A Publication of the ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN LAITY
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| Volume 6 Number 38 - Tuesday, September 21st, 2004 |
A Publication of the ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN LAITY |
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The Orthodox Christian News Service |
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Patriarch of Alexandria Dies in Helicopter Crash
BOSTON-. Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa Petros, suffered a tragic death on Saturday morning, September 11, when the military helicopter Chinook transporting him and 16 members of his entourage crashed in the Aegean Sea. The late Patriarch Petros, 55, was en route to the monastic community of Mount Athos, located in Northern Greece in the peninsula of Chalkidiki. The accident happened just minutes before the landing in the Karies area, which is the center of the monastic community. Patriarch Petros was invited to officiate at the religious ceremonies at the Monastery of Vatopedion.
Also killed in the crash were: Metropolitan Chrysostomos of Kartahgeni; Metropolitian Ireneos of Pelousiou; Bishop Nektarios of Madagaskari; Archimandrite Arsenios, Abbot of the Machaira Monastery in Cyprus; Archimandrite Kallistratos Economou, a graduate of Holy Cross Theological School in Brookline Mass.; Archdeacon Nektarios; George Mavros, legal counsel of the Patriarch; Patroklos Papastefanou; George Xenoudakis; George Papapetrou, brother of the Patriarch; Spyridon Koursaris, personal guard of the Patriarch; as well as the helicopter crew, all of whom were military officials: Demetrios Papaspirou, Panagiotis Papanastasiou, Stylianos Raptis, Panteleimon Hatzivagelis, and Panagiotis Golegos. The Herald has learned that Deacon Apostolos was scheduled to accompany the Patriarch but at the very last minute it was decided that he stay in Athens to be a witness in a trial and to organize a cultural event on behalf of the Patriarchate of Alexandria. Deacon Apostolos deplaned the Chinook helicopter and told the Patriarch that they would communicate after his arrival in Mount Athos. It was the first time that Petros was visiting Mount Athos since his election to the Patriarchal Throne of Alexandria, which is the second Throne in command in the administrative system of the Orthodox Church.
The helicopter departed from the military base “Sathea” on Saturday morning at 9:30 and it was scheduled to arrive in Mount Athos at 11:05 a.m. At 10:54, the pilot had the last conversation with the aviation control center, telling them that he was approaching Mount Athos and that he was climbing from 2,500 to 4,000 feet. At that point, the helicopter was lost and no one seemed to know what had happened. The monks on Mount Athos who had organized an official welcome, according to their monastic protocol, became worried as the time passed and the Patriarchal helicopter was nowhere to be seen. The civil deputy director of Mount Athos, Aristos Kasmiroglou, called officials in Athens, trying to find out why the Patriarchal helicopter was delayed. It took more than two hours for Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis to be notified by the aviation and military authorities about the plane’s disappearance. Karamanlis expressed his grief for the tragic death of Patriarch Petros and the other 16 people. A moment of silence was observed on Saturday before the official speech of the Prime Minister at the opening ceremony of the 69th International Trade Fair in Thessalonica.
The rescue teams have already collected ten bodies, including that of Patriarch Petros, which was placed on public view at the Cathedral in Athens from Monday morning to Wednesday. Archbishop of Athens and All Greece Christodoulos, together with the Patriarch of Jerusalem Irenaios, offered a trisagion (memorial) service while thousands of clergy and laity were waiting in line to pay their last respects to the late Patriarch Petros, who was known for his loving and humble personality. A trisagion service was offered on Wednesday morning at the Cathedral of Athens, officiated by Archbishop Christodoulos and of All Greece and the entire Holy Synod. President of the Republic of Greece Konstantinos Stefanopoulos attended the Trisagion service, as did Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis, main opposition PASOK leader George Papandreou, ministers of the Greek government, hierarchs from many parts of Greece and the world, and hundreds of faithful. Archbishop Christodoulos praised the late Patriarch Petros saying, “he was a humble man who dedicated his life to his Church. His passing has left a giant vacuum.” Reflecting on the conditions that lead to the tragedy, Archbishop Christodoulos said, “We must, for the time being, put aside the questions we have about the tragedy and honor him.”
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Panayiotis Skandalakis delivered a eulogy on behalf of the Greek government. Head of State honors were given to the late Patriarch. Army detachments delivered full military honors, as a gun carriage transported the Patriarch’s coffin to Athens airport for the flight to Cairo, where he was to be buried. Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomaios, Patriarch Irenaios of Jerusalem, Patriarch Ignatios of Antioch, Archbishop Christodoulos of Athens and All Greece, Archbishop Anastasios of Albania, hierarchs from Greece, Cyprus, Alexandria and other parts of the world, accompanied the coffin from Cairo’s airport to the Monastery of St. George for the funeral service and the burial. Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomaios presided at the funeral service, along with the other prelates. Greece was represented by President Konstantinos Stefanopoulos and Minister of Education Marietta Yiannakou. The funeral service of Metropolitan Chrysostomos of Karthageni took place on Monday morning in Athens, officiated by Archbishop Christodoulos. The Patriarch’s brother, Panagiotis Papapetrou, as well as Archimandrite Arsenios were buried in their native land of Cyprus. The late Patriarch Petros was born on September 3, 1949 in Cyprus. His family became refuges after the Turkish invasion of the island in 1974. In 1962 he became a novice at the Machera Monastery.
In 1966 he was
sent to the Ecclesiastical School of Apostle
Barnabas, and in 1974 he was ordained a Deacon. In
1978 he graduated from the Theological School of
the University of Athens. In 1983 he was elected
Bishop of Babylon, in 1990 Metropolitan of Akkra (Camer-oon),
and in 1997 Patriarch of Alexandria. |
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