We don’t normally ask for anything. We come to church, we light a candle, we keep our heads down. But this time we have to ask — for our parish, and for the priest who has stood beside us.
The Archdiocese moved Fr Emmanuel without notice. Help us bring him home.
The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia has reassigned Fr Emmanuel Lykopandis from the parish of St John the Forerunner & Baptist, North Carlton, without consultation, without explanation, and without regard for the community he has served. We are asking every parishioner, friend, and Australian of good faith to write to their local Member of Parliament — and to copy in the Archdiocese.
It takes 60 seconds. Enter your address below. We’ll find your federal, state and local representatives and draft a letter you can send straight from your email.
About the parish
The Greek Orthodox Church of St John the Forerunner & Baptiststands at 998 Lygon Street, Carlton North. The current building was completed in 1968 and is listed on the Victorian Heritage Database (Place 91577) as historically and architecturally significant to the City of Yarra — a place where post-war Greek migrants gathered, settled, and built community life.
The parish gave rise to St John’s Greek Orthodox College, which began as an afternoon school at North Carlton in 1972 and was inaugurated as the first bilingual Greek Orthodox day school in Australia in 1979. The feast days of the Nativity of St John (24 June) and the Beheading of St John (29 August) remain the parish’s principal celebrations.
About Fr Emmanuel
Fr Emmanuel Lykopandis was appointed Hierarchical Head of St John’s, North Carlton in September 2022 by Archbishop Makarios. Before that, he served the parish of St Dimitrios, Ascot Vale for over twenty years.
Since 2013 Fr Emmanuel has also served as a Victoria Police Chaplain, providing pastoral support across six Melbourne stations and two specialist units. In August 2024 he was awarded the Police Service Medal by Chief Commissioner Shane Patton, marking eleven years of chaplaincy. He is loved by his parishioners. He was moved without notice and without reason given.