‘High-living’ Archbishop Makarios sues over explosive articles

Australia’s Greek Orthodox Archbishop has launched defamation proceedings against a journalist after he published a series of articles claiming the Archbishop had mishandled donations.

Greek Orthodox Archbishop Makarios, right, at his enthronement in June 2019. Picture: AAP

Australia’s Greek Orthodox Archbishop has launched defamation proceedings against a Greek-Australian journalist after he published a series of articles claiming the Archbishop had mis­appropriated donations and failed to take action against a priest ­accused of raping underage girls.

Archbishop Makarios Griniezakis – the flamboyant Greek-born clergyman who courted controversy over his extravagant lifestyle in 2020 – is suing journalist Alkis Morelas for publishing four articles on his Greek language news site, Greek Flash News, which first appeared in ­August and September 2021.

In documents filed to the Federal Court in April, Archbishop Makarios’s legal team, led by high-flying Sydney silk Sue ­Chrysanthou, claimed Morelas waged “at least a two-year campaign” against the senior clergyman by publishing articles that sought to denigrate him.

Greek Flash News, the applicant noted, is a widely read publication among the Greek Orthodox community in Australia and overseas.

In two articles, which remain published on the news site, Morelas claims the Archbishop deceived and misappropriated up to $1m in donations from the church’s bushfire fund and a fundraiser for the Greek ­Orthodox Mission in Africa.

Greek Orthodox Archbishop Makarios at his enthronement in June 2019. Picture: AAP

“We advise you … to think twice about whether you will trust such people (Archbishop Makarios) as agents to give help to the fire victims … or will you prefer to offer relief through more reliable institutions and organisations that will not mislead you,” he wrote. Another article, published in August 2021, claims the Archbishop appointed four friends to senior positions within the church, despite not being suitably qualified.

In another explosive article, Morelas sensationally claims the Archbishop failed “for almost a year” to take action against a priest accused of raping and sexually harassing underage girls, despite being aware of the charges.

“The tourist-Archbishop Makarios, although he had known for almost a year about the complaints of the girls’ families of raping and sexual harassment, he silently replaced the mischievous priest just three months ago,” he wrote in September 2021.

The Greek Orthodox Church purchased a $6.5 million Sydney apartment with harbour views in December 2019.

The Archbishop was embroiled in controversy just months after arriving in Australia in 2019 following revelations the church had bought him a $6.5m harbourside apartment in The Georgia at Millers Point, with panoramic views of Sydney Harbour, a concierge and a heated indoor pool. After initially denying he lived in the palatial residence, the Archbishop’s lavish lifestyle became the subject of complaints by members of the Greek Orthodox Church, according to Morelas, with further details of his chauffeur-driven Holden Caprice and personalised number plate, styled “ARCHBM” coming to light.

The luxury apartment in The Georgia also comes with access to an indoor swimming pool.

In documents lodged to the Federal Court in April, Morelas’s defence team said they would rely on the “general reputation” of the Archbishop’s high-flying lifestyle, including first class airfares, his extravagant taste in clothes and his expensive religious garments, each rumoured to cost up to $30,000.

The defence added they would also focus on the fact that the Archbishop spends “almost half of his time overseas on junkets” ­financed by the church.

Journalist Alkis Morelas.

Lawyer Tim Sowden, who represented Morelas on Monday, said there was enough evidence ­to mount a defence of all four ­articles.

The hearing was adjourned on Monday after it was revealed that Morelas had published additional material about the Archbishop over the weekend.