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Biography of : Archpriest Very Reverend Father Ilyan Eades, Parish Priest of Saint Michael the Archangel Orthodox Church, Dunedin, NZ.
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The Very Reverend Fr. '''Ilyan Eades''' was the [[priest]] for St Michael the Archangel Orthodox Church, Dunedin, New Zealand. He 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]].
  
My date of birth 18.11.46 (now nearly 60 yrs old)
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==Biography==
I was born Alan Reginald Eades (but given the name Ilian by Sayidna Gibran at ordination – my Patron Saint being Saint Ilian of Homs in Syria, which I then added as my first name by deed poll. So legally now it is my first Christian name).
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[[Image:Fr-Ilyan.jpg|left|thumb|200px|V. Rev. Fr Ilyan Eades]]
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Alan Reginald Eades was born on [[November 18]], 1946, to the family of an Anglican priest, Rev Reginald and Mrs Joan Eades. While training as nurses at Tauranga Hospital, Alan and his future wife, Mary Joycelyn Coate (b. [[October 14]], 1950) met, and were married on [[August 30]], 1970. In 1973, Angelina was born (now married with three children), soon followed by Nicholas (~1976). On [[November 23]], 1977, Alan's father reposed.
  
My father Reginald was an Anglican priest, deceased 23.11.77.
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On [[March 26]], 1978, Alan and family were received into the Orthodox Church by Fr. [[Jack Witbrock]] in Auckland, and attended Orthodox services at either the Antiochian or Greek Orthodox churches, depending on when services were scheduled.
My mother Joan, deceased 28.1.2001.
 
My wife Mary Joycelyn (nee Coate, born 14.10.50), and I, met whilst we were both training as nurses at Tauranga Hospital and we married 30th August 1970.
 
Our children : Angelina (aged 33) is married with 3 children, and Nicholas (nearly 30 yrs old) who is single.  
 
  
We were received as a family into the Orthodox Church by Father Jack Witbrock (in Auckland) on the 26.3.78, and attended Orthodox Services at both the Antiochian and Greek Churches from that time on, depending on their availability.
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During 1984, Alan accepted the call to the priesthood, and commenced supervised study and preparation.  He was [[ordination|ordained]] by [[Bishop]] [[Gibran (Ramlawey) of Australia and New Zealand|Gibran]]—to the [[deacon|diaconate]] on [[September 26]], 1987, and as priest on [[September 27]]. Bp. Gibran gave him the name Ilyan, after St [[Ilian of Homs]], Syria. Later, he changed his official name to Ilyan. Fr. Ilyan moved with his family from Te Awamutu, Waikato, to be the [[rector]] at St Ignatius, Auckland.
  
Accepted the call to the priesthood for the Saint Ignatius Parish in Auckland during 1984, and commenced supervised study and preparation, subsequently ordained by Bishop Gibran to the sub-diaconate & diaconate on 26th Sept 1987 and to the priesthood the following day 27th Sept 1987. We moved to Auckland from Te Awamutu in the Waikato region, and I was the resident priest at Saint Ignatius in Auckland, until my transfer to Saint Michael’s in Dunedin, end of October 1992.
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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.
  
During my time in Auckland, we secured a tenure of lease on the Hall of Saint Christopher (a former Anglican Church Sunday School hall my own father started in 1953) which became the Orthodox Church of Saint Ignatius of Antioch 1988-1989, subsequently purchased from the Anglican Synod of Auckland for $115,000 in 1990. The Charitable Trust to administer the financial affairs of Saint Ignatius became a legal entity in my first year as priest in 1988.
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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.
  
To support myself financially, I had part-time employment at Mercy hospital, my wife working at a local Anglican Geriatric Hospital.
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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.
  
At first my congregation consisted of New Zealand convert Orthodox like ourselves, some NZ born Lebanese & occasionally some Greek or Serbian people who may have heard of us. My relationship with the Greek Orthodox Metropolitan in Wellington became most amicable when difficulties occurred with the Greek Church in Auckland, and Metropolitan Dionysios approached Bishop Gibran to find some accommodation for Father Michael Balafas at our Altar when he wanted to serve, and some  of the Greek Community’s families began attending our Liturgies. The Metropolitan also made an arrangement with Sayidna Gibran for me to go to the Greek Church (up the road in Western Springs) to conduct Weddings, Funerals, and Baptisms, when needed.
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Due to being the only Orthodox church in Dunedin and Southland, Fr. Ilyan used English, Greek and Church-Slavonic in his services. The lack of priest's salary meant that Fr. Ilyan 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.
  
