Originally published August 15, 1973
POLICE believe an attempt was made early yesterday to electrocute the Greek Orthodox priest at Mildura.
A bare wire attached to the door knob of the priest’s sanctum was connected to the power main in the Greek Orthodox Church in Deakin Avenue, Mildura.
The power supply fused before the priest, Father Menas Demetropaulos, 36, touched the door knob when he arrived at the church yesterday morning.
Last night detectives appealed to anyone living near the church or who had passed there Monday night to report to police if they had seen anything suspicious.
Detectives are investigating a possible link in the assassination attempt with a faction opposed to the Orthodox Church among the large Greek community in the Mildura area.
The attempt was made on the eve of a major religious celebration within the Greek Orthodox community.
Today the Greeks will celebrate the birthday of Mary, mother of Jesus, with religious ceremonies and a party tonight in the hall which adjoins the Greek Orthodox Church.
Father Demetropaulos lives in Keam Crescent, Mildura, about a mile from the church.
He left the sanctum, behind the altar of the church, about 8 o’clock on Monday night.
Father Demetropaulos returned to the church at 9.15am yesterday and went to his sanctum.
He had grasped the knob of the door to the sanctum before before he noticed the wiring attached to it.
The barbed wire led from the outside knob of the door to the inside where it was connected to a power plug within the sanctum.
Detective-Sergeant George Baddeley and Detective Graham McAllister, of Mildura CIB, went to the church and then called State Electricity Commission technicians.
The SEC men said that if the fuse of the power main had not blown, anyone grasping the door knob could have received a fatal shock.
Whoever wired the door must have left the sanctum by another exit.
Nothing was stolen from the sanctum or any other part of the church.
They have questioned members of a Greek heterodox group in Mildura.
One investigation followed the shattering of a marble plaque on the front of the church.
The plaque had apparently been smashed with a sledge hammer.
