of ateenage boy. Police were targeted inshootings Dec. 23 and Jan. 5; one offi-cer was seriously wounded.

The far-left group RevolutionaryStruggle has claimed responsibility.

"Our colleagues are not afraid," saidGiorgos Vlachos of the Greek policeofficers association. "Of course we re-main on guard - that is our duty."

Vlachos said police are hoping toimprove their image.

The Beatles' song "Let it be" blaredas police gathered under a bannerthat read "no to violence."

"We are protesting because we arepart of society," said Vassilis Alimaras,a 23-year-old policeman. "Violenceagainst the Greek police is violenceagainst Greek society. We're againstany kind of violence."

In a 9,000-word statement pub-lished in an Athens newspaper, Revo-lutionary Struggle vowed to continueattacks on police.

"The only way to disarm the cops isfor revolutionaries and the armedpublic to disarm them," the group said.

Revolutionary Struggle first ap-peared in 2003 and has carried out atleast six bombings, targeting policestations, government ministries, a

bank and a courthouse. Two yearsago, the group claimed responsibility

for attacking the US Embassy in Athenswith a rocket-propelled grenade.

At protest, Greek police seek friendlier image

The Greek Australian VEMA TO BHMA 3/25

EditorialJANUARY 2009

Learning not to takethe bait

By Alexis Papachelas

Anything that protects national interests in an ef-fective way can be defined as being patriotic andthis means that sometimes it is more patriotic tokeep a low profile rather than to rant about “nationalrights.” The low-key approach is not impressive, itdoes not rally the masses, but there are momentswhen it is necessary.

For some time now, a part of the Turkish militaryhas been trying to stir up trouble in the Aegean and,if it succeeds, to establish yet another gray area. Thequestion however is whether Greece will take thebait or face the challenge with cool-headedness andwithout itself causing tension to escalate. Turkish de-mands regarding Agathonisi and Farmakonisi areoutrageous by any standards, but Greece shouldcontinue to regard these islands as it has alwaysdone, as though nothing has changed. It should notfall into the trap of heightening tension. For it is agreat mistake when serious state officials and oth-ers who shape public opinion do precisely this.

In recent history Greece almost went to war twicewith Turkey because certain people, inside and out-side the Greek government, decided to play it tough

over the Aegean. The first crisis, in 1987, ended withan agreement according to which Greece could notconduct any exploration outside its territorial waters.The second crisis, over Imia, in 1996, actually led toGreek sovereignty of the islet being questioned.Some will argue that Greece was wrong not to re-spond with military force, but they should considerwhere Greece would be today if it had become em-broiled in a war with Turkey.

A portion of the media is also fanning the flames,even though the actual situation does not merit suchhysteria. They would be well advised to better con-sider sensitive matters pertaining to national securi-ty.

Greece must not relinquish any of its sovereignrights whatsoever. Right now the best way to defendnational interests is by keeping a cool head, a steadytone and a firm stance when necessary behind thescenes.

Dialogue with no purpose

Dialogue is always a good thing, but of course onlyas long as it has a purpose, a plan and, most impor-tantly, a real basis for being held. This is why the an-nouncement by new Education Minister ArisSpiliotopoulos that he will be wiping the dialogueslate clean and starting talks on reform in the sectorfrom scratch may sound impressive, but is essential-ly nothing but empty talk.

Whatever the case in question, dialogue alwayshas a basis, and the government already has thegroundwork prepared by the National EducationalCouncil as well the measures adopted by formerEducation Minister Marietta Giannakou.

Furthermore, dialogue is only useful if it leads tosolutions and education reform has already beendiscussed for the last 10 years, more intensely in thelast five.

One thing has arisen from all this talk: Almosteveryone, except a small minority, agrees that agreat deal has to change. And right now the condi-tions are ripe for education reforms to finally becompleted, first of all by fully implementing the lawvoted by Parliament just two years ago.

KATHIMERINI

Interesting websitesThe following are news websites, relating to Greece, in languages other than Greek:

GREEK NEWS AGENDA

Apart from its frequently updated english website (www.minpress.gr/minpress/en), the Secretariat General of Information issues three specialised bulletins: the english online daily bulletin Greek News Agenda (www.greeknewsagenda.gr) and the weeklies Gr ceHebdo (in French) and Bolet n Griego de Noticias (in Spanish). A German weekly edition is also forthcoming.

Athens News Agency

The Athens News Agency-Macedonian Press Agency (www.ana-mpa.gr) is the national News Agency of Greece. Apart from Greek its news content is offered in 3 languages, namely English, French and Russian.

Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation

The very latest news on politics, society, economy, sports and culture, in English and in 8 other languages, are available at the website of the Greek public TV ERT (www.ert.gr).

Kathimerini-English Edition

From Monday to Saturday, the English on-line edition of the Greek daily “Kathimerini” (www.ekathimerini.com) offers information on curent affairs, news, Greek economy, arts and leisure. Kathimerini is part of the International Herald Tribune's network of partnerships.

Athens News

Published as a weekly newspaper, Athens News (www.athensnews.gr) offers regular sections covering every aspect of Greek news - politics, social issues, business, arts & entertainment, sports - as well as international news.

Reporter.gr

Reporter.gr is a Greek site specialised in the stock market's latest news as well as news of the world of finance and economy as well as in business and politics.

iNFO-GRECE

Info-Gr ce (www.info-grece.com) is a French-language news portal focused on the Greek and Cypriot current affairs, the Greek culture, and tourism including interesting tips and information.

Griechenland Zeitung

Greichenland Zeitung (www.griechenland.net), a German-language weekly published in Athens offers valuable sections on Politics, Economy, Arts and Travel.

Phantis

Phantis (www.phantis.com) is a website focused on services dedicated to archiving and indexing web content related to Greece and the Greek diaspora since 1997.

Hellenic Resources-Network

The Hellenic Resources Network (www.hri.org) is an electronic network which provides a variety of Greek News sources. It is considered to have a leading role as an information exchange centre for Greek and Greek-American organizations and news agencies.

International Radio in Athens

One may tune in to Athens International Radio 104.4 FM (A.I.R.) for news updates in 12 languages, local news, traffic, weather, and ideas on where to go and what to see in Athens. One may also

BRIEFINGS & NEWSLETTERS

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs website (www.mfa.gr) provides news and announcements, Foreign Minister's Statements and Speeches, Press Briefings of diplomatic correspondents by the Foreign Ministry Spokesperson, as well as interesting articles and interviews.

Press and Communication Offices Abroad

News archive and Press Releases (since 1997) are available at the website of the Press and Communication Office in Washington and at the website of the Press and Communication Office in Paris (since 2007, in French).

The Greek Economy

News & Press Releases as well as Economic Data, Reports & Fact Sheets about the Greek economy and business can be found at the website of the Ministry of Economy and Finance (www.mnec.gr). More sources online at the Greek News Agenda special issue : The Greek Economy: Pointers.

Invest in Greece Agency

Information on the wide range of investment opportunities in Greece is available at the website of the Invest in Greece Agency (www.investingreece.gov.gr). An electronic News service provides valuable info relevant to foreign direct investment in Greece and international alliances with Greek companies.

Energy News

Energia.gr, a Greek Portal about Energy and Environmental issues, contains the latest news as well as articles and useful links about the latest developments in the sector of Energy and Environment. A Monthly Newsletter is available upon registration.

Greek Book Suggestions

A monthly newsletter from the National Book Centre of Greece concerning Greek books, essays and large-format illustrated publications, is available at the www.ithacaonline.gr website.

Cultural Events

Forthcoming cultural events in Greece can be accessed at the new www.goculture.gr website along with interviews, critical comments and review articles on the Greek and European cultural scene. Goculture also makes available "GCmag" (www.goculture.gr/register.aspx) a valuable weekly electronic newsletter.

MAGAZINES

The Bridge

The Bridge (www.bridge-mag.com) is a bimonthly review on European integration, SE Europe & the SE Mediterranean. It covers a large variety of Greek activities on every level of its economic presence in these areas.

Odyssey Odyssey (www.odyssey.gr) is a magazine on the world of Greece and a reference point for Greeks around the globe. Through its electronic publication, readers can navigate a digest of themes about Greece and the Greek Diaspora.

Athens Insider

Athens Insider (www.insider-magazine.gr) is a monthly edition which covers a variety of activities in the city including art & culture, shopping, entertainment, food & wine, travel, diplomacy, business & politics.

keep track of what's happening in Athens and around the world with international news programmes from the BBC World Service, Radio France Internationale and Deutsche Welle.

The Greek Australian VEMA

Our Primate’s ViewThe lovely practice of the past two decades,

with the Central Youth Committee of Sydney organizingthe Carols (Cálanda) of the paroikia at Prince AlfredPark, immediately next to the grounds of our Cathedralchurch (‘The Annunciation of our Lady’!), over time hasevolved from a pious ‘practice’ into a significant‘tradition’.

In parallel, it should be stated that the earnestefforts of the Central Youth Committee have beensupported all these years with maternal devotion by theCentral Ladies’ Philoptochos.

Following these ‘structural’ presuppositions(Cathedral-Youth-Philoptochos) it was natural that theenthusiastic participation in the relevant proceedings byvarious Organizations and Groups of the ecclesiasticallyaligned people of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese ofAustralia (Christian Enosis, various Byzantine Choirs orEcclesiastical Choirs of Parishes-Communities) wouldelevate the ‘Carols at the Cathedral’ into a spiritual‘panorama’, the richness of which was revealed to usthis year in its most inconceivable functional extensions.

Before we attempt, through a brief analysis, to‘throw light’ on the mystical extensions presented thisyear (more distinctly than ever before!) by the‘structure’ and ‘operation’ of the Cathedral Carols,we should, by way of introduction, say a few wordsabout the borrowed name ‘Cálanda’.

Calendae and Calendarium are Latin termswhich identify ‘chronological’ meanings.

The first identifies ‘dates/chronologies’. The se-cond identifies ‘diary/events in time’ - the ‘Calandári’, asthe people of Greece refer to it.

