Metropolitan Cleopas of Sweden and All Scandinavia celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the newly established Parish of Sts. Demetrios and Nestor in Örebro, Sweden on Saturday, October 26, 2024. He was assisted by Archimandrite Fr. Bartholomew Iatridis, Presbyter Fr. Vasilios Halil, and Presbyter Fr. George Arvanitidis.
Following the Divine Liturgy, the thyranoixia ceremony was performed, officially dedicating the parish.
Metropolitan Cleopas bestowed the office of Economos upon Fr. George Arvanitidis, recognizing his service to the parish. The congregation enthusiastically congratulated him, shouting “axios” in approval.
In his sermon, Metropolitan Cleopas highlighted the dedication of the new parish on the feast day of St. Demetrios, expressing gratitude for the protection of both St. Demetrios and St. George over the parish.
He praised Fr. George Arvanitidis for his service and urged other Greek parishes to follow his example in offering children to the Church. Metropolitan Cleopas emphasized the importance of volunteers like Fr. George contributing to the spiritual growth of the Ecumenical Patriarchate’s Eparchy.
Metropolitan Cleopas also commended Archimandrite Fr. Sosipatros Stefanoudis and Fr. Bartholomew Iatridis for their service to the parish. He thanked the parish council and volunteers for their hospitality and support.
Special guests, including representatives from the Lutheran Church and Syrian Aramaic Community, were welcomed, and Metropolitan Cleopas acknowledged their contributions to inter-Christian relations in Scandinavia.
The Youth Byzantine Choir of the St. George Cathedral in Stockholm was recognized for their musical contributions to the celebration.
Iliana Antoniou was remembered in a memorial prayer offered by the Metropolitan, along with other clergy members such as the Ecumenical Patriarch Dimitrios and Archbishop Iakovos of North and South America, as well as other clergy and laypersons named Demetrios. Following the prayer, a luncheon was organized in the adjacent hall by the parish priest and members of the parish council.
The day’s celebrations included the welcoming of two new members into the parish’s spiritual family, with one being chrismated into the faith and the other baptized with the name Demetrios. Metropolitan Cleopas concluded the event by invoking the grace of the Holy Spirit and the intercessions of the patron saints of the parish for the health and well-being of all families and parish members.
The following day, Metropolitan Cleopas traveled to Oslo where he celebrated the Divine Liturgy and doxology for the Greek national holiday of October 28th at the Metropolitan Church of the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary.
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