BOSTON – His Beatitude Theodoros the Patriarch Theodoros of Alexandria and All Africa awarded the title of Benefactor of the Mission to Protopresbyter of the Ecumenical Patriarchate Father Alexander Karloutsos at the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy on February 6 at the Holy Patriarchal Monastery of St Savvas the Sanctified for his contributions to missionary work, especially in Sierra Leone.

His Beatitude spoke warmly about the successful ministry and all the contributions of Fr. Karloutsos to the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the Archdiocese of America, the Omogenia, the Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, and the St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and National Shrine in Manhattan.

During the Divine Liturgy the Primate of the Church of Alexandria performed the ordination of Bishop Themistocles Adamopoulos of Nikopolis, who is renowned for his missionary zeal and activity, especially in the long-suffering region of Sierra Leone. Fr. Karloutsos had gone to Alexandria to be present at the ordination.

Patriarch Theodoros concelebrated with Metropolitans George of Guinea, Narcissus of Pelusium, and His Grace Germanos Bishop of Tamiathus.  Also present were the Consul General of Greece in Alexandria Athanasios Kotsionis together with his wife, members of the Hellenic community, and crowds of faithful from Alexandria and abroad.

Bishop Themistocles of Nikopolis was born in Alexandria, and then emigrated with his family to Australia. There he studied political science. In 1999 with the blessing of the late blessed Patriarch Petros, having been ordained a priest, he began his missionary work in Kenya where he established the Orthodox University College of Africa. From Kenya in 2007 with the blessing of Patriarch Theodoros II, he moved to Sierra Leone.

In his heartfelt and special speech, the new Bishop first thanked His Beatitude for the great honor and trust he shows in his person, and then expressed his appreciation to all those who were by his side on this important day coming from America, England, and Greece. He especially thanked those who contribute willingly to the work of the mission. In his speech he mentioned the course of his life, Alexandria, where he was born and raised, his migration to Australia, as well as his wandering through various sociological ideologies, to finally end up, now consciously, in the embrace of the Holy Church.

His Beatitude the Patriarch spoke with great admiration about the personality of His Grace, as well as about the great missionary activity he has developed in the “poorest neighborhood in the world,” as he characterized Sierra Leone. The helmsman of the Church of Alexandria instructed the new Bishop spiritually in his new beginning, since now from being a missionary priest he will return to Sierra Leone as a missionary bishop of the poor. He also stressed, with emotion, that many times people do not know God’s plan and are surprised when it becomes manifest. That is what occurred with the election of Fr. Themistocles, when the Patriarch, together with Metropolitan George of Guinea, wrote his name as one of the three persons nominated, and then the Holy Synod unanimously elected him.

His Beatitude, who is scheduled to make an official visit to the United States in October, acknowledged others who arrived to pray together on that glorious day, including Mary, the bishop’s sister Mary, and Peter Sourintzidis.