Greek community petitions to keep Father Leslie at St Gerasimos church in Leichhardt

Parishioners at St Gerasimos Greek Orthodox Church in Leichhardt, Sydney have launched a petition calling on the parish committee “to reconsider” their proposal to move Father Leslie Kostoglou to St Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church at St Marys.

According to the petition, Father Leslie has been an integral part of the community for over 20 years, and “has been instrumental in creating a sense of unity and belonging among members.”

“His dedication to the youth has been especially noteworthy, and his impact on their lives cannot be overstated,” the petition says.

The authors of the petition, Costa B, Andriana H and Gabriella H, go on to say that whilst parishioners “understand that the committee may have valid reasons for wanting to move Father Leslie to St Marys,” their proposal would be “detrimental” to the Leichhardt community and parish.

“Therefore, we respectfully request that the committee reconsider their decision and allow Father Leslie to continue serving the St Gerasimos Leichhardt Church community,” they write.

“Father Leslie is not just a priest, but a friend, mentor, and spiritual leader to us. His departure would leave a void that would be difficult to fill.”

So far, the petition has received over 2,400 signatures.

This latest petition comes as a number of Greek Orthodox priests across New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia have also been moved from their local parishes in the past year.