Metropolis of Pisidia welcomed its new Pastor – His enthronement and his first Divine Liturgy

20/09/22 - 11:05 am

Published by VEMA

The enthronement of the newly elected Metropolitan of Pisidia and Exarch of Sidi and Antalya, Archbishop Job Getcha of Telmissos, in succession to the recently deceased Metropolitan Sotirios (Trampas) of Korea, took place in an atmosphere of modesty and evident joy at the Church of Saint Alypius the Stylite on Saturday, September 17, 2022.

In the presence of Metropolitans Chrysostomos of Kyrenia of the Church of Cyprus, Gerasimos of Petra and Cherronissos, Andreas of Saranta Ekklisies, Bishops Amvrosios of Evdokiada and Michael of Comans, clergy and laity of the Metropolis and academic friends from abroad, the Deputy Mayor of Antalya, Mrs. Oja Kansou, the representative of the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, Metropolitan Chrysostomos of Myra and Exarch of Lycia, after reading the Patriarchal and Synodal Letter with the news of the election of the new Pastor, addressed the enthroned Metropolitan approvingly.

Among his merits, he underlined his broad theological education, his academic status and his linguistic knowledge. He then referred to his worthy assistant Bishop Amvrosios of Evdokiada and the capable clergy with whom he will work, as well as to the multi-ethnic faithful people he will serve, reminding him of the universality and humanity of the Great Church of Christ.

Afterwards, Bishop Amvrosios of Evdokiada, on behalf of the clergy and the people of the Holy Metropolis, welcomed with simplicity and fraternal devotion the new Pastor of a flock of primarily Russian pilgrims living in the region, who 14 years ago saw in the person of the Metropolitan of Pisidia a teacher, a pastor, a minister, a friend and supporter, and asked him to stay to organize local parishes. Since then, despite his old age, the late Metropolitan Sotirios reconstructed the local church with his missionary work, which the new Metropolitan is called upon to continue and augment, having as his base four holy churches in Antalya, Alanya and Sidi and a large congregation consisting of Russians, Ukrainians, Georgians, Romanians and local people.

Finally, Metropolitan Job, in his short and concise enthronement speech, using Turkish, Russian and Greek, first of all expressed his gratitude to the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and his thanks to the Synodal Archpriests for his elevation to the renowned Metropolis of Pisidia. Then addressing the flock, he called it familiar, since in the past he had officiated in churches of the Metropolis upon invitation of his late predecessor. Describing roughly the main characteristics of the Holy Metropolis of Pisidia, he pointed out that it is an apostolic, historical, and missionary one. In Antioch of Pisidia, the Apostles decided to turn to the nations to carry the light of the Gospel, a fact that also characterizes the Ecumenical Patriarchate, which is not limited to itself. Moreover, the history of the Metropolis is continuous dating back to apostolic times until the 18th century, offering the Church martyrs and saints, while afterwards notable Archpriests served this blessed Eparchy. Also the Holy Metropolis of Pisidia is also missionary, as blessed Metropolitan Sotirios eloquently reminded to the whole Orthodox world through his holiness and his unswerving care.

The enthroned Metropolitan Job did not fail to express his own thanks to the named and anonymous benefactors of the Holy Metropolis from Greece, who willingly assisted Metropolitan Sotirios in the purchase and restoration of the holy churches or the construction from the ground up, in the equipment and multiple expenses.

The attendees responded to the call with the unanimous exclamation “Axios, Axios, Axios”, in Greek, which was echoed by the beautiful four-voice choir.

On the following Sunday of the enthronement, Metropolitan Job of Pisidia presided over a Divine Liturgy at the same Church of St. Alypius, co-assisted by Metropolitan Gerasimos of Petra and Cheronissos, Bishop Michael of Comans and the Protosyncellus of the Holy Metropolis of Petra and Cheronissos, Archimandrite Titus Tabakakis and the Athonite associate Archimandrite Theologos Chrysanthakopoulos. Bishop Amvrose of Evdokiada was also in attendance. The Divine Liturgy was held in Slavonic, Greek and Turkish languages, while members of the congregation recited the Sunday Prayer also in Georgian and Romanian. The temple was packed, and the new Metropolitan Job in his sermon stressed that the salvation that Christ offers is addressed to all repentant people. The Polychronion of the Archpriest and the bright faces of the young children and their parents accompanied their new Pastor after the dismissal of his first Divine Liturgy to the historic Holy Church of St. Alypius the Stylite in Antalya.

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