On Saturday, December 27, 2025, on the feast of Saint Stephen the Protomartyr and Archdeacon, a Hierarchical Divine Liturgy was celebrated with great solemnity at the festal Church of Saint Stephen in Yeşilköy. The service included an Artoklasia offered for the health and longevity of all Saint Stephanians throughout the world.
The Divine Liturgy was presided over by Elder Metropolitan Apostolos of Derkoi, with the concelebration of Fr. Anthimos Iliadis and Fr. Antonios Karatzikos. The sermon was delivered by Deacon Oikoumenios, Under-Secretary of the Holy and Sacred Synod.
At the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, Deacon Daniel Zafeiris was appointed to the offikion of Archdeacon of the Holy Metropolis of Derkoi.
This event holds particular ecclesiastical significance, as the offikion of Archdeacon is bestowed once again upon the historic and Elder Metropolis of Derkoi after a lapse of sixty years. The last cleric to bear this distinction was the late Metropolitan Germanos of Theodoroupolis.
In his address, the Shepherd of the Diocese spoke with warm, paternal words about the person and ministry of the newly appointed Archdeacon, noting in particular:
“Father Daniel is distinguished by zeal and selfless devotion, possessing an ecclesiastical mindset, diligence, and a spirit of offering. During his five-year ministry, he has stood unceasingly beside my humble person, contributing to all the activities and works of the God-protected Diocese of Derkoi.”
He emphasized that Archdeacon Daniel serves in all the holy churches of the Metropolis, works daily in the offices of the Holy Metropolis, and revitalized the Catechetical Program of the Diocese after fifty years, instructing children—whose numbers continue to grow—in the Orthodox faith, traditions, customs, and heritage of the Genos.
The Metropolitan further highlighted that Archdeacon Daniel teaches the Greek language, has pursued and continues to pursue academic studies in theology and the humanities at universities in Greece, Italy, and Turkey, and has accompanied him on numerous pastoral journeys and pilgrimages, including to Mount Athos, Cyprus, Crete, the United States, and other destinations abroad.
Referring to his service to the Ecumenical Patriarchate, he noted that Archdeacon Daniel contributed significantly to the organization of the First Orthodox Youth Conference in Turkey and, at the direction of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, accompanied young members of the Greek Orthodox community to Finland, offering a living witness of ecclesiastical responsibility and pastoral care.
