In the joy of the Resurrection and with ecclesiastical reverence, a Patriarchal Liturgy was served today, 6th February 2022, at the Holy Patriarchal Monastery of St Savvas the Sanctified, conducted by His Beatitude Theodoros II Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa concelebrated by Their Eminences the Metropolitans George of Guinea, Narcissus of Pelusium and His Grace Germanos Bishop of Tamiathus. Also concelebrating was the Reverend Protopresbyter Father Alexander Karloutsos from the Archdiocese of America, and also present were the Consul General of Greece in Alexandria Mr. Athanasios Kotsionis together with his wife, members of the Hellenic community and crowds of faithful from Alexandria and abroad.
During the Divine Eucharist, the Primate of the Alexandrian CHurch performed the ordination of the elected Bishop Themistocles Adamopoulos of Nikopolis. His Grace Themistocles Bishop of Nikopolis is renowned for his missionary zeal and the huge activity which he has developed especially in the long-suffering region of Sierra Leone. He was born in Alexandria, and then emigrated with his family to Australia. There he studied political science. In 1999 with the blessing of the late blessed Patriarch Petros, having been ordained a priest, he began his missionary work in Kenya where he established the Orthodox University College of Africa. From Kenya in 2007 with the blessing of the present Pope and Patriarch Theodoros II, he moved to Sierra Leone.
In his heartfelt and special speech, the new Bishop first thanked His Beatitude for the great honor and trust he shows in his person, and then all those who were by his side on this important day, those who came from America, England. and Greece. He especially thanked those who contribute willingly to the work of the mission. In his speech he mentioned the course of his life, his birthplace Alexandria, where he was born and raised, his migration to Australia, as well as his wandering through various sociological ideologies, to finally end up, now consciously, in the embrace of the Holy Church.
His Beatitude the Patriarch spoke with great admiration about the personality of His Grace, as well as about the great missionary activity he has developed in the "poorest neighborhood in the world", as he characterized Sierra Leone. The helmsman of the Church of Alexandria instructed the new Bishop spiritually in his new beginning, since now from being a Missionary priest he will return to Sierra Leone as a Missionary Bishop of the poor. He also stressed, emotionally, that many times we do not know God's plan and we are surprised when it becomes manifest. The same occurred with the election of Fr. Themistocles, when the Patriarch together with the Metropolitan George of Guinea, wrote his name as one of the three persons and then the Holy Synod unanimously elected him. His Beatitude did not forget to mention those who arrived to pray together on this glorious day, to the family of the new Bishop, especially to his sister Mary, to the Consul General of Greece, as well as to the American fathers Alexander and Peter.
At the end of the Divine Service, His Beatitude the Patriarch of Alexandria awarded the title of Benefactor of the Mission to Fr. Alexandros Karloutsos, known in America as Father Alex, for his contribution to his missionary work, especially in Sierra Leone.