If, however, we focus on the conventionalmeaning of so-called mathematical time which from thebeginning was seen as an enemy of life (let us notforget that as ‘all-subduing time’ in mythologicallanguage it was named ‘Kronos’ who ate his ownchildren!), then we will not be able to understand whythe ‘Cálanda’ resulted in ‘hymns’ and ‘wishes’ forcertain standard ‘dates’.

In contrast, according to the logic of data, the‘Cálanda’ could be viewed as ‘curses’ or ‘wizardries’rather than as hymns of joy and celebration for variouscommemorative anniversaries.

The ‘Cálanda’ can be understood as festiveand greeting hymns only if we consider ‘time’ as ‘op-portunity’, i.e. ‘a good time’ (ef-kairia) which is granted tous anew, and which we should not miss.

This second meaning of time as opportunity isthe ‘existential’ and not the ‘conventional’, ‘neutral’ orblind flow of mathematical units.

* * *

Following the above brief clarifications, we cannow carefully analyse the Christian ‘Carols’, in thecontext of their theological ‘width’ and ‘depth’, so thatwe do not wrong them as subservient ‘imitations’ andrelics of pagan customs (with a Christian content today!),a practice employed by Archaeology, or Ethnology orFolklore. In any event, we read enough irrelevanciesduring Holy Days from ‘amateurish’ publications everyyear!

Consequently then, the task of Theologycommences precisely there where the research of thepurely descriptive Sciences in mention or even ofloose guesswork finishes.

Theology attempts to probe into the inexpres-sible depths of the mystery, with ‘symbolisms’ hushed,believing steadfastly that truly “great is the mystery ofgodliness” (1 Tim. 3:16).

For this reason, exactly, Theology is inspired bygrace from above through the Faith, in order to presenthitherto unseen ‘creations’!

Especially from this year’s presentation of the‘Carols at the Cathedral’, we can discern - as will bedemonstrated below - that there was not the slightest

detail in the whole ‘structure’ and ‘execution’ of thisacutely doxologic ‘Service’ which did not give witnessto or project the most central teachings (Dogmas) of theauthentic Christian Faith, as instituted by the Church ofthe 1st common millennium through 7 EcumenicalCouncils (with their epigrammatic ‘summary’ in the 12articles of the Symbol of Nicaea/Constantinople).

* * *

Irrespective of whether Carols are sung for‘Christmas’, the ‘New Year’ or ‘Epiphany’, that which isforemost and prevails in going beyond ‘chronicity’ is theJOY experienced through the ‘Communion ofpersons’, as revealed by the true God through theIncarnation in time.

This is the reason why, together with the formalHymns of ‘Worship at Church’, we also chant as anorganic continuity whatever the popular piety of thepeople of God has woven as ‘Encomiastic Hymns’ ofgratitude at every historic moment of the present life.

From whatever point of Geography or Historythe Carols which we heard this year at the Cathedraloriginated, the variety of the ‘persons’ and ‘voices’ inno way acted as a fragmentation but ratherunderlined the pan-harmonious Doxology of ‘Godrevealed’.

The sacred Hymnody of the Carols has animmediate analogy with the ‘censing’ and the ‘incense’that accompanies all our ‘supplications’ and ‘thanksgi-vings’, in accordance with the words of David “Let myprayer be set before you like incense” (Ps. 141:2).

And, just as the ‘fragrance’, though it is thecommon element and object of the censing, none-theless, does not extinguish the ‘specific difference’ ofeach variety of incense (e.g. rose, jasmine or otheringredient), likewise in the Carols, the persons singingthe Hymns (Clergy, laity, Monastics, men, women,children) of whatever race or language they might be,retain undiminished their ‘personal otherness’ as indi-vidual participants.

• Another element which characterizes theChristian Carols is that of unselfish ‘beggary’.

This element perhaps constitutes the most essential presupposition for one to better comprehend the meaning of the Hymnody in mention.Because the ‘beggary’ of the Christian ‘Cálan-da’ has no relation to ‘ptohoprodromismos’ (the expectation that wealth will flow automatically,without working, to one who has been educat- ed - and who wants pity as well for his misery) known from the byzantine Middle Ages.

Moreover, it is not without significance that St John Chrysostom, the most ascetic of Ortho-dox Prelates and Teachers of the Church, considered the ‘beggary’ of the Christian Car-ols not simply valiant but acutely doxological as well.

The relevant terminology is eloquently reve-lationary:

“Good evening noblemen,and if it is your determination,

of Christ’s divine BirthI will speak in your mansion.

‘CAROLS’ AT THE ‘CATHEDRAL’

By ARCHBISHOPSTYLIANOSOF AUSTRALIA

JANUARY 20094/26 TO BHMA

The Greek Australian VEMA TO BHMA 5/27JANUARY 2009

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Cont. from previous page

Christ is being born today in the town of Bethlehem. The heavens are jubilant and all creation rejoices (!)”

Truly, it requires child-like purity and unselfishness for one to goout into the streets at night singing (with candle lit!) at people’s doors, not artistic ‘Serenades’, but ‘peace on earth’ and ‘goodwill to all people’as the only worthy gifts of life, even though they may have escaped us likean‘unreachable dream’!

Nonetheless, in the characteristic verses that we quoted, it is notsufficient to see merely the grateful humility of the faithful person who singsthe ‘Cálanda’ to the glory of “the Lord of the earth and the heavens who hum-bled himself for us”.

At this point, we already hear the ascetic language developed cen-turies later by Athonite Monasticism, according to which one who is unknownis no longer a ‘stranger’.

He is a Nobleman (Archon) who comes in the name of the Lord. Forthis reason, the place where he is welcomed to stay is not called ‘Xenón’ (ahostel for strangers) but ‘Archondariki’ (a mansion of hospitality for Archons,Noblemen)!

When, through the above, the ascetic character of the whole of Orthodoxyis witnessed to by the terminology of the ‘Cálanda’, the ‘Cathedral Church’assumes the centrality and the singularity of the ‘Katholikon’ (the main church) ofthe Monasteries.

This year, again the following appropriately adapted and more popular andrecent verse was sung:

“At this house where we have come may no stone crackand may the master of the house live for many years”.

At that point shone forth the potentiality of the Primate, as the par excellenceChristocentric Pillar and Guarantor of authenticity for the Clergy and the people ofthe Local Church which he was called to shepherd. At that point certain other second-ary details of the Carols were ‘illumined’ all the more vividly and clearly, in the con-text always of the entire ‘Trinitarian Communion’.

It suffices to cite here, in conclusion, the most ‘expressive’ of these ‘unsus-pecting’ details. Amongst the various musical organs by which the ‘Cálanda’ areaccompanied is always to be found a metallic Triangle whose sound stands outdominantly. It is never substituted either by a square, or by a rectangle, or by acircle or another form of cymbal. Who could not recognize in the Triangle the‘graphic representation’ of the Dogma of the Holy Trinity which the Carols laud asthe Mystery of restoration in God?

Translated by FSS

The Greek Australian VEMATO BHMA6/28 JANUARY 2009

Gaza Crisis - Australian Churches RespondThe crisis in the Gaza Strip is rapidly

becoming a wide scale humanitarian dis-aster with over 600 Palestinian deaths todate, one third of whom are innocentchildren. Three thousand more have beeninjured.

Act for peace, the international aid a-gency of the National Council of Church-es in Australia (NCCA), has supportedpartners in Gaza carrying out emergencyrelief and health care services for 21years. act for peace partner, the MiddleEast Council of Churches’ Department ofService to Palestinian Refugees (DSPR),has transformed its primary health clinicsinto emergency clinics to relieve theoverstretched hospitals that have been i-nundated with victims.

These medical centres are providing vi-tal treatment for those immediately af-fected by Israel’s attacks and will serveto support Gaza’s crippled medical serv-ices and infrastructure.

Dr Bernard Sabella, DSPR’s ExecutiveSecretary, said, “The situation in Gaza isabsolutely disastrous. The borders re-main closed, and the constant bombing is

inflicting civilian casualties. As a result,Gaza is in a dire humanitarian situationas the Israeli air strikes have devastatedthe governmental and civil society infra-structure such as universities andmosques.”

The NCCA deplores the loss of inno-cent lives. It is evident that the humanitar-ian consequences of this conflict will con-tinue to escalate if both Israel and Hamasdo not end all attacks and declare aceasefire. It is essential that unfetteredhumanitarian access to Gaza be granted.

Alistair Gee, Executive Director of actfor peace-NCCA, said, “It is vital to sup-port the emergency medical centres op-erating in Gaza. Our partner is faced withan immense task supporting Gaza’s col-lapsing health services. Please give tothe Christmas Bowl to ensure DSPR cancontinue to care for men, women andchildren caught in the middle of this unac-ceptable human tragedy.”

To give to the Christmas Bowl, pleasego to www.actforpeace.org.au or freecall 1800 025 101.

Greece gets back Parthenon fragment

Greece welcomed back a marble frag-ment from a frieze decorating theParthenon temple which an Austrian sol-dier removed during World War Two, butrenewed a call for all its stolen treasuresto be returned.

An inscription on the fragment, meas-uring 7-by-30cm (2.8 by 12 inches), saysit was taken from the Acropolis in Athenson 16 February 1943 - in the midst of thethree-year occupation of Greece by theAxis powers, led by Germany.

Martha Dahlgren inherited the piece -broken from the frieze adorning the

Parthenon's inner colonnade - from hergrandfather and decided to return it toGreece.

"Today we honour the return of an ar-chitectural part of the Acropolis... It is avery symbolic return," Greek CultureMinister Michalis Liapis said in a state-ment. Greece in recent years hasstepped up its campaign to recover an-cient artefacts, and especially large sec-tions of the decorative frieze removedfrom the Parthenon in 1801 by Lord Elgin,the then-British ambassador to the Ot-toman empire.

