With deep sorrow, the Holy Archdiocese of Australia announced the passing of Archimandrite Nektarios Zorbalas, who fell asleep in the Lord on Wednesday, July 23, 2025.
The revered clergyman (born Zacharias Zorbalas) was born on the Greek island of Kos in 1935. In the mid-1960s, he immigrated to Australia, where he was granted the blessing to fulfill a heartfelt desire he had held since childhood: to wear the honorable cassock. He was ordained a priest in 1971 and served the Greek Orthodox faithful at the Dormition of the Theotokos Parish in Innisfail, a remote town in North Queensland. In 1974, he was given the ecclesiastical title of archimandrite. In 1975, he moved to Sydney and served successively at the parishes of Archangel Michael Panormitis (Crows Nest), Hagia Sophia and Her Three Daughters (Taylor Square), and Saint Nicholas (Marrickville). In 1988, he received a permanent pastoral appointment at the parish of Saints Constantine and Helen in Newtown. From that point onward, his journey became inseparably linked with the blessed journey of the dynamic Newtown parish. He played a leading role in its growth and spiritual advancement.
He was especially distinguished for his philanthropic work as the founder and chief advocate of the “Soup Kitchen” ministry, an admirable initiative of Saints Constantine and Helen Parish devoted to providing food and multifaceted support to those in need throughout Sydney, regardless of faith or background.
Upon learning of Fr. Nektarios’s passing, Archbishop Makarios of Australia celebrated a Trisagion service for his repose. He subsequently contacted his relatives to offer his condolences. He declared in an official statement: “Today, we bid farewell to a blessed clergyman whose presence adorned our local church and whose multifaceted work, both spiritual and social, further elevated Christian values in our multicultural Australian society. Father Nektarios was a model of humility, integrity, and selfless service to others. With godly zeal, he embodied the commandment, ‘Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful’ (Luke 6:36). He always stood by those in need with a heart full of kindness and love, offering words of comfort and support. His life was one of humble, God-pleasing service that bore blessed fruit. His legacy will continue to guide and inspire us. We will always remember him with gratitude and pray for the repose of his soul. May his memory be eternal.
The funeral service for Fr. Nektarios will be officiated by Archbishop Makarios of Australia at the Holy Cathedral of the Annunciation of the Theotokos on Monday, July 28, 2025. The service will begin at 10:30 a.m., immediately following the Divine Liturgy, which begins at 7:00 a.m.
