DIVINE LITURGY IN THE CHURCH OF SAINT SPYRIDON FOR THE 15- YEAR MINISTRY OF THE BISHOP OF CORFU MR. NEKTARIOS
On Thursday, November 23, 2017, the Matin and the Divine Liturgy took place in the Church of the Saint Spyridon the Wonderworker on the celebration of 15 years of ministry of the Bishop of Corfu, Paxoi and Diapontian Islands, mr. Nektarios. Along with the Bishop participated in the Liturgy the priests who were ordained by him during these 15 years.
Father Themistoklis Mourtzanos, General Prelatic Warden of the Holy Metropolis of Corfu in his preaching analyzed the liturgical prayer after the Sanctification:
«Above all, remember, Lord, our Archibishop… Grant that he may serve Your holy churches in peace. Keep him safe, honorable, and healthy for many years, rightly teaching the word of Your truth.»
The people in the Church wish in favour of the Bishop of the local Church, the one who is like Christ, the one who is responsible to take care pastorally of the people in order to lead them to Christ. Moreover, the faithful Christians wish that their Bishop will have peace in his soul in order to lead people to the path of Salvation, to be whole, to have integrity, to honor the trust that Christ has on him, to be healthy and live long, not only in years but also spiritually so every single effort and target to be fulfilled in order to praise God. Finally, the people of our Local Church wish the most important thing, for the Bishop to rationalize the word of Truth.
Just like when the bread is divided in a table and some takes more whereas another takes less, we realize that the important thing is not the quantity. Every single portion has the same ingredients of the bread. So does the Bishop. He “cuts” rationally the Truth, Christ and he gives it to people in order for everyone to become part of it, through the Divine Mysteries and the preaching. However, the Bishop can also teach through his silence.
In his conclusion, father Themistoklis wished that the Bishop will live long and blessed by God and like another Moses he will lead the souls that God trusted him with to the Freedom of Christ, Salvation and Deification.
Mr. Nektarios thanked firstly the Holy Trinity, our Lady the Theotokos and Saint Spyridon who give him strength on a daily basis in these difficult days while wishing that all the people of the Holy Metropolis to be shaved and deified, to see face to face Christ and taste the unique happiness of Paradise and the Light that never ends in the community of our Saints.
Moreover, his Eminence thanked both the Holy Clergy and the blessed people of the Holy Metropolis for their love, prayers and their help in this common route.
In the end of the Divine Liturgy, the Bishop of Corfu ordained the Monk father Kallinikos from Palaiokastritsa to Archimandrite and father Konstantinos Mazis to Protopresbyter.
