Ordination of Deacon and Priest in Melbourne by His Eminence Archbishop Makarios of Australia

“Everything needs its own time. Everything is done when it should be. God’s moment is the best moment of our lives. This means that we must have patience, which is the basic condition of a good farmer, who takes care of and cultivates his crop “.

With the above words, His Eminence Archbishop Makarios of Australia addressed to the newly ordained Priest of the Holy Archdiocese of Australia, Father Kyprianos Neruppos, stressing the value of the virtues of patience and trust in God’s providence.

His Eminence ordained Father Kyprianou a Priest on the morning of Saturday, June 4, at the Holy Cathedral of Saint Eustathios in Melbourne. Here His Eminence officiated and was accompanied by His Eminence Metropolitan Ezekiel of Dervis and Their Graces, Bishop Kyriakos of Sozopolis and Bishop Evmenios of Kerasounta.

The previous day, Father Kyprianos had received the first degree of the priesthood, also through the hands of the Archbishop of Australia, while during the Divine Liturgy on Saturday the double joy of the local Church was marked by the ordination to the diaconate of subdeacon Kyriakos Tsapas.

During his inaugural address to the new Preist of the Church, who will henceforth serve in the Parish of Saint Andrew in Forest Hill, His Eminence urged him, among other things: “Do not rush. If you want to see the fruits of your labors, wait, because everything takes time. Only weeds grow effortlessly, even overnight. The Church does not try to impress, it works systematically and quietly. Your pastoral interventions should be measured, weighed and be a product of prayer and discernment “.

It is noted that Father Kyprianos has studied and worked in the field of Biochemistry, however God blessed him to turn his steps towards the path of Theology, studying at the Theological College of the Saint Andrew’s in Sydney, and to fulfill one of his childhood dreams, which was to enter the priesthood and serve the Church at the Holy Altar.

In his priestly life, which he has just begun, he will be accompanied by his Presvytera, Sophia, and their good children, while he will be accompanied by the loving paternal advice of his Shepherd:

“I always insist on our married priests, but consequently also on all our married faithful, to take care of their wives, to take care of their Presvyteres. To dedicate time to their families. To cultivate daily love and harmony between them. “Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.” (Μatt. 19:6) is and remains a divine command. The mysteries are not self-defeating. On the contrary, they enrich and transform each other. “The priesthood in no way abolishes marriage.”

Equally cordial reasons, of love and affection, were reserved by His Eminence for the new Deacon, Father Kyriakos, who is also married with children. The focus of His Eminence’s speech was the teaching of the Apostle of the Gentiles, Paul, and in particular His exhortation to Christians to lay the foundation of Christ in every work they undertake.

In this spirit, the Archbishop urged the ordained: “Add materials that will stand the test of time and the fire of temptation. To be works inspired by God, works of patience and perseverance, works of inspiration but also humility, works of praise of God. To have the eternal belief that you are building in every person, whom the Church entrusts to you, the temple of God in the flesh [..] Do not discriminate and do not be timid in the face of difficulties. “Above all, do not become a cause of bad construction, because then souls are destroyed at our own risk and cause.”

Finally, recognising the zeal and ecclesiastical mindset that distinguishes Father Kyriakos, His Eminence addressed another admonition: to know the enormous importance of the serving of the sacrament of Holy Communion in the work of salvation of the world. “The Holy Eucharist is the mystery of the mysteries, which transforms everything into Christ.” His Eminence emphasized, among other things, and asked the new Deacon to keep this truth engraved in his soul and to make it his experience.

“And to know that from now on, with the spiritual power that you receive from Christ through ordination, you also become, in imitation of Christ,” the one who offers and the one who is offered”, in the ministry of the mystery of the kingdom of God”, he stressed in closing.