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.