Mt Olympus to the second phaseof the New 7 Wonders

Mt Olympus, the mountain of the 12 Gods of ancient Greek mythology, is theonly Greek "monument of nature" that made it to the second phase of theNew7Wonders of Nature online campaign, being among the 261 national andmultinational nominations that qualified and are now competing for a placeamong the top 77.

The Greek nominees included the Meteora Rock Mountains, the island of San-torini and the Petrified Forest on the island of Lesvos.

In the first phase of the campaign roughly 100 million people voted worldwide.Larissa Prefecture, in central Greece, on the occasion of the second vote that

will last until July 7, 2009 called on all the people of Larissa and its expatriates tomobilize and support the Mt Olympus nomination.

The top-voted nominees will be considered by the New 7 Wonders Panel of Ex-perts. A shortlist of 21 selected candidates will be announced in July 2009 andwill go forward to the next stage of voting. Voting for the New 7 Wonders of Na-ture as chosen by popular vote from the 21 finalist candidates will continuethroughout 2010 and into 2011 when the official New 7 Wonders of Nature willbe declared.

The Greek Australian VEMA TO BHMA 7/29JANUARY 2009

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Tel 03 9788 9488Fax 03 9788 9400

info@bunurong.com.auwww.bunurong.com.au

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Melways Map 98 K5Bus Route 830, 831

The Greek Australian VEMATO BHMA8/30

Windows to OrthodoxyJANUARY 2009

Revd Dr Doru Costache *

Much has been said in recent times on the need tochange the current mentality concerning education andlearning as exclusive features pertaining to earlier sta-ges of life. Within this trend, an important concept is thatof the learning society, which transfers the problematicrelated to education from the individual level to that ofentire societies.According to its promoters, all societies have to be

established upon learning or else they will die. This re-quires that the respective societies make the effort tokeep up with the rhythm of the change and deve-lopment. Thus, they need to invent and implementlearning systems able to ensure the appropriate insti-tutional adjustments. What is however interesting, be-yond this pragmatic motivation, is the emergence of anew understanding of education and knowledge. Intheir quest for more than what can be acquired throughcustomary educational environments, the promoters ofthis concept postulate learning as a goal for individualsand societies alike. This further step (from the necessityof adjusting to changes to the understanding of know-ledge as a goal in itself) represents the main contri-bution of this trend. Symptomatic of this understandingis the idea of mature and lifelong learning.

Perhaps there is nothing new about this presentation,given that we live in a society that encourages lifelongeducation. But before getting to the actual topic - whichis the identification of the Divine Liturgy as paradigmaticfor a learning society - a brief assessment of this con-temporary concept is in order. Thus, although one mightsee in this concept the positive and creative reiterationof a traditional cultural pattern (traditional societies areessentially learning societies), the substitution of know-ledge for wisdom (a very modern characteristic) is quitevisible. The issue with such a substitution lies in the factthat the many axiological, existential and ethical dilem-mas experienced by modern societies originate mostlyin their abandoning of wisdom. And in fact it is this im-passe that makes the Divine Liturgy relevant to our dis-cussion, since within it knowledge is taken as a meansleading to wisdom and never the latter’s substitute.

Now, turning to our topic, one might wonder: is theChurch (God’s people) gathered in the holy synaxis (as-sembly) representative of a learning society? If so, whatkind of a learning society does it constitute?

The answer to the first question is simple and this isthe aspect to which I will now refer. Alongside the wor-shipping aspect, both the catechetical dimension of theChurch and the structure of the Divine Liturgy - as twoinextricably intertwined features - witness to this rea-lity. Around and within the holy gathering of the liturgy,teaching remains central, representing a prerequisitefor the consummation of the ecclesial event ofcommunion.

Some background notes might serve to make senseof this aspect. Everything within the Church points to itsdimension as a learning society. This side of ecclesiallife was visible from the very beginning in the institutionof the catechumenate whose function has been - andstill is - to guide the converts and neophytes toward the‘newness of life’ (cf. Romans 6:4) through teaching andlearning. Closely related to the stages of Christianinitiation (see Hebrews 6:1-2), one should mention the‘discipline of secrecy’ (cf. Hebrews 13:10) preventingthose without ecclesial instruction from having accessto the holy mysteries. Overall, the faithful are invited to

deepen their awareness of the ecclesial mindset andlife (see 2 Timothy 3:14-17); for that matter, they areconstantly challenged to learn through the annual cycleof scriptural writings and their appropriate interpre-tation, within the implicit hermeneutical framework ofthe liturgy and iconography. All these dimensions of ec-clesial education are supported by the highly informa-tive character of liturgical hymnography, which in theByzantine tradition has no other purpose but to allowthe faithful to reach a prayerful or doxological state byway of a thorough initiation into the inner aspects ofecclesial mindset. Indeed, far from serving merely as apretext for skilful chanting, liturgical hymnography hasbeen originally designed to function as a means ofteaching or an implicit school. Furthermore, in itself, theDivine Liturgy incorporates all these elements, consti-tuting the space par excellence of ecclesial teachingand learning, where the message of the Gospel isproclaimed and interpreted in order to ease our accessto life eternal and the fullness of life (see Acts 5:20; John10: 10; 17:3; 20:30-31). God willing, I shall address thisaspect in more detail in future articles.

For the time being, it is necessary to attempt ananswer to the second question, dealing with the spe-cifics of the Church as a learning society. As alreadymentioned, one of the issues with contemporary societyis the unilateral emphasis of knowledge and the margi-nalisation of wisdom. This issue may be traced, forinstance, at the origin of a well-known phenomenon,namely the disproportion between inner (subjective,personal) and external (objective, social, civilisational)achievements. Only recently have people become awa-re of the problems emerging from the lack of wisdomand interest in the inner accomplishments, which cha-racterise ‘civilised’ societies, such as the disintegrationof values and the unprecedented proliferation ofpsychoses. Unfortunately, the new enlightenment

through learning does not seem to be able to com-pensate the lack of wisdom or to heal the woundscaused to the souls of our contemporaries. At best, thisnew enlightenment may render those avid of learningas well-informed; it is doubtful, however, that this willever bring them to a state of well-formed and trans-formed people, without the discerning tools providedexclusively by wisdom.

By comparison, the Church gathered in the holy sy-naxis is motivated primarily by the thirst for wisdomand the fullness of life. Thus, at the core of the ecclesiallearning process lies the ideal of acquiring not bareknowledge, but the wisdom that is so necessary in anyendeavour to reach the fullness of life. Wisdom pro-vides us not just with the capacity to adjust to changesand other external challenges; in fact, it allows us toadapt to various circumstances whilst it also safe-guards our identity as people and Church, pointing tomeanings and purposes for our lives. To God’s peopleeverything that matters throughout the learning processis the acquisition of wisdom that assists us in theendeavour to adjust to new conditions without everabandoning our identity, criteria and values. However,teaching and learning aim at more than helping usadjust to external conditions. The final goal of anyecclesial endeavour is indeed the spiritual reshaping(μετανοία) of people’s minds and lives, which is theoutcome of a transformative process - of both indi-viduals and communities - through learning the rhythmsof the kingdom.

Is then the Church a learning society? Indeed it is, yetwhat it invites us to appropriate is the discernmentpertai-ning to the wisdom leading to the fullness of life.

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

The Ecclesial Synaxis:Epitome of a Learning Society

(Part 1)

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The Greek Australian VEMA TO BHMA 9/31JANUARY 2009

The Greek Australian VEMATO BHMA TO BHMA10/32 11/33

The Greek Australian VEMATO BHMA12/34 JANUARY 2009

Paradise of cities: Venicein the 19th century

By John Julius Norwich

The author is perhaps better knownto readers for his three-volume historyon Byzantium. His style of writing iseasy to digest, refreshingly candid andthoroughly enjoyable. The format ofthis more recent publication on Veniceshould appeal to those who find theyhave little time to read, as the chaptersare laid out as a series of short sto-ries.

Venice is shown through the eventssurrounding a number of men (and oc-casionally women) who lived or visitedVenice in the period dating from theclosing years of the 18th centurythrough to the first few years of the20th century. They include Ruskin, LordByron and Wagner among others, butperhaps most intriguingly, Napoleon.Although his sojourn in Venice wasbrief, only spanning a few days, his

destruction upon the city was devas-tating. It brings a whole new perspec-tive to the issue of cultural looting!

This book (published by Doubleday),available for purchase through book-stores, is well worth a leisurely read.

The Book of SilkBy Philippa Scott

This large format soft-cover bookshows silks from areas spanning Chi-na and Japan in the East, through to theWest. The colour plates depicting frag-ments of Byzantine silks, all of whichhave been unearthed and are pre-served in the West, reveal the quality,design, and beauty of the textiles pro-duced in Constantinople. The trade incloth clearly helped spread styles ofornamentation between peoples.

A pricey book, but fascinating toview as well as to read. Published byThames and Hudson, it is availablethrough bookstores.

A.C.

For the bibliophiles…

New Athens malls generate traffic jams

Despite their size, the malls ofAthens do not provide the appropriateinfrastructure to accommodate all theshoppers they attract. Roads are con-gested and cars are parked every-where, while public transport remainsmostly empty.

In Maroussi, department stores, bigoutlets including Media Markt, indoorshopping centers such as The Mall A-thens, multiplex cinemas and hospitalsmassively increase the traffic on Kifis-sias Avenue.

Officials from The Mall would not re-veal what they said were confidentialfigures about the number of vehiclesthat use the 2,100-space car park, butthey did tell Kathimerini that they had inexcess of 12 million visitors in 2008.

Although the area is well served bybuses, most visitors prefer to use their

own cars. Illegal parking is a seriousproblem. Attica Traffic Police ChiefConstantinos Koumantanos cited thechaotic traffic when two electronicgoods stores opened recently on Syn-grou Avenue.

A Maroussi traffic police official com-plained of traffic jams all week roundbecause of the malls and other build-ings, including ministries, the Helexpoexhibition center, offices and business-es. “And lots of people come here toleave their cars so they can use themetro or the suburban railway,” he ex-plained. Cars parked illegally on side-walks also block pedestrian access,“despite the permanent presence oftraffic police staff,” he said.

