PRESS RELEASE
We are pleased to announce the following:
– His Grace Bishop-elect Raphael of Ilion will be ordained on Tuesday, March 9, 2021, (Matins: 9:00 AM) at the Greek Orthodox Church of St. Panteleimon and St. Paraskevi in Harrow, London.
– His Grace Bishop-elect Iakovos of Claudiopolis will be ordained on Thursday, March 11, 2021, (Matins: 9:00 AM) at the Greek Orthodox Cathedral of the Divine Wisdom in Bayswater, London.
On Thursday, 15th August 2024, His Eminence Archbishop Nikitas presided over Matins and celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the Cathedral of the Dormition of the Theotokos in Wood Green. He was joined by His Eminence Metropolitan Iakovos of Ireland and His Grace Bishop Iakovos of Claudiopolis. Among those concelebrating were the V. Revd Archimandrite Nephon Tsimallis, Protosyngellus, the Revd Protopresbyter Panayiotis Dik, the Revd Oeconomos Nikolaos Kokkinos and the Revd Presbyter Petros Georgiou. Archdeacon Dr George Tsourous, Deacon Gregory Florides and Deacon Georgios Ntallas also served.
Distinguished guests in attendance included H.E the Hon. Mrs Iphigenia Kanara, Deputy Head of Mission and H.E. the Hon. Mr Christos Gkoulas, Head of the Consular Section, from the Embassy of the Hellenic Republic, Ms Melivia Demetriou, Political Counsellor of the High Commission of the Republic of Cyprus, and Pambos Charalambou, MP for Enfield, alongside Counsellor Eddie Griffith, former Mayor of Haringey and Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate The Archbishop delivered a sermon emphasising the importance of the Dormition of the Mother of God, who embraced God through her unwavering obedience, urging the great number of faithful in attendance to follow the example of the Theotokos in their lives.
At the conclusion of the Liturgy, His Eminence bestowed the Offikion of Oeconomos upon the Revd Presbyter Petros Georgiou, in recognition of his dedicated service, unwavering commitment to the Church, and pastoral care within the community.
Following the end of the Liturgy, His Grace Bishop Iakovos of Claudiopolis extended a warm welcome to His Eminence Archbishop Nikitas and also His Eminence Metropolitan Iakovos of the newly-established Metropolis of Ireland who visited London and expressed gratitude to all who labour for the good of the Church and the community in Wood Green.
The Community at Wood Green celebrated its annual Greek festival, introducing and celebrating with the local residents Hellenic culture, food, and music. Various stands were set up, offering traditional Greek Cypriot delicacies and products from Greece, Cyprus, and other Orthodox countries, providing an opportunity for attendees to interact and enjoy fellowship.
Photo courtesy: Alexios Gennaris
On Saturday, 10th August 2024, His Eminence Archbishop Nikitas of Thyateira and Great Britain made his inaugural pastoral visit to the Church of the Holy Transfiguration in Great Walsingham. The Revd Presbyter Christopher Knight, Priest-in-Charge, and the congregation warmly welcomed His Eminence, who was accompanied by Archdeacon George Tsourous.
Before Vespers that evening, Fr Christopher took the Archbishop on a memorable tour of Walsingham’s sacred sites. Their journey included a visit to the revered Anglican Shrine of Our Lady, which also includes the Orthodox Chapel of the Theotokos the Life-giving Spring, a symbol of the village’s rich spiritual heritage. They also stopped at the Slipper Chapel, where, in medieval times, pilgrims would remove their shoes before continuing barefoot to the Holy House. Their pilgrimage through history continued with a visit to the Orthodox Chapel of St Seraphim, culminating in a tour of the Icon Heritage Museum.
The following day, Sunday 11th August, His Eminence celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the Church of the Holy Transfiguration. Celebrating with His Eminence were the Revd Protopresbyter Patrick Hodson, the Revd Presbyter Christopher Knight, the Revd Presbyter Constantine Litvinenko and Archdeacon George. At the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, His Eminence tonsured Mr Stephen Riley-Elliott as a Reader.
As is the tradition of the Feast of the Transfiguration, His Eminence blessed the grapes and other fruits, as the congregation thanked God for the abundance of His mercy.
The community hosted a hospitable reception for His Eminence, the clergy, and the faithful who gathered that day. During this time, His Eminence engaged with attendees, offering the opportunity to ask questions about the Faith and the ministries of the Archdiocese and Orthodoxy in the UK.
