On Thursday, March 28, 2024, the clergy of the Holy Metropolis of Accra who minister in Ghana, participated in the first Priestly Meeting under their new Metropolitan Daniel.
After the pray of the Water Sanctification that was performed inside the Cathedral Holy Church of the Transfiguration of Christ, followed the reading of a letter from Patriarch Theodoros II of Alexandria and all Africa to the Holy Clergy and the pious People of the Holy Metropolis.
Subsequently, the General Vicar, Protopr. Joseph Kwame Labi, on behalf of the Holy Clergy, addressed a greeting to the new Metropolitan and introduced by name all the priests and Ecclesiastical Communities who serve.
Then the Metropoltan Daniel, expressing Praise to the Holy Triune God and gratitude to the Primate of Orthodoxy in Africa and the Hierarchy for his election.
In his speech he developed the guiding principles of pastoral action. He first referred to his priestly and archpriestly ministry to date, in Greece and in various African countries during the last decade, stressing that he knows very well the issues of Parishes and Communities, the needs of priests and the various daily problems.
He assured that priests and their families are his priority. He emphasized his desire to meet them personally one by one along with the members of his families, to share in their joys and sorrows.
“The Episcopate is not a command post, but your father’s house. You are my valuable partners in the Vineyard of the Church”, he pointed out.
He paralleled the relations of the Bishop and Priests with the function of the family. Family relationships require the setting of boundaries and the corresponding respect and obedience, without abrogating the freedom of individuals.
Metropolitan Daniel advised the priests to love prayer, to study the Gospel and spiritual books and he promised the training of all the clergy with similar Assemblies.
He underlined his complete obedience to the Statute of the Holy Metropolis, the Holy Canons and the institution of the Patriarchate of Alexandria, which he will try to apply to the letter, for the proper functioning of the local Church.
He defined the devotional life as the second axis of the pastoral ministry: the performance of Holy Masses, the perfect performance of the Holy Mysteries and the Divine Liturgy throughout the territory of the country. He praised the work of all his predecessors as Archbishops, but also all the priests who served in the Holy Metropolis of Accra.
After the Metropolitan’s speech, a dialogue between the clergy followed and it was decided that the next Meeting would take place after Holy Easter.