In 2008 (from January to November),21,150 parking fines were issued inthe area. (KATHIMERINI)

Greeks keep spending Consumerism as we have known it

over the past 30 years has becomethe prime feature of capitalist culture.Consumption has proved to be apleasurable activity. What is striking isthat it also appeals to people who can-not afford it, even when times aretough financially.

For instance, shopping centres areespecially crowded on public holidays.People want to shop in spite of thepressure and the crowds that forcethem to hurry.

This insistence under unfavorableconditions evidences an intense desirethat has its basis in human instinct. It isa primitive state, in which individuals

consume without awareness of theirsurroundings, anxious only to fulfilltheir desires. The feeling “I have tohave what I want” indicates emotionalimmaturity, in which the individual isruled by their desires, like a child.

When adults too behave like this, ithas a considerable impact on children.Some grow up more slowly as thechildish side of their personality is re-inforced, while others react as if theywere the parents, feeling a need toprotect their parents, sensing their im-maturity. There are children who iden-tify with their parents’ consumerismand others who respond with indiffer-ence. (KATHIMERINI)

UNHCR rings the alarm bells

6 million trapped as long-termrefugees create burden on developing nations

By Robert Evans - Reuters

Some 6 million people around theglobe are trapped in mainly poor coun-tries as long-term refugees, many facingdeprivation that feeds crime and humantrafficking, a senior United Nations offi-cial said recently.

The world body’s High Commissionerfor Refugees, Antonio Guterres, saidthere were at least 30 crisis areasaround the world where people hadbeen forced to flee into neighboringstates and had not been able to returnhome for many years.

“The burden of hosting these refugeesfalls almost exclusively to developingstates. It is important to recognize thatthe international community as a wholehas not done enough to share that bur-den,” he told a conference.

“The problem of protracted refugeesituations has reached enormous pro-portions,” Guterres declared in a sepa-rate paper for participants in the annualconference held by his agency, the UN-HCR.

Many of the refugees could not gohome because their countries of originwere racked by civil wars or affected bygross human rights violations.

Social ills

“Packed into overcrowded settlements,deprived of an income and with little tooccupy their time, these refugee popula-tions are afflicted by all kinds of socialills, including prostitution, rape and vio-lence,” he said. “Unsurprisingly, and de-spite the restriction placed upon them,many take the risk of moving to any ur-ban area or trying to migrate to anothercountry, putting themselves in the dan-

gerous hands of human smugglers andtraffickers.” Guterres, a former primeminister of Portugal, told the conferencethat the 6 million were people who hadspent more than five years - and manyof them several decades - in limbo in ex-ile, mainly in Africa and Asia.

The total excluded the hundreds ofthousands of Palestinians who have livedin camps around the Middle East sincethe first Arab-Israeli war in 1948 and theothers who had followed after later con-flicts.

The UNHCR identifies the major fivelong-term refugee situations as that ofAfghans in Pakistan and Iran, Muslim Ro-hingyas from Myanmar in Bangladesh,Eritreans in eastern Sudan, Burundians inTanzania, and ethnic Serbs from Croatiaand Bosnia in Serbia.

Growing pressure

Tanzania’s prime minister, MizengoPinda, said in a keynote speech to thegathering that his country had been host-ing tens of thousands of refugees fromBurundi since the early 1970s. But in themid-1990s, with political crises and newconflict in Burundi, Rwanda and the Dem-ocratic Republic of Congo, it had seenmore than a million people flood in overa very short time, straining Tanzania’s in-frastructure to breaking point.

Amid the current global economic cri-sis, Pinda said, “it is an undeniable realitythat developing countries are facingshortages and higher costs of socialservices such as food, water, health andeducational facilities. Thus, any influx ofrefugees creates more pressure onthose facilities which ultimately increas-es the unbearable burden that cannot beaccommodated by the host country.”

Displaced Congolese childrenreceiving food at Kibati camp

The Greek Australian VEMA TO BHMA 13/35JANUARY 2009

CLINICAL INSIGHTS INTO HEALTH AND NATURAL SOLUTIONS

MANAGING CHOLESTEROL NATURALLY

Keeping cholesterol levels in the proper range is an important step in the pre-vention of a heart attack or stroke. A high blood cholesterol level, especially ele-vated low-density lipoprotein (LDL) is considered to be a contributing factor inbuilding up plaque in the arteries and obstructing the blood flow especially to thebrain, kidneys, genital area, extremities, and heart. High cholesterol levels may al-so be implicated in gallstones, and high blood pressure.

BackgroundCholesterol is an essential part of every cell structure and is needed for proper

brain and nerve function. It is also the basis for the manufacturing of certainenzymes and hormones such as testosterone, oestrogen and adrenalin, and for theeffective function of the body’s metabolism. Cholesterol is manufactured in theliver and also comes from our diet, and is transported through the blood stream tothe sites where it is needed. The body generally makes all the cholesterol it needsand this is why it is important to eat foods that are low in cholesterol. Generally,foods from animal sources contain cholesterol while foods from plant sources donot. Foods that are high in cholesterol are usually also high in saturated fats, forexample, fatty meats, processed meats such as sausages and salami, pastries,biscuits and cakes. To get transported through the blood, cholesterol needs to latchonto a molecule known as a lipoprotein.

The major categories of lipoproteins are low-density lipoprotein (LDL) andhigh-density lipoprotein (HDL). LDLs are responsible for transporting fats (pri-marily triglycerides and cholesterol) from the liver to body cells, while HDL is re-sponsible for returning fats to the liver, where it is broken down for its removalfrom the body. Because LDLs seem to encourage the deposition of cholesterol inarteries, it is known as bad cholesterol.

Although LDL cholesterol is often referred to as ‘bad cholesterol’, an even moredamaging form is lipoprotein (a) or Lp(a). Lp(a) is similar in structure to LDL withan additional molecule of an adhesive protein called apolipoprotein (a). Severalstudies have indicated that elevated plasma levels of Lp(a) have been shown tocarry a ten times greater risk for heart disease than elevated LDL cholesterol lev-el. That is because LDL on its own lacks the adhesive protein. As a result, LDL doesnot easily stick to the walls of the arteries.

Actually, a high LDL cholesterol level carries less risk than a normal or even lowLDL cholesterol level with a high Lp(a) level.

Causes of high cholesterol levels� Although, in most cases, elevation of blood cholesterol &/or triglyceride lev-

els are due to dietary and lifestyle factors, elevations can also be due to geneticfactors. Inherited disorders (Familial hypercholesterolemia and familial hyper-triglyceridemia) that causes increase in blood cholesterol &/or triglycerides arecommon and affect about one in every five hundred people. In familial hypercho-lesterolemia, due to an in-born error (a defective LDL receptor), liver cannot stopmaking cholesterol. These people can also experience a benefit by following thesuggestions given below for changing their diet and lifestyle. Some other condi-tions that may cause high cholesterol levels include:� Low thyroid function. � Diabetes � Gout � Obesity � Aging � Stress

Therapeutic recommendationsThe most important approach to lowering a high cholesterol level is a healthful

diet and lifestyle.� Eat less saturated fat and animal products, eggs - meat and dairy products

are primary sources of cholesterol� Eat more fibre-rich foods, like fruits, vegetables, grains and legumes

(see the table below)� Get regular exercise such as walking for about 30 minutes per day� Don’t smoke, avoid alcohol� Reduce coffee - in large amounts, coffee can elevate cholesterol. This has

been observed in a study done by New England Journal of Medicine.

� Avoid foods with high sugar content, like ice cream, cookies, pie, cake, etc. Also avoid refined cereals, white bread, and soft drinks.

� Do not eat fast food (because of high fat content). Fried foods contain high amount of cholesterol. Also, high temperatures used for deep-frying results into toxic chemicals (which are called free radicals) causing damage to the walls of blood vessels and produce other diseases including cancer. Most stable oil for cooking and frying is extra virgin oil only, and use only once for frying. Do to re-heat as this produces free radicals.

� Use of margarine or vegetable shortening should kept to minimum or bet-ter avoided, because they contain compounds called trans fatty acids that become oxidised when heated during processing of margarine, etc, can clog the blood vessels and lead to heart disease.

� Certain drugs can elevate cholesterol levels. Check with your doctor.� There is a number of cholesterol lowering drugs on the market, available

by prescription only. These drugs can have side effects so they are best used only as a last resort. The sensible way is to keep on a healthy diet and maintain a healthy life-style. Studies have shown that peo-ple living in Italy and Greece used to have low cholesterol levels. The authentic Mediterranean diet (containing fish, legumes, nuts, olive oil, and vegetables including bitter vegies) was responsible for that.

Natural supplements for reducing high cholesterol

VITAMIN B - acts to reduce insulin resistance, activates fat breakdown and lowers cholesterol levels.CHROMIUM - decreases triglycerides while increasing HDL levels and improvesglucose tolerance.CoQ10 - reduces triglycerides and raised levels of HDL cholesterol.FISH OILS - reduces triglycerides, blood pressure and atherosclerosis.POLICOSANOL - lowers cholesterol levels by blocking the formation of cholesterol.VITAMIN C - a chronic low intake can lead to elevated cholesterol levels.VITAMIN E - increases the anti-oxidant enzymes, inhibits platelet aggregation(sticky platelets) and boosts HDL levels.

For the small percentage of people whose bodies genetically make too muchcholesterol and where diet/lifestyle changes have been unsuccessful, it is recom-mended that they seek advice from a healthcare provider for treatment with med-ication. A commonly prescribed medication is a group of drugs known as statins(or HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors). These drugs block the enzyme that is used toproduce cholesterol. This enzyme is also used in the formation of CoQ10, which isnecessary for proper muscle function. If you are on cholesterol lowering medica-tions, it is recommended that you also supplement with at least 50mg of CoQ10 aday to treat the cramp and muscle fatigue that are sometimes experienced withstatins. NO TREATMENT SHOULD BE STARTED WITHOUT SEEKING THE ADVICE OF AQUALIFIED HEALTH PROFESSIONAL.

