Achna: The first clerical ordination took place after the invasion (PICTURES)

Today, Saturday, October 8, 2022, the Most Reverend Metropolitan of Constantia and Famagusta, Mr. Vasilios, performed the eldership ordination of Deacon Varnavas Misiis, in the pilgrimage Church of Panagia Trachia Achnas, with rapture and in a climate of spiritual euphoria.

This is the first ordination of a cleric that takes place after the Turkish invasion of the holy temple and is recorded as an important moment in the modern history of the martyred refugee community.

The Divine Liturgy was attended by the Reverend Kyprianos Kountouris, Director of the Theological School of the Church of Cyprus, Mr. Christos Giorgallos, Mr. Filippos Filippou, Ambassador Nikolaos Papantoniou and Deacons Epiphanios and John. Deacon Lambros was also present as a co-prayer.

In his sermon, His Holiness referred to the Gospel passage where the call of the publican Levi (later the Evangelist Matthew) by Jesus Christ to the task of evangelizing the peoples is described, as well as the incident that takes place when Levi is giving dinner to publicans and people marginalized by society, a move that caused the Scribes and Pharisees to be disturbed.

Contrasting it with the sacrament of ordination and the call that God addresses to all of us, especially to those who celebrate the sacrament of thanksgiving and have received the gospel of Jesus Christ from the Apostles, he wished the newly ordained "that Divine Grace will make him worthy of her liturgy before the throne of God".

In his opposition, Fr. Varnavas, clearly moved, referred to the "pure dream of his youth that is coming true after four decades". He thanked his parents for the godly upbringing with which they nurtured him since he was a child, his wife and other relatives for their love and support, his extended family in public education who surrounded him from the first moment with love and appreciation .

He made special mention of the indefatigable Levite and spiritual guide of the suffering community Achnas p. Christos, who with watchful anxiety and unwavering struggle keeps the flame of the refugees' return to their homeland unquenchable.

Finally, he expressed his thanks to the venerable person of Metropolitan Vassiliou, putting his life at the service of the flock of the local church.

The president of the Achnas Forest Community Council Nikos Vasilas, friends and many fellow villagers of the newly ordained were also present at the personal fiftieth of the newly ordained, who approved the ordination of the new hierodeacon with "Axios".

The sacred lectern was preached by the cantor of the Cathedral Church of Agios Lazarus, Larnacos, Nikos Papadamou, flanked by ministers of the art of chanting.

At the end of the Divine Liturgy, the Most Reverend spoke with words of love and appreciation to the Treasurer Fr.

We wish the new presbyter of our Diocese a fullness of ministry with health and much strength, fixed in the task that the Church and his Bishop are assigning him today. Worthy!

Source: Spiritual Ministry of the Holy Metropolis of Constantia - Famagusta