A Bishop's Great Miracle - A Guide for Hierarchs

 



PROLOGUE.

Τhe Lord to the Seventy Apostles:“Do not rejoice in this (the working of miracles), but rejoice that your names are written in Heaven” (Lk. 10:20). This “inscription of names in Heaven” is, on earth, a great miracle. Metropolitan Meletios of Nikopolis (1980–2012) who used to be my spiritual father (1976–2012), worked such an amazing miracle. He took on a Metropolis that resembled a (spiritual) cemetery and he resurrected that cemetery.

 

    PROLOGUE

    PART I
    1. Nicopolis
    2. The dove and the myrrh   
    3. A visit to his work   


    PART II
    1. Until his election as Bishop   
    2. Election, ordination
    3. The enthronement
    4. At his episcopal residence
    5. His ascetic life
    6. Celebrating the Divine Liturgy
      
     
    PART III
    1. Monthly clergy gatherings
    2. Clergy's education
    3. Ordinations of Priests
    4. "Whoever desires"
    5. A dreadful word from the Lord! 6. Love for his priests
     
    PART IV
    1. "Woe..."
    2. "Not even for a moment"
    3. Serving without a clock
    4. The watchful eye
    5. A sign of love for the church
     
    PART V
    1. Religious Center
    2. just the trigger?
    3. care for the parishes
    4. "Wherever the wind blows"
    5. When you inspire respect
     
    PART VI
    1. “Traitor” to the Faith
    2. His book on the “666”
    3. Liturgical prayer translation
    4. Peaceful “counterattack”
     
    PART VII
    1. An article of his
    2. A speech of his
    3. Αn interview of his
    4. His conference presentation

 PART VII
3. An interview of his

"The local newspaper and TV journalists, knowing that an interview with the local bishop would “sell”, constantly pressured Meletios, trying to get him to speak on camera. But Meletios didn’t fall into their “trap”. He appeared on the local channel, but only much later; in March 1996, sixteen years after his enthronement. That was when he gave his first full-length interview, covering a wide range of topics. Excerpts follow:

 
Journalist. Mort Revered, People have the impression that you live as an ascetic. In today’s world, what does asceticism offer the individual?


Meletios. Many seek to rise above fleeting bodily pleasures and attain inner peace. Today we see that, living in the prosperity of the modern world, people can eat and drink whatever they want and enjoy endless celebrations. Especially in countries with a high standard of living, they even establish so called ‘ecocommunities’ where residents live as simply as possible, practicing selfrestraint, avoiding meat, and keeping a very quiet life. But we do not share this modern penchant for an ascetic lifestyle merely as a fad. We believe in Christ. We know that Christ is Lord and Ruler of the whole world, and that He alone is the source of joy, peace, and true happiness. Without Christ’s grace, a person cannot truly possess anything. Therefore, in order to limit for ourselves the influence of the external world and of sin - which separate us from Christ - we deliberately avoid those external influences, so that our hearts may draw closer to Him.

Journalist. What does it mean to you to be at the head of the Holy Metropolis of Nicopolis and Preveza?


Meletios. For me, according to the words of Christ, my ministry in the Holy Diocese is a duty: every day I must bring Christ’s peace to every person I meet, and strive to carry His message, which is the search for the lost sheep, to all who need it.


Journalist. During your tenure, what accomplishments has the Metropolis of Nicopolis and Preveza achieved? How would you evaluate its work?


Meletios. Christ came ‘to seek and to save the lost’ that is, to find the person who is far off and in danger of eternal ruin. That is the priest’s true work. If I can point to even one soul I’ve helped draw back to Christ, then I too have accomplished something worthwhile. If not, then all the buildings and churches I’ve erected are worth nothing.


Journalist. But those buildings have value too! For example, the Religious Center of the Holy Metropolis does important work in Preveza.


Meletios. That is precisely why we built the center, to seek out the lost sheep more easily. We are all at risk of becoming lost sheep ourselves. We must, therefore, join hands and converse, not only about politics or football or what we ate and drank or how we entertained ourselves, but about spiritual matters grounded in the Holy Gospel. That is the Church’s work: to help each person sense their eternal calling and draw ever closer to our Savior, Christ.


Journalist. What is your view of today’s youth? Are they on the right path? Do they have goals, or are they going astray?


Meletios. Young people hunger for authenticity. Seeing their elders lack it, they’ve turned away - and rightly so! It’s a tragedy that they’ve grown up without guides. I’ve said before, and I’ll say again now - that it is the older generation, not the youth, that most needs to repent and return. Only then can we lead young people who are eager to follow. Youth always look for role models in their nature.


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