On the morning of Bright Friday, the Feast of Zoodochos Pigi was celebrated in an atmosphere of joy at the Cathedral of the Annunciation of Our Lady, in Sydney, where Archbishop Makarios of Australia ordained two clergymen, a Presbyter, and a Deacon.
During the Divine Liturgy, the Archbishop of Australia ordained the Deacon Timotheos Klintsaris as a Presbyter and then ordained Kyriakos Theologos to the diaconate.
Addressing the new Presbyter, Archbishop Makarios described this course of each clergyman as a journey “between the Cross and the Three-Day Resurrection of Christ” and as a journey “between heaven and earth”. “The life of the clergyman is difficult and adventurous because he is always on the move and looking forward,” he said to Fr. Timothy, adding that “this is a life of constant challenges, trials, and adventures or otherwise continuous and successive crucifixions and resurrections”.
“You are called, as a Presbyter, to save souls, to perish for them, to be humiliated and not to exploit them to gain or impress,” the Archbishop stressed and added: “You are called to lead souls to Christ through a peaceful process, with much prudence and wisdom, with peace, with humility and trust in the will of God”.
He pointed out to Fr. Timothy that “the work of the priest is important, because it is primarily spiritual”, and urged him that his presence in the Church “be spiritual and be a testimony of Christ”. “May your priesthood proclaim the love and unity of people with the Church,” he added.
Concluding his speech, he expressed the certainty that the new Presbyter will fully meet the needs of the times and the requirements of the Church, as he has not only the academic but also the spiritual conditions for this purpose.
Turning to the new deacon Fr. Kyriakos, the Archbishop noted that “I consider your previous blessed life to have been ‘time’, that is, preparation, for what you are experiencing today”. “You are now mature and advanced in age, but this does not deprive you of the grace of the Holy Spirit,” remarked the Archbishop, “nor, of course, excludes you from the possibility of becoming a worthy and good clergyman who will help our Church and lead souls to Salvation”.
Fr. Kyriakos was born and raised in Cyprus, from where he immigrated to Australia, where he worked, started a family, and at the same time remained close to the Church.
For many years he served as a churchwarden, on a non-profit basis, in the parish of Saints Raphael, Nicholas, and Irene in Sydney, while as a clergyman he will serve, after his second ordination, the Greek Orthodox faithful of the Parish of St. Panteleimon in Goulburn, near Canberra.