Following enquiries from members of the congregation of Saint Michael’s in Dunedin, consultation followed with Sayidna Gibran and Father Jack, and I left Auckland for Dunedin in late October 1992.
 
  
We found an existing church in Dunedin, with no house or hall, and after being billeted for 2 weeks, were able to rent the house directly behind the church. Within a year we sold our North Island property, and personally purchased the 109 year old house for $68,000, the mortgage for which we are still paying off.
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Fr Ilyan Reposed in the Lord, 18th March 2010.  
  
Sayidna Gibran did say (during his last visit to us in February 1997), that the Diocese could purchase the house from us when I move on to another parish, whenever that might be in the future, to accommodate the new priest.
 
  
Soon after my arrival from Auckland, there was a letter from Metropolitan Dionysios requesting my help in looking after the Christchurch Greek Community, as they were without a priest. So for the first 3 1/2 years of my stay here in Dunedin, I flew to Christchurch on a monthly basis to care for the Greek Orthodox Community (at that time approx 200+ families), and up until 2004, to other centres like Auckland, Napier, and Wellington, as requested.
 
  
Because of having to serve for the different nationalities, I use Greek, Slavonic, and English, especially as we are the only Orthodox Church in Dunedin & Southland except for the Coptic.
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==External links==
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*[http://www.orthodoxotago.org.nz St Michael's Orthodox Church], Dunedin.
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*[http://www.stmichaelsorthodoxchurchdunedin.org/ St Michael's Orthodox Church Parish News].
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*[http://www.antiochian.org.nz Deanery of New Zealand].
  
As there is no priest’s salary in Dunedin, I continue to earn a living working for the IHC which cares for people with an intellectual disability. My wife (now a Veterinary Nurse) teaches at the Otago Polytechnic.
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[[Category:Orthodoxy in New Zealand|Eades]]
 
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[[Category:Priests|Eades]]
At the beginning of 2004, I was approached by the Multi-Nations Council in Invercargill, requesting monthly Divine Liturgy there, and consequently we have been travelling down to that centre to hold Services in a borrowed Anglican Church, near the Airport.
 
 
 
His Eminence Archbishop Paul has ordained Andrei Grenfell a sub-deacon, and he is in the fullness of time being prepared for the diaconate, to assist me with the two centres Dunedin & Invercargill (which is 2 1/2 hours south of Dunedin. )
 
 
 
Father Ilyan 2006-05-15
 
 
 
[[Category:Priests]]
 

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The Very Reverend Fr. Ilyan Eades was the priest for St Michael the Archangel Orthodox Church, Dunedin, New Zealand. He was an archpriest, serving in the Deanery of New Zealand in the Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia and New Zealand.

Biography

V. Rev. Fr Ilyan Eades

Alan Reginald Eades was born on November 18, 1946, to the family of an Anglican priest, Rev Reginald and Mrs Joan Eades. While training as nurses at Tauranga Hospital, Alan and his future wife, Mary Joycelyn Coate (b. October 14, 1950) met, and were married on August 30, 1970. In 1973, Angelina was born (now married with three children), soon followed by Nicholas (~1976). On November 23, 1977, Alan's father reposed.

On March 26, 1978, Alan and family were received into the Orthodox Church by Fr. Jack Witbrock in Auckland, and attended Orthodox services at either the Antiochian or Greek Orthodox churches, depending on when services were scheduled.

During 1984, Alan accepted the call to the priesthood, and commenced supervised study and preparation. He was ordained by Bishop Gibran—to the diaconate on September 26, 1987, and as priest on September 27. Bp. Gibran gave him the name Ilyan, after St Ilian of Homs, Syria. Later, he changed his official name to Ilyan. Fr. Ilyan moved with his family from Te Awamutu, Waikato, to be the rector at St Ignatius, Auckland.

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 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 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 weddings, funerals and baptisms 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 used English, Greek and Church-Slavonic in his services. The lack of priest's salary meant that Fr. Ilyan 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