On the occasion of the double holiday of the Annunciation of the Theotokos and Greek Independence Day, Metropolitan Cleopas of Sweden and All Scandinavia made his 22nd pastoral visit to the Metropolitan Church of the Annunciation of the Theotokos in Oslo, which celebrated its feast day.
On Friday afternoon March 24, 2023, the Metropolitan officiated the Service of Vespers for the Feast of the Annunciation and the 4th Stanza of the Salutations to the Theotokos, assisted by the parish priests of the Metropolitan Church, the Very. Rev. Archimandrite Fr. Alexander Loukatos and the Rev. Economos Fr. Maxime Lesage.
In his sermon, Metropolitan Cleopas spoke about the importance of the Theotokos’ role in safeguarding Christ during His infancy, Whom she bore as a “cockle housing the divine pearl.” He also wished all those present to experience “good tidings” throughout their life by spreading the Gospel in word and deed.
Afterward, the Metropolitan attended a dinner hosted by Her Excellency Ms. Anna Korka, Ambassador of Greece to Norway, at the embassy residence. He was joined by Fr. Alexander Loukatos, the Honorable Messrs. Konstantinos Danassis, Charge d’Affaires at the Greek Embassy in Oslo and Mr. Lambros Kokkonos, Director of the Consulate office, the Honorable Mr. Rafn Alexander Sigurdsson, Honorary Consul of Greece in Iceland, together with his wife Ms. Anna Juliana Sveinsdottir, and Ms. Angeliki Kruse Jensen, a longtime member of the Greek Community in Oslo.
Speaking at the gathering, Metropolitan Cleopas thanked Ambassador Korka for her warm hospitality, collaboration, and the support offered by her and her colleagues to the ministry of the local Church and Greek Community in Norway, while also conveying the heartfelt paternal wishes of His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew.
The next day, the feast of the Theotokos celebrating the Annunciation by the Archangel Gabriel that she would give birth to Christ, Metropolitan Cleopas presided over the Archieratical Divine Liturgy at the Metropolitan Church in Oslo, assisted by the parish priests of the church. At the end of the service, a blessing of the loaves and doxology service for the national holiday was held.
The liturgical gathering was celebrated in Greek, Norwegian, English, and French. The festal hymns of the service, which was streamed live on the Facebook page of the Holy Metropolis of Sweden, were chanted by the Head Changer of the Metropolitan Church Mr. Panagiotis Katsivalis, who was assisted by Messrs. Kosmas Plakou and Erik Porfyrios Hasner. Messrs. Konstantinos Sidiropoulos and Halle Theologos Bakken assisted inside the Holy Altar.
The Divine Liturgy was attended by Ambassador Korka, Messrs. Danassis and Kokkonos, the Sigurdssons, the President of the Hellenic Society of Norway Mr. Ioannis Aliferis, the President of the Greek School in Oslo PTA Mr. Valentino Kongezos, the parish council members of the Metropolitan Church, and a large number of faithful.
Ambassador Korka delivered an address celebrating the holiday, while Metropolitan Cleopas thanked her and her associates for the hospitality they extended to him at the Ambassador’s residence and their honorary presence at the Metropolitan Church, as well as Mr. Sigurdsson and his wife for the invaluable support they provide to the ministry of the Parish of St. Bartholomew the Apostle in Reykjavik.
The Metropolitan offered the parish priests of the Metropolitan Church Fr. Alexander and Fr. Maxime an artophorion (tabernacle) to adorn the Holy Altar of their newly renovated church, which also features newly written iconography. Additionally, he offered gifts to Ms. Kyriaki Papadopoulou Samuelsen, a parish council member and legal overseer of the Metropolitan Church, and the Sigurdsson family for their longstanding labor of love to the parishes of Oslo and Reykjavik, respectively.
Afterwards, a holiday concert was offered by the music ensemble of the St. George Cathedral youth in Stockholm, 12 of whose members traveled to Oslo to offer a musical tribute and convey their holiday greetings to the members of the parish of the “Theotokos of the North.” There, they also had the opportunity to interact with the corresponding youth association of the Metropolitan Church in Oslo.
The celebrations were concluded with a luncheon at the Metropolitan Church community hall, hosted by the local parish Ladies Philoptochos Society and Mr. Ion Pascal.
That afternoon, the Metropolitan returned to his eparchy’s see in Stockholm.
The next day, Sunday, March 26, 2023, Metropolitan Cleopas presided over the Archieratical Divine Liturgy at the St. George Cathedral in Stockholm, assisted by the parish priest of the Cathedral, the Very Rev. Fr. Bartholomew Iatridis. The hymns of the feast were chanted by Dr. Andreas Selamsis, Dr. Georgios Sidiras, Mr. Ilias Gergis, and Ms. Iliana Antoniou.
The Divine Liturgy was attended by Their Excellencies Greece’s Ambassador to Sweden Mr. Andreas Fryganas and Cyprus’ Ambassador to Sweden Mr. Solon Savvas, together with their associates, the President of the Greek School of Stockholm PTA Mr. Demetrios Siotis and his family, students, and parents from the Greek School, as well as members of the Lykeion ton Ellinidon women’s association chapters in Stockholm, Ikaria, and Katerini, Greece.
Dr. Nicholas Divinis and Ambassador Fryganas offered the celebratory speeches of the day. In his sermon, the Metropolitan spoke about the seminal and timeless messages arising from the feast of the Annunciation and Greek Independence. He also thanked the speakers of the day, as well as the children from the Hellenic School and parish’s Sunday School, in addition to visitors from Greece and members of the Lydeion ton Ellinidon from Ikaria and Katerini.
Metropolitan Cleopas offered a copy of the Metropolis’ publication chronicling the Patriarchal Visit to Stockholm as a token of appreciation to Dr. Divinis, Ms. Evgenia Noidou, former Director of the Greek Afternoon School of the Boston Cathedral, the President of the Lykeion to Ellinidon’s chapter in Katerini Ms. Polytimi Stamatopoulou Papakosta, and its representative from Ikaria.
A reception followed at the Museum of Hellenic Christian Heritage on-site at the Cathedral, courtesy of the Lykeion ton Ellinidon’s Stockholm chapter and Mr. Angelos Exadaktylos.
Photo credit: Holy Metropolis of Sweden, Fr. Bartholomew Iatridis, Fr. Alexander Loukatos, & Mr. Mike Bikoulis.
