The Holy Archdiocese of Australia, with deep human sorrow and emotion, announces the falling asleep in the Lord of Protopresbyter of the Ecumenical Throne Nicholas Tsouloukidis.
The cleric of blessed memory was born in 1932 in Agia Kyriaki of the prefecture of Kastoria. In 1958, he was ordained a priest of the Holy Metropolis of Kastoria, while two years later he immigrated to the fifth continent (Australia) and joined the Priestly family of the Holy Archdiocese of Australia, under the late Archbishop Ezekiel.
From the beginning, he connected his priestly ministry with the Parish – Community of Saint Ioannis, in the suburb of Parramatta, Sydney, of which he was the founder, Rector and pioneer in its subsequent spiritual and material progress.
He sacrificially served the Parish-Community for 48 years, with the constant support of his Presvytera and his two daughters, as well as with the kind cooperation of the respective Parish-Community council. He continued to be actively involved in the Parramatta Church and Community life for many years after his retirement in 2008.
After being informed of Fr. Nicholas’ passing away, His Eminence Archbishop Makarios of Australia expressed his condolences to the family and relatives of the late priest, while making the following statement: “Our Holy Archdiocese as of yesterday has become poorer, after the loss of a true worker of the Gospel and a man with a vision and an inexhaustible willingness to give to the Church and Hellenism. He arrived in Australia at a difficult time, when materials, as well as human resources, were scarce for our local Church. He became a valuable collaborator to my predecessor of blessed memory, Archbishop Ezekiel, and continued to work with devotion for almost half a century, for the glory of God and the Church. Our Holy Archdiocese will always be grateful to him and will never forget his valuable contribution. In the same manner, Fr Nicholas will never be forgotten by the Greek Orthodox in the region of Parramatta, Sydney, for it was with his inspiring guidance that they managed to create an exceptionally dynamic Parish – Community. The respect and love with which all his parishioners surrounded him until the last moment, is an undeniable witnesses of his greatness as a man and a priest. I pray that God, through the intercessions of Saint John the Forerunner, will rest the soul of Fr. Nicholas in the land of the living.”
It is noted that the Funeral Service, which will be presided over by Archbishop Makarios himself, will take place on Wednesday, 1 March 2023 at 11 am, at the Holy Church of Saint Ioannis, in the suburb of Parramatta, Sydney. The Trisagion Service is also take place the day before, on Tuesday 28 February 2023, at 6:30pm at the same Church. The Burial will take place at Rookwood Cemetery.
