In Memoriam
-
Rev. Father Demetrios Karambelas: (1931 to 2003)
A
Brief History of His Mission – Written By His Son Ted
Demetrios
Karambelas was born in a small village in Greece Nov. 21, 1931 He was
educated and graduated from the University of Athens in 1955. He began his
career and working life as a schoolteacher assigned to a teaching post in
the village of Pentavresos just outside the city of Kastoria in the
province of Macedonia. It was there that he met and married my mother
Maria in 1958. He taught public school for 2 years and during that time on
one very significant day he visited the Bishop of Kastoria for a matter
not really pertaining to him, but out of this meeting the course of his
life and that of my mothers changed.
A new path was laid out before them and he was called to dedicate
his life to the priesthood.
It
was 1962 when my father and mother embarked on a new passage to come to
Canada to serve the Church and Community of St. Demetrios in Hamilton
Ontario. For the next 13 years he labored hard, pushed forward and served
the community of Hamilton and district with love and enthused fervor.
In
1974, we moved away to Halifax, Nova Scotia. When we arrived in Halifax,
his energy, drive and love were in fused into the Halifax Church and
Community. My father immediately began his encouraging push forward to
make the community bigger and better. Through his tireless efforts and
drive he helped the community take steps ahead to build a strong
foundation for future generations.
In
1977 the Greek Canadian Orthodox Community of Panagia (Koimisis Tis
Theotokou) was established and my father was asked to return to Hamilton
to serve the Church of Panagia. We returned to Ontario in November of 1977
and thus began an uphill 12-year period of hard work, countless
fundraisers and literally knocking “door to door” to build the Church
and Community of Panagia to what it is today. At the same time while he
was building in the physical sense, he was also building in the spiritual
sense, shaping the hearts and minds of so many people, young and old, to
instill in them the essence of our Orthodox faith.
In
1990 the journey continued out west and on to Prince George, British
Columbia. A Greek Orthodox Community nestled in the Rocky Mountains in
B.C. The Church and Community of Prince George (which was also Koimisis
Tis Theotokou) was a very close nit community. He now had much more time
to do what he loved most, which was to contemplate the word of God and
pass it on to those around him. Also during this time he enjoyed nature to
it’s fullest, fishing in some of the worlds most beautiful lakes and
spectacular scenery that only the Rocky Mountains can offer. It was there
in Prince George that I remember him being his happiest in his mission as
a Priest
In
1992 the Church and Community of St. Demetrios in Winnipeg, Manitoba was
in need of a Priest. His Eminence Archbishop Sotirios summoned my father.
Re-energized over the past 2 years in B.C., my father was once again in
the midst of a vibrant and busy community. There, his main focus was to
further enhance the many vital and important programs that makeup a strong
united Church and Community. His
other main focus was to pass on the word of God. In 1997 he went into semi
retirement and my parents moved back to Hamilton where my father continued
his work in whatever capacity he was able.
From
1997 to 2003 my father remained very active. He served the Communities of
Guelph and Brantford in Ontario. Along with serving these 2 communities he
also stood in for other Priests when he was called upon. In 1998 and 1999
he served the Greek Orthodox Church of St. Markella in Montreal, Quebec
for 4 months.
At
72 he left us, but he leaves behind his many good works, his spirit and
all the wonderful memories that we have of how he touched our lives. On
behalf of my mother, brother, sister and our entire family I thank all
those who called to comfort us, all who sent cards, letters and flowers. I
thank the Greek Orthodox Communities in Hamilton, Brantford, Guelph,
Halifax, Winnipeg, Prince George and St. Markella in Montreal for their
floral tributes. I thank all
those who came to the visitations and the funeral to pay their last
respects. I thank all those who made donations to the Church’s and to
the Canadian Cancer Society. I thank those who carried the casket in and
out of the Church for 3 days. I thank the Communities of St. Demetrios and
Panagia in Hamilton Ontario, St. George in Guelph and Prophet Elias in
Brantford and all those who worked so very hard honoring my father with
the makaria after the funeral and 40 day memorial luncheons they
organized. I thank all those who made the effort to attend one of the
40-day memorials held in his honor. A chapter in the histories of the
Greek Orthodox Church’s that he served came to an end on April 14th,
2003. We will miss him in our lives just as any family misses a loved one
who passes on, but we will also miss his great physical presence in all of
the communities that he served so well.
