On Sunday, 27 July 2025, the Greek Orthodox Church of the Annunciation in West Perth celebrated the feast day of Saint Panteleimon the Great Martyr and Healer, with a Hierarchical Divine Liturgy officiated by His Grace Bishop Elpidios of Perth.
At the conclusion of the Liturgy, a Memorial Service was held to mark the 51st anniversary of the Turkish invasion of Cyprus—a sombre commemoration of the tragic events of July and August 1974. Among the dignitaries present were: Mrs Eleni Georgopoulou, Consul of Greece in Perth, Mr Nikolaos Varellas, Deputy High Commissioner of the Republic of Cyprus in Canberra, Mr Zak Chrisostomou, President of the Cypriot Community of WA, Mr Gabriel Kafetzis, President of the Greek Orthodox Community of WA.
In his homily, His Grace Bishop Elpidios reflected on the deep sorrow of this national wound, stating:
“On this gloomy and black anniversary, we recall the tragic events of July and August 1974, and we pray for the souls of our lost brothers and sisters who perished in the invasion of Cyprus and who fought like heroes. Even if half a century has passed, we must not cease referring to this historical injustice and we must insist on reminding the world of the basic human rights denied to Cyprus. We must insist on keeping this historical memory alive and passing it on to the next generation.”
In a moment of joy amid the solemnity, His Grace also took the opportunity to congratulate Father Theoklitos Tsahouridis, Protopresbyter of our Holy Archdiocese, on the occasion of the 61st anniversary of his diaconate ordination, on behalf of His Eminence Archbishop Makarios of Australia. As a token of appreciation, His Grace presented Father Theoklitos with a special gift: a book on the life of St Sophrony the Athonite, a modern saint and spiritual father. His Grace then invited Father Theoklitos to distribute the antidoron, giving the faithful an opportunity to personally express their congratulations and gratitude for his many decades of priestly service.
Following the church service, the day concluded with the annual wreath-laying ceremony at the State War Memorial in Kings Park, in remembrance of all who lost their lives during the invasion of Cyprus.
