1,485
edits
Changes
m
Since 2004, due to a request from the Multi-Nations Council, Invercargill, for monthly [[Divine Liturgy]], Fr Ilyan also celebrates liturgy there in a borrowed Anglican church near the airport, with the assistance of Deacon [[Andrei Grenfell]].
categories
{{orthodoxyinnewzealand}}
The Very Reverend Fr. '''Ilyan Eades''' is was the [[priest]] for St Michael the Archangel Orthodox Church, Dunedin, New Zealand. He is was an [[archpriest]], serving in the [[Deanery of New Zealand (Antiochian)|Deanery of New Zealand]] in the [[Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia and New Zealand]].
==Biography==
During his tenure, the community began a charitable trust to legally administer the financial affairs of St Ignatius, and then secured a tenure of lease on the [[parish]] hall of St Christopher. This was a former Anglican Sunday School hall that Rev Reginald Eades had started in 1953, but now became the Orthodox Church of St [[Ignatius of Antioch]] in 1988, and was purchased outright in 1990. To support himself, Fr Ilyan worked part-time at Mercy Hospital, while [[Presvytera|Kh]] Mary worked at the local Anglican Geriatric Hospital.
Fr Ilyan's initial [[congregation ]] was of some converts, and some New Zealand-born Lebanese and occasional Greeks and Serbs. Relations with the [[Greek Orthodox Metropolis of New Zealand]] became most amicable after difficulties in the Greek Orthodox Church of the Holy Trinity, Auckland, caused Metropolitan [[Dionysios (Psiahas) of Proussa|Dionysios]] to approach Bp. Gibran to find some accommodation for Fr. Michael Balafas at St Ignatius when he wanted to serve. Some more Greek Orthodox then began attending St Ignatius services. Metr. Dionysios made reciprocal arrangements with Bp. Gibran for Fr. Ilyan to attend Holy Trinity Church to conduct [[matrimony|weddings]], [[funeral]]s and [[baptism]]s when needed.
After need was expressed from congregants of St Michael Orthodox Church, Dunedin, and after consultations between Bp. Gibran and Fr. Jack, Fr. Ilyan left Auckland for Dunedin in late October 1992. After being billeted for 2 weeks, Fr. Ilyan was able to rent, then buy, the house directly behind the church. Soon after this, Metr. Dionysios requested Fr. Ilyan's help in looking after the Greek community in Christchurch, who were currently without a priest. So until mid-1996, Fr. Ilyan made monthly trips to Christchurch, and until 2004, to care for other centres (Auckland, Napier, Wellington) as requested.
Due to being the only Orthodox church in Dunedin and Southland, Fr. Ilyan uses used English, Greek and Church-Slavonic in his services. The lack of priest's salary means meant that Fr. Ilyan continues continued to work for the IHC, caring for people with an intellectual disability, until forced to retire due to ilness in 2009. Kh. Mary, changed to veterinary nursing and teaches at the Otago Polytechnic College. Fr Ilyan Reposed in the Lord, 18th March 2010.
==External links==
*[http://www.antiochian.org.nz Deanery of New Zealand].
[[Category:Orthodoxy in New Zealand|Eades]][[Category:Priests|Eades]]