DEACON’S ORDINATION AT THE HOLY LAVRA OF SAINT SAVVAS

On Monday, 26 October / 8 November 2021, an all-night vigil was observed at the Holy Lavra of our Father among the Saints Savvas the Sanctified, on the commemoration of the Holy Glorious Great Martyr Demetrios the myrrh-gusher.

The Divine Liturgy was led by His Eminence Archbishop Aristovoulos of Madaba, with co-celebrants the Spiritual Father of the Lavra, Archimandrite Eudokimos, Elder Kamarasis Archimandrite Nectarios, the ministering Priest of Beit Sahour, Steward George Banoura, the ministering Priest of Beer Sheva Alexander Yasevitch, the ministering Priest of Saint Savvas’ Lavra Hieromonk Mihail and Hierodeacon Simeon.

During the Divine Liturgy, His Eminence observed the ordination to Deacon of Monk Anastasios of the Lavra, having first admonished him, saying that he should watch out for the temptation from the right, which will give him thoughts of pride and criticism and try to drive him away from the silence and the spiritual security of the Lavra, in order to be devoured by the wild beasts of the passions.

His Eminence reminded the newly ordained Deacon of the Lord’s words from today’s Gospel narrative: “By your patience win your souls” and “he that endures until the end will be saved”, stressing that it is not enough to endure the temptations for a long time. The salvation of our souls will only be achieved if we endure until the end, just as Saint Demetrios did with his martyrdom in his earthly life, and then he was deemed worthy not only of the heavenly kingdom but also for the special grace to gush myrrh out of his relics.

After the Divine Liturgy, the Spiritual Father of the Lavra Archimandrite Eudokimos offered a reception for the Fathers and laity present.

From Secretariat-General