BY CHRISTINA SCALONE*BHSc, Dip. Bot. Med, Dip.Hom, Dip. Nut

FOODS/HERBS THAT REDUCE CHOLESTEROL LEVELS:

Seeds

Herbs

Fruits

Vegetables

Legumes Soy beans and other legumes

Sesame seeds Fenugreek seeds Flax seeds

Oils Dairy food

Yogurt

Grapes Orange (peel) Pears Strawberries All other berries Apples Bananas Grapefruit1

Fish oils Flax seed oil Olive oil Coconut oil Sea foods

Nuts

Grains/cereals

Almonds Pecan nuts Walnuts

Garlic Globe artichoke Spinach Egg plant Avocado Cabbage Carrots Celery Onions Sweet potatoes Turnips

Clams Crabs Oysters

Barley Oats Oat bran

Alfalfa Chillies Ginseng Artichoke leaf Black cohosh Ginger Green tea Hawthorn Milk thistle Turmeric

* Christina Scalone is a very experienced and successful naturopath with over 20 years experience. Sheholds a Degree in Health Science, a Diploma in Botanical Medicine, Diploma in Homoeopathy and a Diplo-ma in Nutrition. She has maintained a full-time practice, has held a position as a senior practitioner/ natur-opathic consultant, a clinic manager and trainer for Blackmores and is a clinic student supervisor as wellas a lecturer at the Australian College of Natural Therapies. She also maintains her own private practicewith successful results.

Eggplant

The Greek Australian VEMATO BHMA14/36 JANUARY 2009

Buried alive on SantoriniA volcano, a very old piece of wood and the riddle of the Aegean civilisations

By HEINRICH HALL

About 140 generations ago, a massive ex-plosion shook the Aegean island of Thira(Santorini). It was probably audible as faraway as modern Iraq or Southern France.The island, including its capital at Akrotiri- hitherto a bustling centre of Aegeantrade and in close contact with the greatMinoan palaces of Crete, but also withEgypt and the Near East - was buried un-der up to 50 metres of ash and rock.

Tsunamis devastated much of the Aegean, espe-cially the densely settled northern coast of Crete. Ashrained down on distant areas like Turkey and Crete.A plume of smoke rose tens of kilometres into theair, blowing enormous amounts of dust into the strat-osphere and thus affecting the global climate formonths or years to come.

More than 2,500 years later, a middle-aged Danishprofessor stood halfway up the steep edge of thecaldera, the crater that now defines the inside of theC-shaped island of Santorini. Awkwardly perched ona ladder placed on the rubble eroding from the cliffs,he was trying to peer into a smallish hole in the cliffface itself. He suspected that a piece of wood justvisible in that hollow could help him answer a keyquestion: When exactly did the island explode?

On December 1, the Danish Archaeological Institutehosted a lecture by professors Walter Friedrich (Uni-versity of Aarhus, Earth Sciences Department) andWalter Kutschera (University of Vienna, Departmentof Physics) entitled “The Puzzle of Dating the MinoanEruption - News from Santorini and Egypt”. It was thefirst time that their new, still highly controversial pro-posal (originally published in Science Magazine in2006) for the dating of the so-called Minoan eruptionwas presented in Athens.

That event has long been recognised as a linchpinof Greek prehistory. At some point around the middleof the 2nd millennium BC, during the heyday of theMinoan civilisation of Crete, which controlled much ofthe Aegean coasts and islands, the long-dormant vol-cano of Thira erupted.

The explosion is estimated to have been 10 timesas violent as the famous Krakatoa event (1883, in In-donesia) and stronger than the 1815 eruption ofMount Tambora (Indonesia), which blew so muchdust into the atmosphere that it led to a two-yearglobal climate cooling, an event remembered in Eu-rope and North America as “the year without a sum-mer”.

Although we do not know exactly what effects theeruption had, apart from burying the now-famousBronze Age town of Akrotiri, it must have been a dev-astating blow to the Minoan world, causing tsunamisand weakening the sea-borne power of Crete. Al-though Minoan culture survived for several moregenerations, it has been speculated that the end ofthat civilisation was triggered by the event. More fan-cifully, some have tried to recognise the origins of theClassical legend of Atlantis in it.

Technology to the rescue?

Since there are no known historical texts to verifythe 2nd millennium BC Bronze Age Aegean, scholar-

ship lacks exact dates. So far, the archaeology of thearea can only be dated in relative terms - through thedevelopment of architecture and pottery. Precisedates can only be estimated indirectly - through theinteraction between the Aegean and areas such asEgypt and the Near East, whose literate civilisationsproduced dateable objects, naming eg the reigns ofpharaohs, for which a series of precise estimatesexists.

If the Thira eruption, an event that left visible tracesat many individual sites, could be dated even to thedecade, it would massively advance our understand-

ing of Aegean prehistory. In recent decades, scholarshave studied various things, from the tree rings ofoaks buried in Irish bogs to the minute deposits ofash found in the glaciers of Greenland, in order tofind an exact date for the eruption.

Hence the professor on the ladder. ProfessorFriedrich realised that the holes in the cliff represent-ed the decayed remains of an olive tree that stood onthe island at the time of the eruption and was buriedalive by it. Wood is usable for the radiocarbon (or14C) technique, a modern scientific dating methodbased on the presence and uniform decay of a spe-cific radioactive isotope in all living things.

The method, first developed in the 1950s, hasreached immense precision lately. Thus, a one-metrebranch was retrieved and analysed, leading to a dateof 1,613 BC, +/- 13 years, BC. Professor Kutschera,involved in a project of 14C dating over 130 archae-ological finds from the Aegean and especially fromTell el-Daba, in northern Egypt, suggests a very simi-lar timeframe.

Problem solved? Not so fast! As the discussion af-ter the lecture, attended by several internationally-renowned experts, showed, the new date is causinga stir.

The problem is that conventional archaeologicaldating, based on the comparative methods men-tioned above, places the event about a century later,around 1,500BC. Since Egyptian chronology appearsinternally coherent and since a 100-year move wouldsubstantially upset our understanding of the complexrelationships across the Bronze Age Eastern Mediter-ranean, many scholars cannot accept it. The debateis only starting.

Since traditional dating and new scientific methodsseem incompatible in their results, as one member ofthe audience put it, eventually something will have togive.

ATHENS NEWS

The rock of Indianos near Akrotiri. The white layer is made up of ash fallen during the first-phase eruption, the dark layerabove it of rocks and debris from the second phase

Part of the Bronze Age town of Akrotiri - buried by theThira eruption in 1613BC?

The Greek Australian VEMA TO BHMA 15/37

HealthJANUARY 2009

SMOKING: CONSIDER YOUR OPTIONS!

IT’S TIME TO QUIT!

Each year at this time I like to write about smokingand remind everyone that it’s time to Stop Smoking!!!If you have already quit smoking, it is time to reminda friend or relative that it’s time to quit. Talk to yourfriends or relatives. Show them how you did it. Sup-port them. Show them that it can be done!

For those who haven’t stopped smoking now thatthe New Year has arrived, make your New Year’sresolution to STOP smoking ! It’s not too late - it’s noteasy - but it can be done!

You can quit smoking! Yes you! You need will pow-er! Yes you need a quit plan. You need understand-ing from your family and friends. You may needcounselling or additional support. You will need tochange your behaviour to support yourself . You willneed to change your behaviour so you avoid situa-tions where you are likely to smoke. Research hasfound that most people who try to give up smokingare unable to do so without outside support. Talk toyour doctor today about giving up smoking. Yourdoctor can give you the advice and support youneed and point you in the correct direction to give upsmoking. It s not easy but it can be done.

Smoking: The choice is yours

It’s your choice whether to keep smoking or not.Deciding what to do involves weighing up both sidesof the matter. You need to consider the good and thenot-so-good aspects of smoking to make an in-formed decision.

The positive things about smoking

We all know that you smoke because you find itenjoyable and you find it relaxing. It goes well with adrink. It peps you up! It helps you keep your weightdown! It calms your nerves when you’re under pres-sure or have deadlines to meet.

Smoking keeps you awake when you feel sleepy.Smoking stops the boredom. It simply gives yousomething to do to pass the time, for example, whileyou wait for a train or bus. You know smoking helpsyou think! When you’re trying to figure out a problemor complete a job, a cigarette can help you get overthis hurdle.

Smoking boosts your confidence. It gives yousomething to do with your hands when you mightfeel a bit socially awkward!

The negative things about smoking

You know the negative things about smoking. Youknow that regular smokers are hooked on theirhabit! Nicotine is the drug in tobacco that causes the

addiction! If you smoke in the first half hour of wak-ing up, your addiction to nicotine may be strong.

Smokers often have cravings for a cigarette whichincreases during stress. Not only do you smoke forpleasure, but you smoke to relieve the cravings; thatis you smoke to relieve the unpleasant withdrawalsymptoms. Smoking can easily become quite a habit,particularly if it is strongly linked with daily activitiessuch as drinking coffee or alcohol or using the tele-phone.

You know smoking reduces your fitness. You canfeel breathless when climbing stairs or walking. Thiscan occur because the carbon monoxide gas in cig-arette smoke reduces the oxygen level in the bodyand causes you to tire more easily whenever youexert yourself. If you have a heart condition and yousmoke, you are more likely to have chest pain (angi-na) because of the lower oxygen level. Your breath-ing may also be affected by the damage to yourlungs from the tar in cigarette smoke.

You know smoking ages your skin. Smokers devel-op deep and shallow lines on the cheeks and lowerjaw and the face develops gauntness and a yellowcolour.

You know smoking smells unpleasant. It can alsoreduce your sense of taste and ability to enjoy food.Smoking can affect other people, often your rela-tives and friends are not happy about your smoking.Children, asthmatics and allergy sufferers can bebadly affected by small amounts of smoke.

