For many years, our Father, newly ordained Bishop of Antania, Mr Parthenius!
“Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain…” (John 15:16)
The episcopal ministry is a sublime expression of the apostolic succession and continuation of the apostolic ministry, without which there is no true Church and which is accomplished with the purity of life and in the pure confession of faith. The hierarchical service is an honour, but also a heavy cross, that the Bishop humbly bears on the path of the salvational feat, following the example of the Eternal High Priest, our Lord Jesus Christ, in the fulfilment of the apostolic mission. Sending His disciples to preach and endowing them with spiritual authority, Christ said unto them: “The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors. But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve” (Luke 22: 25-26). By placing these words at the foundation of his ministry, the Bishop strives to be the image of Christ, His spiritual reflection, witnessing everywhere the compassionate Love of Christ – salvational to all. According to the words of the Apostle Paul, he should be an example to everyone and bear the cross of his ministry with dignity, crucified for Christ’s sake. He, as a zealous shepherd, must constantly watch over his herd, making sure they don’t stray away from the path of truth, over and over again repeating in his heart these words: “My dear children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you” (Galatians 4:19).
The benevolent providence of the One, Who lovingly arranges everything with His unspeakable mercy and Who summoned our beloved Elder and Abbot, Father Parthenius, to such sublime episcopal service, gathered all the Bishops at the Bigorski Monastery, headed by The Archbishop of Ohrid and Macedonia, Mr Stephen, to bestow their blessing upon him and with their prayers to invoke upon him the episcopal grace. Standing before this holy council, under the sacred arches of the Bigorski Sanctuary, where the spiritual testament of the Forerunner is invisibly present and fortified by the prayerful protection of our beloved Bishop, Metropolitan of Debar-Kichevo Timothy, our Elder humbly and obediently confirmed his agreement to bear this great cross: Since The Holy Synod of the Macedonian Orthodox Church has decided to ordain me to such a service, I thank you, accept, and do not object Your Beatitude!
These words were sealed by the harmonious chant of the prayer to the Holy Spirit and the solemn proclamation of the Troparion of Pentecost. At that sacred moment, as a true testimony of the love and fraternal support of the Hierarchs, the Archbishop broke the communion bread and handed it to his congregates, present at the sacred table of love, together with the newly proclaimed Bishop of Antania Mr Parthenius. Through this act of sharing the bread and wine, thus commemorating the communion with the Holy Gifts, which took place in the midst of the temple, the general agreement for the election was once again confirmed.
Then, to the delight of those present, the Archbishop sprinkled the new bishop with holy water, dressing him with strength from above. Finally, at the evening service that followed, the Hierarchs, as well as the present Archimandrites, Abbots, Hieromonks and priests who attended, multiplied the sacred prayer chants with their prayers to the Primate of our Faith, Christ, to honour our Elder with: the Spirit of wisdom and reason; the Spirit of strength and knowledge; the Spirit of piety and mercy; which heals wounds and override human weaknesses, so that his service may be pleasing to the Lord, beneficial for the Church, salvational to the faithful people, and the glory of the Holy and Living Trinity!
For many years, our Father, newly ordained Bishop of Antania, Mr Parthenius!
