Posted on 09/12/2004 11:04:44 AM PDT by NYer
AN Australian Greek Orthodox bishop was killed alongside the spiritual leader of African Greek Orthodox Christians in a helicopter crash that killed 16 off the coast of northern Greece yesterday.
Bishop Nectarios, a former South Australian priest-monk who pioneered the church in Madagascar, was a passenger in a Greek army Chinook helicopter which crashed in the Aegean Sea.
The crash also claimed the life of African spiritual leader the Patriarch of Alexandria, Peter VII, and 14 others.
They were heading to the Mount Athos monastery in northern Greece, one of the holiest sites in Orthodox Christianity.
The aircraft's pilot reportedly warned air traffic control that he was losing altitude around 11am (6pm AEST) yesterday.
A rescue operation found wreckage and bodies in the water 5.5 nautical miles off the Halkidiki peninsula where Mount Athos is located.
The crash is believed to have been an accident, although investigations have not been complete.
Bishop Nectarios was a bank manager before being ordained a priest-monk and serving at the St Nectarios Monastery in Adelaide, where he was remembered at a service this morning.
He was the head of the church's operations in Madagascar, Mauritius and Reunion – which was part of the Alexandrian church before becoming its own diocese in 1997.
As bishop, he built up the Madagascan church from nothing to 15,000 members.
He built several schools, worked with orphans and set up disaster relief and health care programs in Madagascar diocese, supported by church members in Australia.
A spokesman for his committee for foreign missions said Bishop Nectarios would be sadly missed.
"Every year he came back to Adelaide to get a bit of funds and check up on his health and so on," the spokesman said.
"He was much loved."
Prayerful bump to a tragic story.
Please remember these two holy men in your prayers.
Prayers for the repose of their souls.
I have heard that the head of the Greek Air Force has been sacked, and that the Defence Minister offered his resignation (which was declined).
May they rest in peace, and may the Lord grant unto them eternal rest.
Unlike America - resignations over mishaps are routine in parlimentary govts.
Apologies for the duplicate post.
Don't most parlimentary ministers who resign remain MP's? They aren't really resigning from government in that case. A cabinet secretary in the US who resigns loses his job. A cabinet MP doesn't.
Memory eternal.
It's not really a duplicate thread since it is from a different source. I was just cross referencing the other thread.
Thank you and May God bless their souls. Memory Eternal!
this is very sad news...
Thank you for the post. One never knows when we will be called to face Him.
May light perpetual shine upon them. And may Christ's work go forward as they return to Him.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.