OSLO, Norway -- When His Eminence, Metropolitan Cleopas of Sweden and All Scandinavia, visited the Metropolitan Church of the Annunciation in Oslo back in early February to celebrate the Three Hierarchs and Greek Letters, he received an invitation from the Hellenic Society of Norway to attend a charity event they had planed for Saturday, March 18, 2017 in the Norwegian capital.

In collaboration with the Greek Embassy in Oslo, the parish priest and his aides at the Metropolitan Church of the Annunciation and Greek Orthodox Community of Norway, as well as the Parents Association of the Greek School in Oslo, it was mutually decided that the celebrations and festivities for the double holiday of the Annunciation of the Theotokos and the 196th anniversary of Greek Independence Day be observed between March 17-19, to ensure that all the Hellenic organizations in Oslo could participate.

In his meetings with the aforementioned organizations, Metropolitan Cleopas emphasized that "the end goal is unity, which must serve as the fundamental principle behind the common efforts of all the Hellenic organizations without exception, throughout the entire jurisdiction of this historic eparchy of the Ecumenical Patriarchate. In unity there is strength! Our common language, faith, traditions, culture, and education serve to unite, strengthen, and inspire our journey together and the realization of our shared vision here in Scandinavia."

Metropolitan Cleopas called on all the organizations to give a strong showing at all the scheduled events, so that the Hellenic Community of Norway may bear witness to the outstanding collaboration and accord that prevails within its ranks and all may join in aiding this effort.

Metropolitan Cleopas arrived in Norway on Friday, March 17th for his ninth archpastoral visit during the nearly three years since his enthronement. On the same evening, the Metropolitan presided over the service of the Third Stanza of the Salutations to the Virgin Mary at the Annunciation of the Theotokos Metropolitan Church in Oslo, and subsequently met with the youth of the Greek Orthodox Community of Norway in the church hall.

University students and young professionals from Oslo and other nearby areas had the opportunity to interact with their spiritual father in a meeting that last hours thanks to the open dialogue and welcoming atmosphere.

The topics discussed included issues of interest for the local Greek Community and the Orthodox Church, as well as the special circumstances and challenges facing young Greek migrants to Norway and Scandinavia in general.

On Saturday, Metropolitan Cleopas visited the Greek School in Oslo.

That afternoon, Great Archieratical Vespers were celebrated at the Annunciation Church, with the V. Rev. Alexander Loukatos delivering the sermon in Greek and the Rev. Olav Lerseth of the St. Hallvard Church in Oslo, which is affiliated with the Patriarchal Exarchate for Orthodox Parishes of Russian Tradition, offering the sermon in Norwegian.

Afterwards, Metropolitan Cleopas, joined by the V. Rev. Alexander Loukatos and Mrs. Kyriaki Papadopoulou Samuelsson, attended a philanthropic event organized by the Hellenic Society of Norway, in which the Metropolitan had an opportunity to congratulate society president Mr. Ioannis Aleiferis and his colleagues, as well as hail the exemplary collaboration between all the official bodies of the Greek Community in Norway.

On Sunday, Metropolitan Cleopas presided over the services of Matins and the Divine Liturgy of St. Basil.

He was assisted by the V. Rev. Fr. Loukatos, dean of the Metropolitan Church of Oslo and the Rev. Fr. Alexander Volokhan of the Patriarchate of Moscow.

Following the Divine Liturgy, the service of Doxology was held to commemorate the anniversary of Greek Independence, while Her Excellency Maria Diamanti, Ambassador of Greece to Norway, delivered the keynote address.

In her inspired speech, she noted the following, among other things: “In seeking the chord that links the collective memory of Hellenism and the Greek Revolution of March 25th with the joyous tidings of the Archangel regarding the arrival of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, we will find all those essential and timeless concepts that illuminate and reveal to us all the particular importance and singularity of today’s double holiday.

All we need to do is consider the fact that the struggle of the Greek revolutionaries was sparked by the centuries of slavery and subjugation that preceded their decision to seek freedom from the yoke of the conqueror and to gain the supreme good of national liberty.

By the same token, the good news of the arrival of Jesus Christ represents the negation of corruption, the rejection of sin, the start of the chapter of the salvation and resurrection of the human race. …..

Faith in God and the righteousness of their struggle, the flame of freedom that burned within them, and the unconquerable mindset that lived on despite four centuries of slavery – all these things together – crucially define the struggle for national rebirth and came to completely characterize a heroism that was extremely daring, and which produced results that surpassed all rational expectations. …..

The sacrifice and struggle that allow us to live freely today must represent a collective priority and individual pursuit in the continuous and vehement defense of our nation’s rights. They ought to accompany the constant efforts of us all – leaders and everyday citizens – contributing to the overcoming of the economic and social challenges facing our homeland in recent years, which have tested the endurance of the Greek people beyond measure.

We ought to proceed with a “revolutionary” outlook, similar to that of the heroes of 1821, according to which there is an absolute need, in the complex and volatile environment in which we live today, for us to change the mentality and perceptions that shaped many of the longstanding ills that trouble our land and obstruct the improvement of our state’s institutional functionality.

This is not easy, nor of course, painless. It is, however, necessary. We have demonstrated dignity, patience, and faith in our strength throughout this difficult period.

However, there is still something that is needed, which is extremely important and which unfortunately has been lacking on many occasions, resulting in our land experiencing disasters, divisions, and national tragedies.

There is a real need for all of us to move forward in a spirit of unity, solidarity, and with the confidence that this battle too shall be won. This is our moral obligation to the freedom fighters of 1821 and it is our historic duty to the coming generations.

We have every reason to be proud of what we have inherited, but we also have the obligation to strive, in unity, for a prosperous Greece that will be at the global forefront, so that our children may also be proud of what they have inherited.”

After Metropolitan Cleopas congratulated Ambassador Diamanti for her poignant speech, a performance by the students of the Greek School in Oslo followed, with the latter adding vibrancy and vitality to the event with their exemplary rendition of poems and songs.

Prior to the conclusion of services, Metropolitan Cleopas thanked outgoing community president Mrs. Kyriaki Papadopoulou Samuelsson for her six-year service to the community, as well as all those who contributed to the organization of the three-day celebration of the church’s feast day, including Metropolitan Church chanter Mr. Panagiotis Pavlos, who offered a masterful rendition of authentic byzantine ecclesiastical music.

Metropolitan Cleopas also welcomed him as the newly elected president of the Community’s board of directors and wished him good luck in his new duties.

The celebrations for the feast of the Annunciation and Greek Independence Day came to a conclusion with a reception hosted by the Greek Orthodox Community of Oslo in its community hall.

Afterwards, Metropolitan Cleopas held a meeting with the members of the newly elected board of directors, where he was given a firsthand briefing regarding ongoing projects and past business of the Community.

On Sunday evening, Metropolitan Cleopas attended a dinner offered in his honor at the Greek Embassy, which was hosted by Ambassador Maria Diamanti and on Monday, he was welcomed as the guest of honor at a luncheon held by the Norwegian chapter of the World Council of Churches and returned to Stockholm that evening.