BOSTON – Archbishop Nikitas of Thyateira and Great Britain, unanimously elected by the Holy Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, chose to grant his first interview to The National Herald. He spoke about his election, his new archpastoral duties in England, the new Archbishop of America Elpidophoros, and the Greek-American Community.
Archbishop Nikitas was born in Tampa, Florida. Until his election as Archbishop of Thyateira and Great Britain he was Metropolitan of the Dardanelles and Director of the Patriarch Athenagoras Orthodox Institute in California. He has extensive pastoral and administrative experience, having served for more than ten years as Metropolitan to the missionary Metropolis of Hong Kong. In addition to speaking Greek and English Archbishop Nikitas is fluent in Russian, which he learned at St. Petersburgh in Russia.
His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew personally called him at daybreak on Wednesday, June 12 to inform him of his unanimous election.
Archbishop Nikitas told TNH, “I was sleeping when His All Holiness our Patriarch called and announced it to me.”
Photo: Ecumenical Patriarchate-Nikos Manginas
Speaking about his new archpastoral ministry, he said that “the truth of the Lord is not only for our nation, that is why we have a local Church in England and in other parts of the world. The truth of the Lord is for every person and we have an obligation to preach that truth to all nations.” He added that “England is a blessed country because it was there that martyrs of the ancient Church shed their blood. We have to continue this sacred work.”
Asked how he felt after being informed of his election, he said, “I felt my unworthiness and I asked our Patriarch to give me his blessing. I said the same thing to the Holy Fathers of Mount Athos who communicated to congratulate me.”
Archbishop Nikitas has spiritual ties with Mount Athos. He said, “last year I visited Mount Athos three times. Specifically, I visited the Monasteries of Dionysiou, Gregoriou, Xenophontos, and the Brotherhood of the Thomases,” adding that “I asked Fr. Methedotios at the Protaton (Mount Athos Headquarters) to be able to go before the historic icon of the Theotokos, the Axion Esti, to light a candle and say a prayer.”
Archbishop Nikitas of Thyatira and Great Britain during the Service of Great Minima (Announcement) at St. George Patriarchal Cathedral, signs the Patriarchal Code of his election.
Photo: Ecumenical Patriarchate-Nikos Manginas
When asked if he was expecting to be elected Archbishop of Thyatira, he said “no. I believed that someday our Patriarch would elect me to a Metropolis, but I could not imagine that he would honor me in this way because there are other worthy hierarchs.”
Speaking about the Greek-American Community he said, “first of all I would like to express my thanks and gratitude to them for the love and support that showed to me all these years and I promise I will never forget them.”
About newly elected Archbishop Elpidophoros of America Archbishop Nikitas said, “He called me personally to congratulate me. He is a really fantastic hierarch of young age and creativity. He has done so much in Halki. He is very learned; as you know he is a professor at the University of Thessaloniki.”
He added that, “we all should help and support him including me, even from a distance.” Archbishop Nikitas concluded by saying that “the new Archbishop Makarios of Australia also called to congratulate me and I told him now we are a triad and that we should cooperate for the good of the Church, The People of God, our Ecumenical Patriarchate, and our Genos.”
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