You know smoking harms your health. It causescoronary artery disease, strokes and circulatoryproblems, and can increase your risk of cancer ,particularly lung cancer. Did you know that smokingcan also cause cancer of the throat, mouth, stomach,pancreas and kidney? On the positive side, your riskof developing lung cancer decreases greatly whenyou stop smoking!

Smoking can reduce fertility in both men andwomen. Smoking when pregnant is a great concern.It can cause miscarriage and the baby is likely to beborn premature or be underweight.

Weigh up the pros and cons

So, now you know there are positive and negativethings about smoking. It’s time for you to weigh up inyour own mind your feelings about smoking. A goodstart is to write down the ‘advantages’ and ‘disad-vantages’ about smoking, and in the process listeverything you like about smoking and then every-thing you dislike about smoking. Spend time consid-ering which side is more important to you in the longterm.

Time to quit

After weighing up the pros and cons, you maycome to the decision to ‘quit’, but you may have con-cerns about quitting.

I know you are concerned that you have tried toquit before and failed.

Well, most people have to attempt to quit severaltimes before they reach their non-smoking goal.Treat each setback as a learning experience. Showyour friends that you can do it.

I know that you’re concerned that you’re motivat-ed, but when you are with your friends, and theysmoke, they will make you feel like a cigarette aswell. Be ready for your friend’s reactions.

Some will try to undermine your efforts becausethey have their own guilt about smoking and thishelps them feel better! Others will make fun of yourefforts for similar reasons! Sometimes you mayneed to avoid these people for the first few weeks,but alternatively you can challenge them to join you!

Some friends will support and encourage you and

most will respect you when you achieve your goal.Think about stopping with a friend.

So, you don’t really have the willpower! Of courseyou do! Willpower is the will to change and a meas-ure of the strength of your desire and confidence tostop smoking.

When you start to quit, you will get irritable andfeel sick as the withdrawal symptoms begin in yourbody, as the nicotine starts to disappear. But, all thenicotine will have left your body within three to fourdays and it takes ten to twelve days for your body toadjust. During this difficult time increasing your ex-ercise, eating fresh fruit and vegetables and drinkingplenty of water will help the body during this periodof readjustment.

Think of the advantages of stopping smoking! Youwill feel like a new person, free of addiction. You willsmell and feel better! The worry of smoking will beoff your shoulders.

Become a non-smoker

Now that you have considered the good and badthings about smoking and understand the advan-tages of being a non smoker, your options really areclear. There is no argument! It’s time to stop smok-ing! Your doctor can help you do it! Talk to your doc-tor today! To get started, you need a plan! Your doc-tor will discuss your nicotine dependence and dis-cuss your smoking pattern and habit. Think about y-our smoking! When, where and why you smoke? Areyou an ‘automatic smoker’? Do you light cigaretteswithout thinking about it?

If this occurs, you have a well-practised habit! Butdon’t worry, with hard work you too can give upsmoking! Keep a diary, writing down every cigaretteyou smoke over a 24 hour period. This is a goodway to begin breaking your old habit!

In your diary record:1. the time each cigarette is smoked2. your mood at the time3. the situation you are in4. a possible substitute for each cigarette,

for example, a piece of fruit, a walk, a glass of water.

If you are on the telephone and need to do some-thing with your hands, doodle on a pad with a pencil.Think about what you can do instead of smoking!

It is not easy to give up smoking. It requires hardwork. Set your ‘Quit Date’ ! Prepare before you quit!Make small changes in your smoking habit! Reducethe number of cigarettes you smoke each day!Smoke only half of each cigarette! Start your first cig-arette later in the morning! Each time you feel like acigarette, delay having it! Start making small changesto your smoking pattern today!

The decision is yours to talk to your doctor todayabout smoking cessation. Ask your doctor about thedrugs which can assist is smoking cessation and ifyou have tried to stop smoking before ask about thenew class of drugs known as nicotinic acetylcholine-receptor partial agonists.

These drugs are thought to work by reducing crav-ing and withdrawal symptoms, and by reducing rein-forcement of the smoking habit due to its satisfyingor enjoyable effects.

The drug should be prescribed in conjunction witha comprehensive smoking-cessation support andcounselling program.

Most doctors are keen to help their patients stopsmoking!! Talk to your doctor today or encourage afriend or relative to talk to their doctor about smok-ing cessation.

* The information given in this article is of a general natureand readers should seek advice from their own medical practi-tioner before embarking on any treatment.

HEALTHNEWSNEWS

WITH DR. THEO PENKLIS *

The Greek Australian VEMATO BHMA16/38 JANUARY 2009

DR BILL GIANNAKOPOULOS

‘Australia is at the forefront of medical research’

By IKAROS KYRIACOU

Greeks in Australia have many achieve-ments to their credit. They have excelled inevery field of life and helped tremendouslyin this country’s development and growth.Their achievements in science and medicalresearch have been boosted recently, withthe recognition of another young GreekAustralian, Dr Bill Giannakopoulos MB BSPhD FRACP, who was honoured last Novem-ber by the St George Medical ResearchFoundation with the Inaugural Young Re-searcher Grant. Dr Bill Giannakopoulos, 37,Consultant Reumatologist and Medical Re-searcher, talks to The Greek Australian Ve-ma and gives an overview of his area ofmedical research.

Dr Giannakopoulos’ parents, John and Areti Gian-nakopoulos migrated to Australia from Greece in themid 1960’s. He was born and raised in Sydney

He attended Marrickville Primary Public School, andthen Fort Street High School, Petersham (graduatingclass of 1989). His medical studies were undertaken atthe University of New South Wales (graduating class of1996). Clinical training was mainly at St George Hospi-tal, Kogarah in Sydney. He qualified as a consultantrheumatologist, and was accepted as a Fellow of TheRoyal Australian College of Physicians (FRACP) in 2004.He completed his Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in 2008and is currently undertaking post-graduate researchstudies at St George Hospital Clinical School with Professor Krilis into the causes of why young people withcertain rheumatic conditions develop clogging of arter-ies with fat (atherosclerosis) from a much younger agethan the general population. In addition to research healso takes care of patients with rheumatic complaintsin the Liverpool area of Sydney.

Dr Bill Giannakopoulos, first of all congratula-tions for your recent achievement, winningthe Inaugural Young Researcher Grant. Whatwas your reaction when you were inormedthat your efforts in medical research havebeen recognised by the St George MedicalResearch Foundation?

I was profoundly honoured when I was awarded theInaugural Young Researcher Grant by the St GeorgeMedical Research Foundation. It will allow me to con-tinue the medical research programme which I com-menced during my PhD studies.

Can you give us an overview of your area ofmedical research?

Professor Krilis and his research group at St GeorgeHospital were pioneers in identifying a new and pre-

viously unknown risk factor for blood clotting (strokes,heart attacks, pulmonary embolus, deep vein thrombo-sis) in young adult patients, and in patients with certainrheumatic conditions such as systemic lupus erythe-matosus (SLE), which is a commonly seen condition byrheumatologists such as myself.

This risk factor is a special protein known as anti-body against B2GPI. It is also known by other namessuch as antiphospholipid antibody, anticardiolipin anti-body and lupus anticoagulant. During my PhD I discov-ered an important mechanism by which the bloodfrom these patients can become more sticky in theblood vessels, and can lead the patients to be at riskof developing blood clotting.

This work has been published in the prestigiousjournal Arthritis And Rheumatism, and opens the path-way for the development of new treatments for theprevention of blood clotting in these patients. I have al-so written, in collaboration with other members of theteam (Dr Freda Passam and Dr Yiannis Ioannou), ex-tensive reviews in the premier journal Blood, whichaim to educate non-specialist doctors in the field re-garding the importance of detecting this important riskfactor in the appropriate context, and treating patientsearly to prevent long term, devastating complications.

In your field of medical research, what is yournext target?

As a rheumatologist I treat many patients with sys-

temic lupus erythematosus and rheumatoid arthritis.One of the biggest problems in patients with theseconditions is that they can develop atherosclerosis,leading to heart attacks and strokes from a much y-ounger age than the general population. Hence, themain focus of my future research agenda is to identifywhy this happens, and to then hopefully develop moreeffective treatments to prevent these complicationsfrom occurring.

How important is medical research for oursociety?

There can be no denying that medical research is animportant component of a progressive society, andthat the development of vaccines, medications, im-proved operative techniques, and public health meas-ures, has led to the prevention and alleviation of suf-fering for many people.

Without a doubt, Australia is at the forefrontof medical research. Why?

Australia is at the forefront for a number of reasons,however, first and foremost, I believe it is due to thecherished and nurtured tradition of meritocracy, thedue advancement of an individual based on hard workand merit. I feel that when this spirit dies in a culture,for whatever reason, the exuberance required to dotop notch research also diminishes and fades.

Dr Bill Giannakopoulos MB BS PhD FRACP Consultant Rheumatologist and Medical Researcher

The Greek Australian VEMA TO BHMA 17/39JANUARY 2009

Continued from previous page

What are some recent developments relatedto your medical research?

The St George Hospital in Kogarah has a long andproud tradition in conducting cutting edge medical re-search. One of the pioneer physician-scientists at thisinstitution has been Professor Steven A. Krilis, who isthe director of the Department of Immunology, AllergyAnd Infectious Diseases. It was Prof Krilis’ group whoin 1989 first identified a major additional risk factor forthrombosis in young people, particularly in womenwith SLE.

This risk factor is a specific pathogenic antibody di-rected against a common, but poorly understood bloodprotein called beta 2-glycoprotein I. His group, ofwhich I have been a proud member since 2004, hasbeen intensively engaged in understanding how thisantibody increases the risk of thrombosis. The para-digm underlying our work is that by understandingwhy these antibodies associate with thrombosis, theninsights may be gained into how the immune system,which is also responsible for chronic inflammation,contributes to thrombosis.

