Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew referred to the long-suffering Imbros, “which was affected but did not wither, suffered but did not succumb” during the Divine Liturgy, over which the Ecumenical Patriarch presided accompanied by Metropolitan Kyrillos of Mochonisia and Metropolitan Meliton of Philadelphia, at the Metropolitan Church of the Domination of the Virgin Mary in Imbros on Sunday, October 25, 2020.
During the Divine Liturgy, he ordained Subdeacon Christos Georgiou as Deacon, whom he gave the name “Chrysanthos,” in honor of, the Ecumenical Patriarch said, “the blessed monk Chrysanthos Vatopaidinos, from Agioi Theodoroi, whose contribution to the Church, Mount Athos, his birthplace Imbros, and especially his village, was significant.”
Metropolitans Kyrillos of Imbros and Tenedos, Chrysostomos of Myra and Maximos, of Sylivria, Archons Offikalioi of the Ecumenical Patriarchate and many believers attended the Divine Liturgy.
Prior to the ordination, the Ecumenical Patriarch addressed paternal words of advice to the clergyman, whom he praised for his decision to dedicate himself to the ministry of Christ and the Church in his mother’s place of origin, the beloved and historic Imbros, where he settled with his spouse and their three children.
The Ecumenical Patriarch then stressed:
“Together you will represent and serve a way of life, which is characterized by a community spirit, solidarity, mutual trust, cultivation of valuable local traditions and love for nature. The truth of this way of life is inextricably linked to the Orthodox tradition, inspired and nurtured by it. This ethos turned the struggle of life into joy because it is orientated towards the truth. Despite the difficulties, life in Imbron was blessed and creative. This imprint of our ancestors must not be lost, we must safeguard it and transmit it as an ethos of freedom and love to the coming generations of the Imbrians. Every family that settles on our island is a ray of hope that the culture of the person will continue to exist in Imbros. We also consider auspicious the fact that Imbrian associations all over the world effectively transmit to the new generation of our compatriots the belief in the value of the ancestral spiritual and cultural treasures, their inextricable connection to our Orthodox and orthodox identity and their desire to learn in a world society, where self-centeredness and blissfulness devitalize altruism. Ultimately, turning to yesterday does not mean regressing, it does not turn us into a rigid entity.”
In his reply, the candidate clergyman expressed his gratitude to the Ecumenical Patriarch for all the support he provided during his studies and for the honor of receiving the first degree of the priesthood.
After the Divine Liturgy, in his speech, the Ecumenical Patriarch said that it was a joy and blessing for the Metropolis of Imbros and Tenedos to have a new clergyman, and expressed his emotion that he performed the Divine Liturgy at the Metropolitan Church of Imbros, where he had been ordained a deacon 59 years ago.