Jerusalem, June 23, 2023
Photo: ekklisiaonline.gr
Archimandrite Philotheos (Vardakis) of the Brotherhood of the Holy Sepulchre tragically died yesterday in an accident that occurred while he was laboring to repair one of the monasteries of the Holy Land.
The Patriarchate of Jerusalem reports:
The Holy Sepulchre Brotherhood announces, after sorrow, not the Lord’s sorrow, the departure to the Lord of its distinguished member, Archimandrite Philotheos Vardakis. His death occurred at noon on Thursday, as a result of a fall from a high scaffolding, where he was repairing a wall of the Monastery of Saint George in Acre, Ptolemais, where he served as Patriarchal Representative.
The day and time of his Funeral service will be announced soon.
May Fr. Philotheos’ memory be eternal!
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Ekklisia Online provides a brief biography of Fr. Philotheos:
This tireless worker in the Lord’s vineyards had attended the Patriarchal School in Jerusalem from a young age and after completing high school, joined the ranks of the Holy Sepulchre Brotherhood.
He studied for almost a year at the Theological Seminary of Bucharest and then transferred to the Theological School of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki where he earned a degree in theology. He served at places of pilgrimage with obedience, humility, zeal, and conscience from many positions and for over 20 years, he served as Patriarchal Commissioner in the Metropolis of Ptolemais, based in the city of Akkren, Israel.
He was fluent in Arabic as well as English and taught Byzantine Music to Arabic speakers. He had founded and directed a choir that sang in Arab and Greek at many festivals and Patriarchal services in the Upper Galilee region and elsewhere. His pastoral care also extended to Russian-speaking Orthodox for whom he celebrated regular services.
He exhorted and brought many of our fellow human beings to Christ and the Church with his spiritual speech.
The tireless laborer was also busy renovating many abandoned areas of the Monastery and the Church of St. George in Acre, and he recovered and restored the property of the Holy Communion of the Patriarchate there. He did the same in other villages in the area, where he revitalized the liturgical life in their churches.
He breathed his last while on the ladder renovating, as he fell and experienced internal bleeding that was not immediately diagnosed by doctors, as stated by a council in the hospital.
The Brotherhood of the Holy Sepulchre lost an exceptional member who will plead from the Heavenly tabernacles for the most holy Church of Jerusalem and the Holy Land that he loved and served effectively. May the Lord place his blessed soul with the saints and the righteous. May his memory be eternal.
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