2020 Graduation Event

On 28 February, the Dedication Service for Graduates of St Andrew’s Theological College was celebrated in the Cathedral of the Annunciation (Redfern, NSW). The evening’s proceedings began with a Doxological Service chanted by faculty members, alumni and students. His Eminence Archbishop Makarios of Australia, as the new College Dean presiding at his first such graduation event, recited a benediction over the graduates and conferred them with the College's ecclesiastical certificate. Since this Dedication Service could not take place the previous year, both the ‘Class of 2019’ and ‘Class of 2020’ were invited to celebrate together on this occasion.

In his address to the congregation, His Eminence gave thanks to God for the work of the College in Australia. He acknowledged the efforts and collaboration of so many people of good will, both Orthodox and non-Orthodox alike. He described the College’s long-standing membership of the Sydney College of Divinity (SCD) as a particular blessing and warmly greeted Prof. Diane Speed, current Dean and Chief Executive Officer of the SCD.

Honouring this important occasion with their presence was His Eminence Metropolitan Seraphim of Sebasteia, Their Graces Bishop Emilianos of Meloa and Bishop Silouan of Sinope, The Very Reverend Archimandrite Fr Evmenios Vasilopoulos, the Reverend Fr Veselin Svorcan representing His Grace Bishop Siluan of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Australia, other distinguished guests and colleagues from within the SCD, as well as reverend clergy and Archdiocesan council members. Mr Konstantinos Giannakodimos, Press Councillor (Office of Public Diplomacy), represented the Honourable Consul General for Greece in Sydney, His Excellency Mr Christos Karras.

Undergraduate and postgraduate students were acknowledged as noted below:

CLASS OF 2020

Bachelor of Theology: Paul Condoleon (NSW), Dn Christophoros (Nickolas) Krikelis [2020 Recipient of The Kostoula Tsabalas Memorial Prize] (VIC), Mihailo Miletic (NSW), Phillip Papagiannopoulos (VIC), Joel Welsh (QLD).

Master of Theology: Corey Thomas in absentia (QLD)

Master of Arts: William Le Couilliard (VIC), Peter Simos (QLD)

Graduate Diploma of Arts: George Christensen in absentia (QLD), Emil Eracovici (NSW), Anastasia Markakis (NSW), Daniel Saliba in absentia (VIC)

Graduate Diploma of Theological Studies: Matthew Novic (QLD), Fr Meletije Pantic in absentia (New Zealand)

Graduate Certificate in Theological Studies: Kimon Giannopoulos in absentia (NSW)

Diploma of Christian Studies: Pantelis Fridakis (SA)

CLASS OF 2019

Bachelor of Theology: Dn Nenad Vujasinovic (VIC)

Graduate Diploma of Arts: Fr Richard Asquith-Charlton in absentia (VIC), Pillow Chan in absentia (Hong Kong), Olga Johnson (NSW), Dn Pandelis Laskaris in absentia (VIC)

Graduate Certificate in Arts: Lydia Gore-Jones in absentia (NSW), Mina Samy in absentia (NSW), Meredith Secomb in absentia (VIC)

The latest group of graduates brought to 199 the total number of graduates – receiving 230 SCD degrees and awards at various levels, but primarily the Bachelor of Theology – since St Andrew’s opened in 1986.