On Saturday 27th July 2019, a large crowd attended the Enthronement of the new Archbishop of Thyateira and Great Britain Nikitas at the Greek Orthodox Cathedral of the Holy Wisdom, Moscow Road in Bayswater.

The event was watched live by thousands on the internet and screens were placed around the Church and at the Royal Lancaster Hotel banqueting hall in Central London where a lunch took place later.

At the Enthronement, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew was represented by Metropolitan of France, Emmanuel, who also addressed the new Archbishop of Thyateira.

The new Archbishop of Thyateira thanked Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, who sent him to undertake the leadership of the Church of Great Britain and Ireland, assuring that he shall always remain loyal to the Phanar.

“I come to Great Britain in a time that the world is shaken by many inequalities and sufferings. For this reason, my priority is to cooperate all together, people and clergy, so as to hold the pilot light of Orthodoxy burning in Great Britain, and renew this light with a genuine and undistorted oil, i.e. the oil of Orthodox Faith”, stressed, inter alia, Archbishop Nikitas.

During his speech, the new Archbishop also addressed the Deputy Minister responsible for Greeks Abroad, Mr. Antonis H. Diamataris, as follows: “We may be expatriates, but our heart beats in Greek pulse, Greek blood runs in our veins”.

Finally, the Archbishop addressed the Representative of the Republic of Cyprus stressing the following: “Mr. Evriviadis, we shall always stand by your side, in the struggle of the suffering Cyprus to find a sustainable solution to the Cyprus problem”.

He also thanked his predecessor Archbishop Gregorios for laying a solid foundation for him to continue.

Speeches continued over lunch from Louis Loizou, a Trustee of the Archdiocese of Thyateira and Great Britain, Marios Minaides, President of the Greek Orthodox Communities in the UK, Euripides L Evriviades, High Commissioner Republic of Cyprus to the UK and Antonis Diamantaris, Publisher Deputy Minister for Expatriate Greeks.
There was finally a thank you speech from the new Archbishop.