Macedonian Church Is Far From Orthodox

Illawarra Mercury

Saturday May 17, 2008

By GREG ELLIS

A NEW monastery will open at Kembla Grange by the end of the year, offering a large function room for conferencing, accommodation for three nuns and 17 large guest rooms.

And in 2009, when the largest Macedonian Orthodox chapel of its type in Australia officially opens, its striking copper roof, stained glass windows and frescoes on walls throughout its rendered interior will attract international attention.

Work has just begun on the formwork for a 24m-high bell tower, featuring a domed roof, next to the chapel on the eastern side of the monastery.

The St Petka Macedonian Church project is estimated to be worth around $10 million, but the generosity of many Illawarra businesses means it has been built for considerably less.

The project began with $1 and has been driven by one man's great passion for the project.

George (Gocei) Petkovski saw a need at St Kliment Ohridski Macedonian Orthodox Church when he took his children to Port Kembla for dancing lessons a decade ago.

He began fund-raising to install a ceiling at the Port Kembla church and has not stopped since.

During the last six years, passionate fund-raising by the Port Kembla congregation and plenty of corporate generosity has resulted in the construction of a church facility like nothing else in Australia.

"This has all been done from the money we collect from the church in Port Kembla," George said.

To date 200,000 bricks and 35,000 Besser-style blocks have been used in the construction, but no money was borrowed for any of the work, which has never stopped.

Up to three nuns will live at the monastery where people attending conferences or church events can book accommodation.

George said the chapel was so prominent on the hillside overlooking the racecourse at Kembla Grange it was already attracting national and global attention.

And people kept asking him when it would be finished.

Tradespeople are still being sought to install copper, and paint frescoes on the interior.

© 2008 Illawarra Mercury

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