Agiasmos to bless the beginning of the new academic year of the Higher Patriarchal Ecclesiastical Academy of Crete

On Thursday, 19 October 2023, at the Higher Patriarchal Ecclesiastical Academy of Crete, the Agiasmos Service took place at the beginning of the new Academic year and the assumption of duties of the new President of the Academic Council, Assoc. Professor of Historical Byzantine Musicology, Mr. Michael Stroumbakis. The Agiasmos Service was conducted by His Eminence Archbishop Evgenios of Crete.

Present also at the opening service where, His Eminence Archbishop Makarios of Australia, His Eminence Metropolitan Ieronymos of Uganda, His Grace Bishop Methodios of Knossos, The Archiepiscopal Vicar of the Holy Archdiocese of Crete, Archimandrite Nikiphoros Kounalis, The Abbot of the Holy Monastery of Saint George Epanosifi, Archimandrite Dionysios Kasimatis, along with the Archimandrite and member of the Monastery Council, Archimandrite Theophylaktos Miliarakis, the Director of the Radio Station of the Holy Archdiocese of Crete, Archimandrite Chrysostomos Nikakis, along with the Deputy Director, Protopresbyter Fr. Ioannis Nikolaos, the General Secretary of the Communication and Educational Foundation of the Holy Archdiocese of Crete, Father George Gerakis, Parish Priest of the Holy Pilgrimage Church of Agia Skepi (within the grounds of the Patriarchal Academy) Archimandrite Kyrillos Christofis, Parish Priest of the Holy Church of the Annunciation of the Theotokos (crusader church) of Heraklion, Fr. Panagiotis Panagiotakis, the Archon Protonotarios of the Great Church of Christ, Mr. Ioannis Tserevelakis, the Director of the School of Byzantine Music of the Holy Archdiocese of Crete, Musicologist Archon Hymnodos of the Great Church of Christ, Mr. Antonios Plaitis, the Archon Master of Musicology of  the Great Church of Christ and National and Kapodistrian University of Athens member of the Higher Patriarchal Ecclesiastical Academy of Crete, Mr. Andreas Giakoumakis, the Coordinator of the Theologians of Secondary Education of Crete, Mr. Georgios Striligas, the Teaching and Administrative Staff of the Higher Patriarchal Ecclesiastical Academy of Crete, the students and respected guests.

After the conclusion of the Agiasmos Service (Blessing of the Waters), the outgoing President of the Higher Patriarchal Ecclesiastical Academy of Crete and Director of the Priestly Studies Program, Assoc. Professor Mr. Christoforos Arvanitis, referred to the work carried out during his term, and symbolically handed the keys to the President’s office to the new President, wishing him a good and creative term.

Afterwards, the new President, Mr. Michael Stroumbakis, took the floor and referred to the work accomplished by the previous Administrations, to the challenges facing the Academy due to the reduction in the number of admissions and the general crisis of humanitarian studies, to the proposals that have been submitted so far, to the relationship of the Academy with the Mother Church, the Ecumenical Patriarchate and His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, with His Eminence Archbishop Evgenios of Crete and the Holy Synod of the Church of Crete. Afterwards, he addressed the Academic colleagues, his administrative partners and the students of the Academy. He concluded his speech with the following:

“Being found in the period of grace, our Lord Jesus Christ, by His example and His life-giving Word, showed us a controversial path for the exercise of any authority-ministry: “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all”. The first is the one who sacrificially places himself at the service of man through the cruciform dimension of the relationship between the Church and the world. God-honoured and people-proclaimed Archbishop Evgenios of Crete, we sincerely ask you to shield us with your blessing and pray for all of us, so that we may be found worthy of this journey.”

Then, His Eminence Archbishop Evgenios of Crete, who referred to the course of the Academy and the need to support it in the surrounding atmosphere of the general situation of humanitarian studies. He emphasised, however, that the Academy’s continuous communication with the Holy Synod and the local Church is necessary, the cooperation of all in the prism of relationship as a communion of persons.

He clearly emphasised that the absence of “communication” creates the opposite of relationship, that is however, division. He urged the priests to encourage the children of the parishes to approach the parish work and enrol in Ecclesiastical Education. He said with a paternal tone that also reveals the Shepherd’s concern: “Someone took us by the hand and led us to the ministry of the Church. Shouldn’t we be concerned about whether we will leave people after us to follow in a similar path?” His Eminence concluded his speech with the wish to promote the feeling of love and brotherhood in order to advance the work of the Patriarchal Academy.

Afterwards, His Eminence Archbishop Makarios of Australia, who after offering his heartfelt wishes for the strengthening of the works of the Academy, referred to the way in which he supported the Theological College of the Archdiocese of Australia, through the motivating of Communities and Parishes, so that today, the college numbers 98 students.

Finally, His Eminence Metropolitan Ieronymos of Uganda also spoke, conveying the wishes of His Beatitude Patriarch Theodoros of Alexandria and all Africa, referred to his acquaintance with the Archbishop of Crete from their student years at the Theological School and presented before everyone his vision for the creation of a School of Ecclesiastical Education and the building of a Holy Metropolitan Church in his Metropolis. Finally, he referred the two students of the Patriarchal Academy who come from Uganda and are preparing to return and offer their services in their homeland.

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