Archbishop of Australia: It is not health that saves, but Christ

The annual memorial service for the late Protopresbyter Elias Kentrotis was held in an atmosphere of deep emotion on Sunday, August 23, at the Church of Saint Charalambos in Templestowe, Melbourne.

Archbishop Makarios of Australia presided over both the memorial service and the Divine Liturgy that preceded it, assisted by Metropolitan Ezekiel of Dervis and Bishop Kyriakos of Melbourne.

Speaking from the heart about the blessed and remarkable personality of the late founder of the Parish of Saint Charalambos, the Archbishop noted that Fr Elias had been destined by God—“set apart from his mother’s womb” (cf. Galatians 1:15)—to serve at the Holy Altar and become a bearer of the Holy Spirit through the priesthood.

As the Archbishop observed, Fr Elias loved Christ and His Church from an early age and demonstrated a calling to the priesthood. He later studied theology in Greece, where he was ordained. Upon returning to Australia, he founded and organised two parishes: the Presentation of the Lord in Coburg and Saint Charalambos in Templestowe.

Archbishop Makarios expressed the gratitude of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia for the late clergyman’s many years of…