A funeral service was held on Friday, March 13 for philanthropist and builder John Halikos after his sudden death last week. Many were in attendance to pay their respects at Darwin’s Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church.
Halikos died aged 66 in a hospital in Darwin, Northern Territory, following a sudden heart attack late at night. News of his passing spread shock and deep sadness among his family in Kalymnos and throughout the large Greek diaspora in Australia.
Known for his philanthropic work, Halikos built a successful career in Australia as head of the Halikos Group, one of the NT’s leading development and construction companies.
Halikos will soon be buried in his birthplace Kalymnos.
The Darwin orthodox funeral was led by St Nicholas’ parish priest Father Joel Xanthos and a speech was delivered by Very Rev Christos Tsoraklidis from St Savvas the New of Kalymnos parish priest.
Attendees of the service were able to donate to raise funds for the new St Savvas church to open in Palmerston.
Father Xanthos told NT News, “We are all on a journey towards death, but hopefully not one that ends in death but leads into the kingdom of heaven.”
“Death should not be turned into a morbid experience, but a joyous transformation of what we believe in Christ’s resurrection. Life is brief, but the life of Christ is eternal.”
Source: NT News