Within this context, we feel it is important not only tounderstand the role of the antibody, but also the as yetpoorly defined role of the abundant plasma proteinbeta 2-glycoprotein I in regulating cholesterol andblood clotting in the body.

As you know, in November of last year I wasawarded the inaugural Young Investigator Grant, madepossible by the recently established St George Med-ical Research Foundation. This grant is to enable me tocontinue my post-doctoral research (which continueson from my PhD), on understanding the role of beta 2-glycoprotein I in blood clotting. Further acknowledge-ment of the importance of my work has been recogni-tion by the Dean of Medicine, The University Of NewSouth Wales, in the 2008 Dean’s List for OutstandingResearchers. The purpose of the Young InvestigatorGrant is to enable promising, young, up and comingresearchers to continue their research, with a view toultimately developing an independent, long-term, re-search career. The major source of funding for The StGeorge Medical Research Foundation are donationsmade by members of the community, and as such Iwould like to take this opportunity to thank them fortheir contribution, and to acknowledge that with God’sgrace, I will endeavour to do everything in my powerto achieve my research goals.

There is a Greek saying, stating that “theapple falls under the apple tree”... Would youencourage your children to follow your food-steps in medical research and in Medicine ingeneral?

I would absolutely love it if my children, Ioannis (3and a half) and Dimitri (8 months) followed me intomedicine or their mother into pharmacy.

However, even though I will encourage them, mywife Helen and I agree that the main thing is that theyultimately do what they love, and that they do it well.

Medicine and medical research is a very hard andlong road, and success cannot be achieved unless it isdone with absolute passion and devotion, and supportfrom a nurturing and loving family, which has to en-dure the long and unrelenting hours of work andstudy.

Dr Giannakopoulos, thank you very much foryour time and I wish you all the best for thefuture.

Thank you very much.

Dr Bill Giannakopoulos (left) with his fellow Medical Researchers at the Department of Immunology, Allergy and InfectiousDiseases of the St George Hospital, Kogarah (NSW)

www.fahcsia.gov.au

Helping Children with Autism packageEARLY INTERVENTION FUNDING FOR CHILDREN WITH AN AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDERChildren with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) now have increased access to early intervention services.

If you have a child six years and younger who has been diagnosed with an ASD and hasn’t yet started full time school, you may be eligible to access funding of up to $12,000 in early intervention services.

FaHCSIA is establishing a group of Early Intervention Service Providers from which families will be able to choose services that best suit their child.

Families will be able to visit an Autism Advisor through Autism Associations in each state and territory to access service providers from the panel.

Contact your local autism advisor for information on available funding, early intervention and other support services that are available to you.

For contact details visit: www.fahcsia.gov.au/autism or contact the Helping Children with Autism Enquiry Line on 1800 289 177 (TTY 1800 260 402)

hmaC092603

Move north, escape climate changeBy Cathy Alexander

Worried about climate change? Move to Dar-win. New research shows the top half of Aus-tralia will be little affected by climate change,while from Brisbane south the effects will getstronger and stronger.

Dr Tim Barrows, from the Australian NationalUniversity, has prepared a hit-list of the citieswhich will be most affected as the climatewarms up.

Canberra tops the list because it doesn'thave the ocean to moderate temperatures.Next come Melbourne, Hobart, Adelaide andPerth. Sydney and Brisbane will fare a littlebetter, although their climates will still changesignificantly.

And the north will escape the worst of cli-mate change, although it will get wetter.

Dr Burrows predicted people - and farmers- would move northwards as the climatechanged in the south. But he cautioned againstan immediate move to Darwin.

"It'll still be hot," he said.

Dr Burrows' findings are presented in an ar-ticle in the journal Nature Geoscience, issuedrecently.

As a palaeoclimatologist he studies how theclimate has changed over tens of thousands ofyears. He bases his conclusions on how Aus-tralia's climate changed during the last ice age,which he measured by studying plankton fos-sils and sediment from the sea floor.

He found tropical areas like Australia's northwere less affected by climate change becausethey had plenty of clouds, which acted as abuffer by keeping out the sun.

"The tropical areas tend to be remarkably in-sensitive to climate change."

Dr Burrows draws a distinction betweennaturally-occurring climate change and human-induced change.

Climates do change over time - there wereglaciers and icebergs around Australia duringthe last ice age 10,000 years ago. Tempera-tures rose by as much as ten degrees whenthe ice age ended, Dr Burrows said, and thatwas not caused by humans.

The Greek Australian VEMATO BHMA18/40 JANUARY 2009

Arts, Food & WineOlé!

Editor: Imogen Coward

By Dr Ann Coward

‘The burgundy-coloured velvet cloth is heavily embroi-dered in gold and set with semi-precious stones. Theicon of the Holy Mother, carefully depicted by nuns us-ing needle and thread, appears to float on a sea offlowers offset with gold threads and sequins. The cloth,capturing the light from the setting sun, transforms thewearer and those who gather around him on this day,being one of many religious festivals, out of the worldof the mundane and into the realm of the sacred. Bycarrying out the sacrifice he is offering his life to oth-ers, leading the people in an act of redemption.’

One could easily be mistaken for thinking that theabove description is of a Christian priest and his vest-ments.

The clues appear to indicate this: the way in whichthe clothing is decorated, the role played by nuns andthe inclusion of an embroidered icon; the reference tolight, and finally the carrying out of some sacred act onbehalf of himself and others. It’s not about priests,though, Christian or otherwise. It’s a description ofmatadors, whose clothing is known as the “suit oflights”.

Bullfighting is something we think of as being pecu-liarly Spanish. Is it a remnant of Mithraic cultic prac-tices, the worship of Mithras being widespread a-mongst soldiers at the time of the Emperor Constan-tine? Is it somehow linked to an even earlier era whenyoung men and women somersaulted over bulls as de-picted in Cretan frescoes?

The fact that bullfights usually occur on religious feastdays, coupled with the way in which the items of cloth-ing are decorated, makes it clear that (whatever itsroots) bullfighting holds a religious significance for the

Spanish people. And the matador, in a sense, serves asthe priest of the bullfight.

Although, like most Australians, I have never wit-nessed a bullfight, my interest was stirred by a beauti-fully presented book, entitled Oro Plata: Embroideredcostumes of the bullfight. The photographs of the mata-dors and picadors, and the detailed depictions of theembroidery on the jackets, vests and pants, and of theicons given pride of place on the ceremonial capes, aresimply breathtaking. At the time, I was trying to findbooks on Christian vestments and the symbolism ofembroidered designs used to embellish them. The briefnotes scattered throughout this particular book, and theimages, while not directly related to vestments, still of-fers information that helps the reader appreciate therole played by priestly vestments. It’s interesting, attimes, how much we can discover by taking an occa-sional short side-trip along a journey.At the heart of my interest in vestments is the issue of

purpose. When the priest, or bishop or deacon, is vest-ed, what purpose does this serve? There is no denyingthat, just as the exquisite gold decoration of a mata-dor’s “suit of light” transforms the wearer, priestly vest-ments also serve to transform. Similarly, those who arein the presence of a priest when he if fully vested andcarrying out a ritual, are lifted up out of the mundaneinto the realm of the sacred. The vestments, so clearlyrepresenting nobility, impart a sense of being special tothose who gather around the priest, in acts of worship.But is this all there is?

According to Daniele Carbonel, the author of Oro Pla-ta, the matador carries out a ritual sacrifice, and in sodoing risks his own life, for the purpose of ... what? Forthe matador himself, it has often been the case that thepurpose is to escape poverty. Indeed, the evolution of

the matador’s clothing was based on an attempt tomimic the Spanish nobility. For the crowds gathered towitness the bullfight, Carbonel suggests that the pur-pose is one of receiving some sort of social redemp-tion. He doesn’t dwell on this aspect, leaving the readera little uneasy about trying to decipher exactly what heis implying by this.

How might any of this apply to the wearing of Chris-tian priestly vestments? Certainly, since the fall of Con-stantinople, there has been an added element of asso-ciation between vestments and the aristocracy, with theaddition of the imperial crown (mitra) and imperial robe(sakkos) to the bishop’s array of vestments. But unlikethe matador’s costume, the priestly vestments are notmeant to distract us, not to bring glory upon the wearer.By taking upon the right to wear priestly vestments, thewearer does offer up his life. And here, rather than inthe vestments themselves, we find the clue as to thecentral purpose of these items of clothing. The priestoffers up his life. For what purpose? For the benefit ofothers. Not so that we might receive some sort of so-cial redemption (whatever that means), but so that wemight be helped along on our own journey of salvationtowards theosis. The vestments, the icons, the ritualsacraments have a common purpose. The rest - the in-tricacies of what form the ornamentation on the vest-ments might take, any details about who makes themand where they’re made, or about what colours aresupposed to be worn and when, are all - as they say -mere details.

Greek Treasures of theBenaki Museum in Athens

Edited by Electra GeorgoulaPublished by Powerhouse Publishing, 2005

This book is the cat-alogue from the GreekTreasures exhibitionheld at the Power-house Museum, Syd-ney, in 2005. Whetheror not you managed tosee the exhibition thisis a stunning book anda real eye-opener asto the extreme level ofartisans’ skills in fieldsas diverse as ceram-ics, gold jewellery,icons, ecclesiastical metal-ware and embroidery.

Artifacts from pre-historic to Neohellenic timesare presented according to chronological order,each with a full colour, detailed photograph and anentry explaining the origins of the object. The bookis fascinating for anyone interested in Greek histo-ry, visual and decorative arts, and costume. It issure to inspire contemporary embroiderers, jew-ellers and jewellery makers in particular.

For information on how to purchase this cata-logue contact Powerhouse Publishing on 02 92170129 or www.powerhousemuseum.com/publica-tions

I.C.

Écoutez!Arts Review

FFoooodd && WWiinneeAs wheat and gluten intolerances become more

widely recognized there is an increasing need forwheat or flour-less desserts. This month we bringyou the best flourless chocolate cake ever.

