Standing quietly with his family in a corner of a crowded Eucharistic adoration chapel in Sydney’s south-west, craftsman Stavros Trippis was overcome with emotion.
He had similar experiences in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament in the past but this time Stavros felt the most joyful and proudest. The high altar he had spent months building with his son Raphael was being blessed in the adoration chapel of his home parish of St Joseph’s in Moorebank.
“It’s hard to put into words what it means to know that something I created now serves in the dwelling place where Our Lord is adored day and night,” said the father of three.
“I feel both proud and deeply humbled that God allowed me to play even a small part in something so sacred.
“What makes it even more special is knowing that my children will grow up seeing this altar, understanding the love and devotion that went into it, and knowing that their father built it for Jesus.”
Blessed by Moorebank parish priest Fr Mathew Velliyamkandathil CRS on the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the high altar took more than three months to build and was designed largely in the style of traditional church architecture.
Stavros didn’t follow a strict plan except for utilising predetermined sizing and measurements as the high altar had to be built around the tabernacle which was already fixed to the wall.
He allowed for the design to take shape step by step, trusting in the process and in the Holy Spirit to guide his “hands and heart”.
It’s a process Stavros has been developing since his teenage years when he would make wooden crosses for friends and family to hang in their homes or bedrooms.
He sees carpentry as a creative outlet and a form of worship in which he can use the skills and gifts God has entrusted to him to give something back to Jesus Christ and the church.
And although each piece which Stavros creates is a way to honour Our Lord, this recent build was even more special as he was able to share it with his young son, Raphael.
“Though he is still just a toddler, he has spent countless hours with me in the workshop, watching, learning, and simply being present while I worked on this sanctuary and other shrines,” he said.
“One of the greatest joys for me is seeing him gather scraps of wood and offcuts to build his own little shrines, proudly showing them off as if they were great works of art.
“Moments like these fill me with happiness and hope as these simple experiences might nurture his faith and deepen his love for Our Lord as he grows.”
After his latest inspirational build and through the support of his wife Mary, Stavros decided to take his passion further by launching The Shrine Co., a business focussed on creating spaces that invite prayer, reflection, and a deeper encounter with Our Lord.
“Each shrine is designed to bring a sense of peace and sacredness into everyday life, whether for daily prayer, quiet contemplation, venerating an icon, or simply lighting a candle,” Stavros explained.
“My hope is that each shrine is a small sanctuary to bring peace, devotion, and a sense of the holy into homes and parishes alike.
“For me, The Shrine Co. is an offering back to God who has given me these skills and placed this desire in my heart, not for my sake, but for his glory.
“If something I build can uplift even one person in their faith or help them draw closer to Christ, then that is the greatest joy I could hope for.”
Find The Shrine Co. online at www.instagram.com/theshrineco_au
