: Fortieth Day of the Repose of Protodeacon Nicholas Triantafillidis

fr_nick_40days8On Tuesday 10 November clergy and faithful from across the Sydney region prayerfully remembered the fortieth day of the repose of Protodeacon Nicholas Triantafillidis, a widely-respected clergyman of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia who served the Australian-New Zealand Diocese for ten years.  Gathering that evening in the Diocesan Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul were His Grace Bishop George, Archpriests George Lapardin and Daniel Metlenko, Priests James Carles and Dionysios Halim, Protodeacon Alexander Kotlaroff, family members and friends of the late Father Nicholas, and with a great many of the faithful who knew and admired him.

Prior to the solemn panikhida Bishop George spoke briefly on the importance of prayer for the departed on the fortieth day, encouraging all to pray for the newly-reposed Father Nicholas.  Father Nicholas’ daughter Anastasia read the beginning prayers and Psalm 90, and the responses were sung by the Cathedral Choir, many of whom had sung alongside Father Nicholas and benefited from his work in organising church music conferences in the Diocese.

After the singing of “Eternal Memory” Bishop George again addressed the faithful, noting that Father Nicholas had been given time to prepare himself for death and vouchsafed a Christian ending to his life.  He linked this blessing to Father Nicholas long, faithful and edifying service to the Church of Christ. Kutiya was then blessed and distributed to those present.

Following the service many of those present gathered in the Cathedral Hall for a memorial meal prepared by the late Father Nicholas’ mother-in-law, Sophia Mikhailovna Boikov.  Anastasia Triantafillidis read a message from her mother, Nadezhda V. Triantafillidis, thanking all for their prayers and kindness, and a slideshow of photgraphs of Father Nicholas was presented.  Archpriest George Lapardin spoke about Father Nicholas’ service in the Diocese, noting in particular the church music conferences that he had established and his work in publishing an albumn commemorating the Cathedral’s anniversary in 2003.

May God grant rest to his newly-departed servant, the Protodeacon Nicholas!