Chocolate Velvet Cake

IngredientsCake250g dark couveture chocolate (try Kennedy andWilson) chopped150g unsalted butter, chopped3 tbsp brandy2/3 cup caster sugar1 tbsp freshly brewed espresso coffee125g ground almonds5 eggs, separated

Method: Combine chocolate, butter, brandy, sugarand coffee in a pyrex / ceramic bowl over asaucepan of simmering water and stir gently until allthe ingredients are melted into a smooth mixture.Pour mixture into a large bowl and stir in almond

meal, then whisk in egg yolks, one by one, untileverything is well combined.

In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites until theform firm peaks. Gently fold the egg white into thechocolate mixture, one spoon at a time, until justmixed. Spoon mixture into a 20cm square cake tinthat is well greased and lined with paper on the bot-tom. Bake in a 180C oven for approximately 45 minsor until firm to touch but still a little soft in the center.Cool cake in the tin (the cake will sink a little). Care-fully remove cake from pan and place on a wirerack to cool.

If you wish, you may put a chocolate topping onthe cake. To make the topping combine 200gchopped dark couveture chocolate and 60g choppedunsalted butter in a bowl over simmering water andstir gently until mixture is melted and smooth.

Cool for 15 mins or until thickened, then spreadover the top of the cake. Stand at room temperatureuntil the topping is completely set.

The cake is best eaten on the day it is made (it hasa velvety texture), but will keep for up to 3 days inan airtight tin.

DECEMBER 2008 Tel. (02) 9559 7022 Fax: (02) 9559 7033 E-mail: vema@bigpond.net.au

THE GREEK AUSTRALIAN

VEMAThe oldestcirculating

Greeknewspaper

outsideGreece

Christmasin AthensHow Christmas is celebrated in the capital city of Greece

PAGE 20/48

AustralianRegiment requests Greek Orthodoxblessings for its Soldiers and Flags

PAGE 6/34

Escape i

OUR PRIMATE’S VIEW

The mystery of godlinessPAGE 5/23

To all our readers

The Greek Australian VEMAThe oldest circulating Greek newspaper

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

ST ANDREW’S ORTHODOX PRESS

CATALOGUE

DIARY 2009

Full colour icons grace each page of the 2009Diary, complemented with sayings of theFathers, Scripture-reading references for everySunday and fasting guidelines to accompanyyou week by week. A resource that is suitablefor children through to adults. $18

THE INFALLIBILITY OF THE CHURCHIN ORTHODOX THEOLOGY

Why do the Orthodox believe that the Churchwill always contain the truth as revealedby God? What is this belief based upon?Archbishop Stylianos addresses the issuesin a theologically deep work that has just beentranslated. Topics include the divineinspiration of Scripture, the natureof the Church and differences with the RomanCatholic approach to primacy and infallibility.277 pages, $33.

PHRONEMA

Phronema is the annual academic reviewof St Andrew’s Greek Orthodox TheologicalCollege, Sydney. Faculty members and otherscholars contribute challenging articlesfor the more demanding reader. The year’sCollege news is also briefly presented.Available by subscription or one-off purchase.$30

ST ANDREW’S THEOLOGICALCOLLEGE - THE FIRST TWODECADES

St Andrew’s Greek Orthodox TheologicalCollege, the only one of its kind in theSouthern Hemisphere, marks its 20thanniversary with a book of education - highlypractical sermons from the College Dean(Greek and English), with photos andfascinating background to the formation of thistertiary institution which prepares the Priestsand Teachers of tomorrow. 197 pagesbeautifully bound, $25.

EVLOGEITE! - A PILGRIM’S GUIDETO GREECE

Mother Nectaria’s mammoth book ofinformation on countless Christian sites ofGreece - what to see and how to get there.The publishers have given St Andrew’sOrthodox Press exclusive distribution rights forAustralia. For anyone from ‘Down Under’preparing a personal pilgrimage, there issimply no other tool like this in the Englishlanguage! 964 pages. $65

THE DIVINE LITURGYOF ST JOHN CHRYSOSTOM

This compact hard-back edition of the DivineLiturgy has been translated by a specialcommittee of the Greek Orthodox Archdioceseof Australia, with English facing the originalGreek on each page, easily allowing one tofollow and pray the Sunday Service. Prayers ofpreparation for Holy Communion, the Blessingof Loaves (artoklasia) and the MemorialService (mnimosino) are also included. $12

Coming soon...� The Service of Baptism (Greek and English)

� St Basil the Great’s Address to Youth

� CD - Booklet of major Church hymns

� Windows to Orthodoxy by Dr Guy Freeland

For all enquiries regarding orders:

BOOK CENTRE, Greek Orthodox Archdiocese 242 Cleveland Street, Redfern NSW 2016, Australia

email: bookcentre@greekorthodox.org.auph 02 9698 5066 fax 02 9698 5368

Scholarly books Popular publications

NEW

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UT

The Greek Australian VEMATO BHMA20/42 JANUARY 2009

Greek PM pledges to guard against fiscal crisisBy Elena Becatoros

The new Greek government wassworn in on Thursday 8 January, and theprime minister pledged to shelter thecountry from financial crisis while ensur-ing security after Greece‘s worst riots indecades.

Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis(photo), facing declining popularity afterlast month’s riots, reshuffled his cabineton Wednesday 7 January, replacing hisfinance minister. But he kept nearly halfthe old cabinet members, including theinterior minister criticised over the gov-ernment’s response to the riots.

“We’re not interested in creating im-pressions, but in true results in all sec-tors,” Karamanlis said in a live televisedaddress. He said dealing with the inter-national financial crisis was a prioritythat would be tackled through boostingbank liquidity and job incentives whilehelping low-income families.

He pledged to crack down on violentprotests after the riots destroyed hun-dreds of stores and bank branches.

“We will decisively deal with phenome-na of catastrophic violence,” he said.

The prime minister’s ratings were al-ready slipping before the unrest due to aseries of scandals, financial hardship

and unpopular pension reforms.Karamanlis said there could be more

difficulties ahead. “We have full under-standing of the difficulties; we have asteep road ahead of us,” he said.

In total, Karamanlis replaced eight ofhis 17 ministers and nine deputy minis-ters, including several linked in the mediato financial mismanagement scandals.

The biggest change was the removalof Finance Minister Giorgos Alogosk-oufis, who implemented unpopular spen-ding cuts but was credited with Greece‘sstrong economic growth. He was repla-ced by his deputy Yiannis Papathanasiou.But some key posts remained un-changed, including the ministers of for-eign affairs, defence and interior.

Interior Minister Prokopis Pavlopouloswas criticised for the government’s han-dling of the riots, which broke out afterthe Dec 6 police shooting of a teenager.Many felt the police response to the ini-tial violence was limited, as youths ram-paged through city centres, burning andlooting businesses.

The opposition Socialists criticised thereshuffle as being without substance.

Athens daily Ta Nea said in its editorialThursday: “the faces changed in order tocalm reactions, but there is not the slight-est direction toward changing policies.” Looking for solutions - PM Costas Karamanlis

ÔÏ ÂÇÌÁ - ÉÁÍÏÕÁÑÉÏÓ 2009 ÓÅËÉÄÁ 43

Band 5 Awards (top 20% in the State with 80 – 89%) Biology Business Studies Design & Tech Classical Greek English Advanced English Ext 1

Panos Toumbelekis Andrew Behman Kosta Avdalis Richard Sofatzis Nicholas Bouzanis Dimitra Lygdas

Leon Mixios Stephanie Pattey Kosmas Kokkinos Eleni Papailiadis

Nicholas Vasili Kerri Zannettides Sotirios Petsis

Kerri Zannettides Richard Sofatzis

English Ext 2 Inf/Pro &Technology

Legal Studies Mathematics 2U Mathematics Ext 1 Mathematics Ext 2

Renee Anestis Odyssey Liganaris Andrew Behman Ana Alaveras Ana Alaveras Nicholas Bouzanis -

Nicholas Bouzanis Panos Toumbelekis Sotirios Petsis Sotirios Petsis Andrew Behman (Notional Band 6)

Spiroula Stathakis Nicholas Vasili Paris Tsiorvas Panos Toumbelekis Odyssey Liganaris

Paris Tsiorvas Sotirios Petsis

Nicholas Vasili Paris Tsiorvas

Nicholas Vasili

PDHPE Physics Studies of Religion Senior Science Visual Arts Modern Greek Kerri Zannettides Odyssey Liganaris Dimitra Lygdas Leigh Karydis Maria Hatzistergos Petro Antonis

Sotirios Petsis Connie Kazouris Stephanie Pattey Sotirios Petsis

Peter Lazaris Liana Tsioulos Jim Sideras

Michael Zaverdinos Spiroula Stathakis

Modern GreekExtension

Pashalina Papapetros

Jim Sideras

Spiroula Stathakis

On behalf of our Parish Priest, Boards of Trustees, Directors and Governors, the Principal,

Staff, Students and Parents, All Saints Grammar would like to congratulate all 2008 Year

12 students on their achievements in completing their secondary studies and offer them our

best wishes in their future endeavours.

Whatever your path may be, we are all very proud of you and know you will succeed in

life. Our thanks to you and to your families for allowing All Saints Grammar to be a part

of your life.

We also extend our best wishes and congratulations to the Year 12 students that attended

our sister schools of St Spyridon and St Euphemia Colleges.

The HSC results of students attending All Saints Grammar, St Spyridon College and St

Euphemia College are testimony to the quality and high academic standard of all our

Greek Orthodox Archdiocese Schools.

Well done & Congratulations to all.

“Give Your Child a Gift for Life” For Enrolment enquiries and an Information Pack, contact the School via:

email: enrolments@allsaints.nsw.edu.au, tel 9718 7715, fax 9718 7392.

Offices reopen in 2009 on Monday, 19 January between 9 – 3 pm.

Yrs 7 – 12 commence lessons Monday, 2 February, 2009.

Yrs 1 – 6 commence lessons Monday, 2 February, 2009.

Kindergarten commences lessons Tuesday, 3 February, 2009.