On Tuesday, 6th August 2024, His Eminence Archbishop Nikitas of Thyateira and Great Britain presided over Matins and celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the Church of the Transfiguration of Christ the Saviour in Woolwich. Concelebrating with him were the Revd Protopresbyter Konstantinos Garibaldinos, Vicar General, and the Revd Presbyter Thomas Koutroukis, Priest-in-Charge. The V. Revd Archimandrite Michail Pazinas and the Revd Presbyter David Gilchrist also joined prayerfully in the altar, while the Revd Archdeacon George Tsourous and the Revd Deacon Charalambos Clark served.
At the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, His Eminence Archbishop Nikitas tonsured Leon Silver, Dimitrios Gatsos, and Xenofon Koromplias as Readers. His Eminence also awarded the Medal Cross of the Holy Archdiocese of Thyateira and Great Britain to Mr. Kyriacos Kokkinos, in recognition of his dedicated service and generous support to the Woolwich parish over many years.
The festive day concluded with a warm and hospitable reception in a restaurant nearby. At the luncheon, Deacon Charalambos, who is deeply involved in arts and crafts through his business, presented a specially crafted gift to the Archbishop as a gesture of appreciation. The gift featured a bronzed carving on a gold sea and skyscape, based on the ancient carvings on St.Brendan’s Stone (The Kilnaruane Stone) which sits at Bantry Bay in County Cork, where St.Brendan’s monastery would have stood. The carving depicts St.Brendan the Navigator as the Helmsman in his curragh alongside his faithful oarsmen when he travelled to America and back, in the 6th century.
On 4th August 2024, His Eminence Archbishop Nikitas of Thyateira and Great Britain had the honour of visiting H.S. PROMETHEUS a General Support Ship of the Greek Navy on its summer training cruise supporting Frigate H.S. KANARIS. Also present were His Excellency Yannis Tsaousis, Ambassador of the Hellenic Republic in the UK, Commander representatives of the Royal Navy, Chris Hannides, Chairman of the Greek Orthodox Community of St Nicholas Southampton, along with parishioners and other community members. The Archbishop received the ships’ crests and presented icons of Christ to the Captains. The visit concluded with a reception featuring traditional Greek dances performed by the Greek Cultural Club of Bristol and sailors from the ships.
Announcement by the Greek Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of Thyateira and Great Britain on the Paris 2024 Olympic Games Opening Ceremony
The Holy Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Thyateira and Great Britain would like to express the sentiments of concern and dismay at the manner in which the Mystical Supper was seemingly parodied during the Opening Ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
The celebration of any Olympic Opening Ceremony is a remarkable achievement for humankind. It is a joyous occasion of unification and a renewal of our commitment to harmony among the diverse community of nations that comprise our world.
This year’s ceremony, however, was marred by the insensitive decision to stage a scene resembling a sacred and highly significant historical moment for Christianity. This act provoked the largest religious group in the world, and many found this parodic re-creation deeply offensive.
Orthodox Christian theology and understanding of the Incarnation of Christ place great value and offer sincere reverence to images of events in His life. For centuries, sacred images “icons” have been understood as the “gospel in colour,” and they are to be revered and offered the same honour as that of the text of the Gospel. As a Christian community which honours and worships God through Liturgical Worship, the veneration of holy icons and sacred relics, all centred on the Holy Scriptures, we are left in great sorrow and dismay when these images are flippantly appropriated without recognition of their deep significance.
While freedom of artistic expression and creativity are essential aspects of human culture, it is equally important to exercise the responsibility and obligation to treat cherished religious symbols with the utmost respect and sensitivity. Tolerance cannot be a self-referential axiom; it functions as a virtue inasmuch as it brings people together and promotes real peace and mutual respect among all human beings.
The individuals responsible for the anachronistic element of the Opening Ceremony have stated that it was not their intent to disrespect any religious group. The global outcry and impact of their decision though, have shown that it was overwhelmingly received as a blatant and callous disregard for the spirit of solidarity that the Olympic Games are meant to foster. Many Christian athletes and spectators felt alienated by the ceremony and discriminated against as people of faith, as it violated their sense of welcome and belonging in this global event.
As an Archdiocese predominantly consisting of Christian Hellenes of diverse generations, we lament that a great feat of our genos—the original spirit of the Olympiad, which aims to transcend divisions by focusing on mutual respect, excellence, and peaceful coexistence—was subverted in a manner that threatens to extinguish the Olympic flame, which is meant to guide us toward a harmonious and peaceful existence.
We pray that our Lord may inspire humanity to greater sensitivity and more sincere respect for the dignity of every human being of faith.
