Ordination

During this morning’s Divine Liturgy for the Feast Day of the Holy, Glorious and Preeminent Apostles Peter and Paul, College alumnus Deacon Christophoros Krikelis (Bachelor of Theology, 2020) was ordained to the holy priesthood by His Eminence Archbishop Makarios of Australia in the Greek Orthodox Cathedral of the Annunciation (Redfern, NSW). Fr Christophoros was also conferred with the ecclesiastical title of Archimandrite. The liturgical festivities in honour of the holy apostles also marked the first year anniversary since the enthronement of Archbishop Makarios as Primate of the Greek Orthodox Church in Australia following his unanimous election by the Holy Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate on 8 May 2019. Concelebrating with His Eminence on this joyous occasion were His Eminence Metropolitan Seraphim of Sebasteia and His Grace Bishop Emilianos of Meloa, together with clergymen of the Archdiocese, as well as small gathering of the congregation in light of public health orders and restrictions currently in place in New South Wales.  

In his address prior to ordination, Fr Christophoros first thanked God for allowing him to serve alongside Archbishop Makarios, recognising His Eminence to be “a good father who sacrifices himself daily for the Body of the Church.” Furthermore, he promised to live and be guided by the paternal words and example of the Archbishop, generously offering his love to the people. Deeply moved, he also thanked his parents, relatives and friends, as well as the priests who came from Melbourne to Sydney to be present for this important day for him. In his speech, His Eminence extensively referred to the lives and works of the honoured Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, emphasising that “we are not just celebrating two great ecclesiastical personalities but two great heroes and fighters of the faith … real heroes, brilliant luminaries of the supersensual firmament, confessors of the truth, pioneers in spreading the message of the Gospel, witnesses of the faith and teachers of the universe.” Then, addressing paternal instructions to Fr Christophoros, he urged him to have as a model in his life and priestly ministry, the two Preeminent Apostles and not to be afraid or cower before the difficulties and trials that he will confront. He also exhorted him to equip himself with the “weapons of faith” as he characteristically noted, and to live “the paroxysm of love,” that is, love that is not rationally interpreted. Pointing out that the challenge of the priesthood is to love when being judged and doubted, to forgive when you are wronged, and to do good when you are harmed, he exhorted Fr Christophoros to “help contemporary man come to know the person of Christ through this godly and apostolic attitude to life.”

Fr Christophoros Krikelis is the Director of the Personal Office of the Archbishop and the Resident Chaplain of the Theological College. His prior education and work experience is in the area of secondary school teaching and he has also been involved in prison chaplaincy in his home city of Melbourne. He will now also serve as the parish priest of the Cathedral of the Annunciation.