Tributes continue to flow following the death of Australian Archbishop and Primate Stylianos, aged 83, who passed on Monday.
On Friday from 4.00 pm, people will be able to visit and pay their respects as the late Archbishop lays in wake at the Cathedral Church of the Annunciation of Our Lady in Redfern (Sydney).
At 5.00 pm the Trisagion Service will take place, followed by the Service of the Third Stanza of the Salutations at 7.00 pm.
The Cathedral will remain open throughout the evening and overnight for further readings of the Holy Gospel.
The Archbishop’s funeral will be held at the Cathedral the following day, Saturday 30 March, at 11.30 am. Ahead of the funeral, from 7.00 am to 10.00 am a Hierarchical Divine Liturgy will take place.
The burial will follow at Rookwood Cemetery, where a procession will be formed of all the Bishops and Clerics up to the tomb behind the Holy Sanctuary of St Athanasios Church.
His Grace Bishop Seraphim of Apolonia told Neos Kosmos that he was beside Archbishop Stylianos when he died, and he departed this world “calm and quiet on the day of the Annunciation”. He added that there had been some difficulties with the Primate’s health recently.
Greek Foreign Minister Terens Quick was in Melbourne, and said that he had been shocked by the news of the Primate’s death. He expressed the desire to light a candle in his honour during his visit to the Archdiocese in Sydney on Wednesday. His voice was one of many, as leaders from far and wide reflected on his passing with condolence messages from Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, opposition leader Bill Shorten and state premiers Daniel Andrews and Gladys Berejiklian.
An iconic figure, the Primate had served as Archbishop in Australia since 1975 and leaves a huge legacy behind him, especially for his role in establishing an extensive Greek Orthodox education system in Australia.
Ordinary people also took to social media to reflect on how the Archbishop had touched their lives.
Flags flew at half mast at the Archdiocese of Sydney, which was closed on Tuesday.