On Saturday, December 27, 2025, as the Church commemorated the Holy Protomartyr and Archdeacon Stephen, Metropolitan Arsenios of Austria presided over the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy at the Holy Cathedral Church of the Holy Trinity in Vienna.
Participating in prayer at the Holy Altar were Bishop Maximos of Arista and the Archiepiscopal Commissioner, Fr. Ioannis Nikolitsis. Assisting the Metropolitan in the celebration of the Divine Liturgy were the Archimandrites Ilias Papadopoulos, Athanasios Buk, and Bartholomew Ungureanu; Protopresbyter Nikolaos Rappert; Hieromonks Iakovos Giannopoulos, Ephraim Lomidze, and Andreas Bollas; as well as the Deacons Savvas Kucenko and Georgios Meleshko.
During the Divine Liturgy, the Metropolitan ordained Fr. Savvas to the sacred rank of Presbyter.
In his address, the newly ordained Presbyter expressed his profound gratitude, love, and devotion to the Triune God, who called him to the priestly ministry of dedication and selfless service.
He warmly thanked Metropolitan Arsenios for his paternal love, spiritual guidance, and trust, shown to him from the time of his monastic tonsure at the Monastery of St. Andrä am Zicksee, through his ordination to the Diaconate, and now to the rank of Presbyter. He affirmed his commitment to follow the Metropolitan’s exhortations toward humility, repentance, and complete dedication to the life of the Church.
He also expressed his heartfelt thanks to the clergy, the parish community of Saint John Chrysostom, as well as to his parents and all the faithful for their prayers, stating his desire to serve the Holy and Great Church of Christ with faith, love, and obedience.
Addressing Fr. Savvas, Metropolitan Arsenios called upon him to walk the path of humility, love, and self-sacrifice, following the example of God who became man out of love for the salvation of the world.
He encouraged him to minister as a hieromonk within the world, cultivating a spirit of sacrifice for those who suffer and are in need. He urged him to strive to save even one soul, so that a multitude of sins may be covered, and to proclaim the Gospel of peace and justice, seeking always to become a peacemaker.
Finally, His Eminence exhorted him to serve with self-sacrifice in the German-speaking parish, composed of people from many nationalities, beyond nationalistic divisions, yet united by their shared love for Christ the Savior.
Following the Dismissal, refreshments were offered to all those present, who had the opportunity to receive the blessing of the Holy Protomartyr and to extend their heartfelt wishes to the newly ordained Presbyter of the Church.
