Deputy Foreign Minister Terens Quick visited the Archdiocese of Australia in Sydney in order to express his condolences for late Archbishop Stylianos, who passed away following a lengthy illness at 83.
The funeral will take place on Saturday in Cathedral of the Annunciation of Our Lady, where he will be buried.
Terens Quick extended his condolences to the Assistant Bishop Seraphim, who was a close associate of the late Hierarch.
On his departure from the Archdiocese offices Terens Quick stated:
“Late Archbishop Stylianos did me an honour by offering me his friendship. I knew him for years. I called him ‘the poet of the Church,’ as he was prolific writer with a special emphasis on poetry. When we met for the last time, he gave me his last poetry book with a very touching dedication, keeping it as a good memory of this very strong church figure.
He was born and raised in Rethymnon, Crete. He was a graduate of Halki seminary. He studied in Athens, Thessaloniki and Germany. He served as the Abbot of the Vlatades Monastery in Thessaloniki. However, during his 44-year ministry as the leader of Orthodox Church of Australia, he dedicated himself to pastoral work in Australia and our Greek diaspora.
That’s why his last wish, as revealed to me by Assistant Bishop Seraphim, was to be buried in Sydney. In the earth of his Archdiocese.”
Before leaving Sydney after a six-day visit to four cities in Australia, where he met some organization of the Greek community, celebrated the National Independence Day, and participated in the program ‘Nostos III’, an initiative of the governments of Greece, Cyprus and Egypt, the Deputy Foreign Minister held meetings with Sydney-based Presidents of Greek diaspora organizations, prominent personalities, and Members of New South Wales Parliament of Greek origin such as Eleni Petinos, Sophie Cotsis, and Steve Kamper.
