Our History
The parish of Saint Dimitrios Ascot Vale/Moonee Ponds was founded on the 6th of March, 1962.
The community focused on providing afternoon Greek education in various locations and held the Divine Liturgy in different halls in the region. This made the first few years difficult as the priest and the committee would always have the Church paraphernalia with them, set up for the service, and then dismantle it for another time and place. Early in 1968, the first Church was established in a hall at 71 The Parade, Ascot Vale and remained there until the end of 1975. The current Church at 1 Gladstone Street, Moonee Ponds was built in 1975 and was officially opened on the 14th of December of that year.
The consecration occurred on the 7th of May, 1978, in the presence of the late Archbishop of Australia, Stylianos.
The parish was serviced by various priests but the longest serving was Archimandrite of the Ecumenical Throne, Father Panagiotis Stylianopoulos of blessed memory. He started this mission in May of 1974 until his passing on the 21st of May 2022, an amazing 48 years later. In the early 1980s, the community concentrated 0n building across the road from the church, the Greek school and Community Centre.
On the 21st of June 1998, an extraordinary general meeting was held where the majority of members of the community voted in favour of becoming a parish. In March 2003, Father Emmanuel Lykopandis became our assistant priest to Father Panagiotis and together they cared for and serviced the needs of the parish for almost 20 years. In July 2022, Father John Frangos became our newly appointed parish priest.
Our Hierarchy
His All-Holiness, Bartholomew, Archbishop of Constantinople New Rome and Ecumenical Patriarch
The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America is overseen by the Holy Synod of the Patriarchate of Constantinople, which is headed by His All-Holiness, Patriarch Bartholomew (View the Biography).
Archbishop of Australia
The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia is shepherded by His Eminence, Makarios, Archbishop of Australia (View the Biography). His Eminence is represented in North West Victoria by His Grace Evmenios of Kerasounta.
Our Priest
Father John is one of five sons to Reverend Father Synesios and the late Presvytera Maria.
Born in Brisbane and raised in Goulburn, New South Wales, he finished high school in Melbourne. He went on to study Science (pharmacology, chemistry and later toxicology) and prior to priesthood, he worked as a toxicologist. He has been married to Presvytera Anthoula since 1993 and has two children, Synesios and Sophia.
Father John grew up in the Parish of St Paraskevi, St John the Merciful and St Barbara and was an active member of the parish council for many years. In parallel he studied Theology at Saint Andrew’s Greek Orthodox Theological College in Sydney and graduated with a Postgraduate Diploma. He was ordained as a Deacon in July 2016 at the Panagiri of St Paraskevi and was ordained to priesthood on the 20th May 2018.
His Eminence Archbishop Makarios of Australia entrusted Father John to be Chair of Saint John’s College, Preston in 2019 and also gave him the honour to serve as the assistant priest to the Geelong Monastery, Panagia Gorgoepikoos. In July 2022, his Eminence appointed him to be the parish priest of Saint Dimitrios Church, Moonee Ponds.
Our Patron Saint
Saint Dimitrios the Myrrh Bearer
Saint Dimitrios was born in 270 AD in Thessaloniki, Greece to noble and wealthy parents. His heroic spirit led him to become a high-ranking officer in the Roman Army at a young age. This is why he is depicted in military dress, either standing or astride a horse and usually holding a Cross or the spear he was martyred with, in his icons.
During this time, Greece was occupied by the Roman Empire which meant Christians were persecuted if they did not convert to Paganism. The Emperor, Maximian, loathed all Christians and tortured them for sport. Unbeknownst to him, one of his most trusted soldiers was a secret Christian and instead of capturing them, Dimitrios protected them. Despite his notable status, military duties were secondary to his missionary work, where he preached the Gospel at secret meetings and converted pagans to Christianity. Dimitrios saw himself, first and foremost, as a soldier of Christ.
At one of these meetings, Dimitrios was discovered, captured and brought before the Emperor who demanded the truth about the conversions and Dimitrios’ faith. Dimitrios proclaimed “…only in Christ do I believe.”
With that proclamation, Maximian sent Dimitrios to prison and ordered him to be subject to the cruellest tortures. Imprisonment did not discourage Dimitrios. He continued to preach the Gospel to those who came to visit him. Maximian on the other hand had organised gladiator games as a duel between paganism and Christianity. The Emperor offered a reward to whoever could beat his prized gladiator, Lyaeus, who was a barbaric wrestler. He challenged the Thessalonians to fight him. Lyaeus was incredibly tall and strong and all who opposed him were defeated. Nestoras, a young follower of Dimitrios, decided to fight the gladiator himself. Nestoras visited Dimitrios in prison and asked for his beloved teacher’s blessing to defeat Lyaeus single-handedly in the next duel.
With the blessing of Dimitrios, Nestoras entered the stadium and stood before his opponent. Maximian was reluctant to pit Nestoras against Lyaeus as he was young and of small stature but offered him the reward for his daring. Maximian said, “Take my gift and keep your life, but do not hurl yourself against Lyaeus who has defeated many more powerful than you”.
Nestoras, however, sealed himself with the sign of the Cross and said “O God of Dimitrios, help me!” Nestoras engaged the gladiator in battle and with a mortal blow from his sword, Lyaeus lay lifeless on the ground.Furious at the loss of his favourite gladiator, Maximian ordered that Nestoras was to be beheaded with the sword that defeated Lyaeus. Maximian recognised Dimitrios’ involvement as the inspiring power behind Nestoras, so the emperor also sentenced Dimitrios to execution by a spear on October 26, 306 AD. Christians buried him at the site of his execution and because of the beautiful scent permeating his tomb, people named him Mirovlitis or “The Myrrh Bearer”.
Myrrh still flows from his relics to this day and they are kept in Thessaloniki where the Church is dedicated to him. As well as being his birth and resting place, people believe that the intervention of Saint Dimitrios saved the city during many attacks from Slavic nations. The liberation of Thessaloniki during the Balkan War of 1912 also coincides with the feast day of Saint Dimitrios. Saint Dimitrios is also known as a wonder worker and has performed many miracles, especially in Thessaloniki, which has given him the title, “Defender of Thessaloniki”.
Our church is blessed with a relic of Saint Dimitrios and we honour him on the 26th of October.
Saint Dimitrios,
Moonee Ponds
Saint Dimitrios, Moonee Ponds is a parish of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia in the Archdiocesan District of Northcote, located in Melbourne’s north west. Our community is open to anyone in need of spiritual guidance.