Archbishop Nikitas has opened a new chapter in the life of our community

By Panayiotis Demetriou

As we just celebrated the feast of Saint Nikitas, patron saint of our Archbishop Nikitas, I thought it appropriate to celebrate the honour his short, yet impactful Archiepiscopal ministry here in the United Kingdom.
It is clear for anyone following the Archdiocesan website and social media accounts that a new chapter has opened in the life of our community – a chapter we wholeheartedly welcome and applaud, as we realize that the viability and future of our community relies on the pioneering and visionary leadership of our Archbishop, who honours the legacy of his late predecessors by building upon the foundations they had laid while building a community ready to engage the 21st century.
During the last two years of his tenure, Archbishop Nikitas is focused on Christ-centered mission fueled by his determination to engage and increase the Church’s role in lives of our people. He does this by establishing and implementing educational, pastoral, charitable, social, and innovative initiatives readily accessible to all people of good-will.
When His Eminence arrived here in 2019, he shared with many of us his ideas concerning the religious education and instruction of not only children and young adults, but also for adults as the need for religious education through an ecclesiastical structure was needed. Recognising the need for religious instruction in English as well as in Greek, he immediately established weekly online courses led by clergy and lay theologians of our community. These weekly classes became so popular, that they began to attract attendees from various parts of Europe, Africa, Australia and North America. Never before has our Archdiocese coordinated and conducted a religious education classes online and so successfully. These classes will begin once again, sometime later this month. In addition to all this, he has also appointed clergy to preach daily in the mornings on LGR with a new program promising to be holistic and edifying to those ready to listen and learn.
We have learned from individuals who have known His Eminence for years of his pastoral charisma and of the simplicity with which he administers the gifts and graces of the Archpriesthood. The elegance with which he marries Tradition and a pastoral mindset is truly his hallmark. He may be one of the most accessible Archbishops around the globe, taking time to answer telephone calls, write personal letters to as many that communicate with him, as well as meet with individuals who simply stop by the Archdiocese to ask for his blessing. He is an Archbishop of understanding, dedicated to building up the Body of Christ through pastoral care, reconciliation, and rapprochement.
When speaking to a fellow Trustee of the Archdiocese, I was impressed to learn of the Archbishop’s love for charity and of the great compassion he demonstrates for those in physical need. A clergyman shared with me that, “For those of us fortunate enough to have known him for years, he is known in church circles as a true philanthropist.” Those who have gotten to know him more personally, have also shared this opinion. It couldn’t be more apparent than during the Covid-19 lockdowns just how much compassion and philanthropy our Archbishop showed, particularly on a personal level to those in need.”
The clergyman added, “His Eminence always reminds us the words of St. Isaac the Syrian, ‘remember the poor, so that through them you shall find mercy.’
Archbishop Nikitas in many ways reminds us of the late Archbishop Gregorios’ social nature and character, as he is slowly becoming known in Inter-Orthodox, Inter-Christian, and Inter-Religious spheres as well. Recently, he was inducted as a President of Churches Together England during a meeting at Lambeth Palace. Open, sociable, likeable, and faithful to Orthodox tradition, Nikitas has a particular charm about him, and currently leads the Orthodox presence in the United Kingdom promulgating our Faith as well as our National interests and priorities.
I am personally impressed by the way His Eminence ministers to young people, and the time he dedicates to mentoring, assisting, and socializing with the present and future of our Church. He realizes the importance of the use of the English language in our Churches, but also the need for increased education, spiritual guidance, as well as the creation of modern projects to attract the attention and interest of so many of our young adults who have lost their connection to the Church. Recently, the Archbishop mobilized members of our community to create educational materials explaining the severity and reality the sin and crime of Modern Slavery as a great evil of our time.
Our Archdiocese and Church has truly begun a new chapter – a chapter of openness to the others- a chapter of the Church’s relevance to daily life – a chapter of boldness in Christ challenging us to “to be in the world but not of the world.” It is exactly what we hope and wish our children and grandchildren will be part of, and that they will help write it and decorate its pages with their refreshed and regenerated faces, once forgotten. We, too, wish to join in the writing of this new chapter building, strengthening, defending, and publishing together the feats and celebrations of our resilient community. We owe it to those before us and we owe it to the generations to come and as a witness to our world. United we stand for the glory and prosperity of our historic community!
Many years, Your Eminence, our Archbishop Nikitas!

Best wishes from Parikiaki

On the occasion of the name day of Archbishop Nikitas (15 September), Parikiaki would like to wish many years to His Eminence.
Parikiaki has always strived for unity within our community and actively supports all the work of its organised groups, and of course the spiritual and other work of His Eminence Archbishop Nikitas and the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Thyateira & Great Britain. This was made clear in the two articles published in Parikiaki dated 4th and 18th February 2021.
We would like to take this opportunity to clarify that articles published in our newspaper under the heading “Opinions (Απόψεις)” earlier this year, regarding Archbishop Nikitas, the contents of which the author has publicly apologised for as being unsubstantiated, do not in any way represent the view of Parikiaki or its staff. We are aware that this might have caused unrest, but this was not our intention.
As a newspaper, we will always tirelessly work for the unity of our community.

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