On Forgiveness Sunday, 17th March 2024, Archbishop Nikitas of Thyateira and Great Britain celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the Church of St Nectarios in Battersea, London.
Also serving were the Revd Protopresbyter Christodoulos Christodoulou, Priest-in-charge of the community; the Revd Presbyter Stefan Strekopytov; the Revd Presbyter Stephen Morys Ireland; and the Revd Archdeacon Dr George Tsourous.
In his sermon, Archbishop Nikitas spoke about the essence of forgiveness and offered insights on the true spirit of fasting. He emphasised that our Lord’s call to forgive one another is not only for the sake of showing grace to others, but is also a precondition for receiving God’s mercy ourselves. He underscored the importance of sincerity in our ascetic practices, particularly in fasting, reiterating the caution expressed by our Lord in the Sunday Gospel reading against performative piety. The hallmark of true fasting is humility, not accolades from others. God rewards the genuine heart that makes sacrifices in secret.
Furthermore, the Archbishop urged the faithful to seek peace in eternal treasures, highlighting that true wealth does not lie in earthly possessions, but in our relationship with God. This, he concluded, is where our hearts find true and lasting joy.
At the end of the Divine Liturgy, the Archbishop tonsured Mr Joseph Craveiro as a Reader. Afterwards, the community warmly welcomed His Eminence at a reception hosted in his honour, where the faithful had the opportunity to meet with their Archbishop and receive his blessing before the start of Holy and Great Lent.
