A memorial service was offered for the repose of the souls of the 33 Kastellorizians who lost their lives in the shipwreck
On Sunday, October 4, a memorial service was held at the Church of Saints Constantine and Helen in Perth for the repose of the 33 Kastellorizians who lost their lives in the sinking of the SS Empire Patrol in the Mediterranean, about 60 miles outside Port Said of Egypt.
The disaster occurred on September 29, 1945, when the British ship was transferring the 497 Kastellorizo refugees to their island, Kastellorizo, from the refugee camp in Nuseirat (Gaza – Egypt), after two years of protection, after the end of the World War II.
After the end of the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy, as reported by vema.com.au, the memorial prayer was performed by the Bishop Elpidios of Kyanes, accompanied by the parish priest, Fr. Eleftherios Gerovasilis, Protopresbyter, Fr. Georgios Litsas, Fr. Evangelos Batalis, and hierodeacon Fr. Athanasios Athanasiadis.
After the prayer, a memorial luncheon was held in the hall of the Greek Community of Western Australia, where the congregation spoke with the survivors and their families.
The Kastellorizo Brotherhood of Western Australia and the survivors thanked everyone present for their participation, while expressing their gratitude to Bishop Elpidios and the clergy for the memorial service.
The event was attended by Georgia Karasiotou, Consul of Greece in Perth, Panagiotis Katsabanis, Liberal Party MP of Western Australia, as well as many officials and representatives of institutions.
The survivors thanked the President of the Kastellorizo Brotherhood of Western Australia, James Manifi, and the organizing committee, with special mention to Eleni Anastasa, vice president and coordinator of the event.
The Bishop conveyed to all the blessing and paternal love of Archbishop Makarios of Australia, who is in Constantinople for the meeting of the Holy Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate.
