The Feast Day of St John the Theologian in Prevelly (WA)

With the blessing of His Grace Bishop Elpidios of Kyanea, the feast day of St John the Theologian was recently celebrated in the Holy Chapel of St John the Theologian, in Prevelly, WA (280 Km south of Perth).

On this occasion Fr Emmanuel Stamatiou, parish priest of the Church of Evangelismos, travelled from Perth to celebrate the Paschal Divine Liturgy, which saw in attendance people from in the local Margaret River area, from the wider South West region, as well as Perth.

In his sermon Fr Emmanuel, among other things, spoke about the significance of St John the Theologian as having a special place within the company of our Lord’s disciples, as well as his non-synoptic Gospel being rich of theology about Christ’s divinity.

Among those in attendance was Fr John Sullivan, parish priest of the Church of St Nicholas, Bunbury, who also has responsibilities for the Chapel. Fr Emmanuel announced to the people in attendance, with the blessing of His Grace Bishop Elpidios of Kyanea, that after a period of illness Fr John will be resuming his priestly duties, which will include his service to an emerging following in the Margaret River region, where the Chapel is situated.

The Chapel of St John the Theologian was built in the late 70’s by Prevelly’s founder, the late Geoff Edwards. He named the settlement and built the chapel to commemorate the people and monks of the Holy Monastery of Preveli in Crete, who helped him and other serviceman survive and escape the Battle of Crete in World War Two.