HCHC Mourns the Passing of Bishop Athanasius

The entire HCHC community deeply mourns the untimely passing of His Grace Bishop Athanasius of Kisumu and Western Kenya at the age of 48 in Worcester, Massachusetts. His Grace fell ill just after celebrating the Divine Liturgy at St. Spyridon Cathedral in Worcester and, despite the best possible efforts over several weeks to save his life, ultimately succumbed on January 4. A wake will be held at St. Spyridon on Sunday, January 13, from 4-9pm, with a Trisagion service at 7pm. There will also be a wake at Sts. Constantine and Helen Church in Webster, Massachusetts, on Monday, January 14, from 4-9pm, with a Trisagion service at 7pm.

Born Amos Akunda in Kenya in 1971, Bishop Athanasius was greatly loved and admired by all who were fortunate enough to know him, including everyone at Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology, from which he received his Master of Divinity degree in 2002. Fr. Dimitrios Moraitis, Dean of St. Spyridon, speaks for many in saying, “I’ve never met a more holy or humble man in my life.”

To read more about the remarkable life of Bishop Athanasius, please visit https://orthodoxmissionkenya.org/bishop-athanasios-akunda-biography/. The video clip posted here is from His Grace’s final visit to our campus this past October.

May his memory be eternal!