Church History
Saint Elias Antiochian Orthodox Church of Wollongong is a small parish situated on the south coast of New South Wales Australia about an hours drive from Sydney. The parish consists of about 60 families who work and live in the area. these families have worked tirelessly to bring the church building project to fruition, some of the major events that took place:
- 27th June 1980 - Breaking of the ground took place at 3.00pm by his grace the late Bishop Gibran, Bishop of Australia and new Zealand.
- 13th of November 1982 - the corner stone was laid by his grace the late Bishop Gibran.
- 1st February 1984 - reverend Fr. Nicholas Shedhadle commenced regular church services every second Sunday with the assistance of Mr Simon Saad from Sydney.
- 15th January 1988 - the pews were installed bringing to completion the church project.
- Dec 1991 - His Beatitude Patriach Ignatius blessed our church and parish with a service with his grace the late Bishop Gibran.
- 2nd January 2000 - Church service conducted by the newly appointed his eminence Metropolitan Paul Saliba.
- 31 September 2000 - First service conducted by presiding priest FR. Michael Zghaib who has been appointed to the Wollongong Parish.
