the Ordination of Archimandrite Paul Orduloğlu as…

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“O Church of Antioch, you are the holy, apostolic, and glorious Church. O Church of Antioch, you are the place where the disciples of the Lord were first called Christians, and from you this name spread to all the world. O Antioch, behold, your children are coming to you from every direction. Turn and look at them gathered around you like stars lit by God.”

These words touched the hearts of the faithful during the Divine Liturgy and episcopal ordination of Archimandrite Paul Orduloğlu, presided over by His Beatitude Patriarch John X, with the participation of hierarchs of the Holy Synod of Antioch: the Reverend Metropolitans Silouan Moussi (Mount Lebanon), Basilios Mansour (Akkar), Athanasios Fahd (Latakia), Ignatios Al-Houshi (France and Western and Southern Europe), and Ephraim Maalouli (Aleppo). Also present was Metropolitan Gregorios (Frangakis) of Ankara from the Patriarchate of Constantinople, Bishop Arsenios (Dahdal), Patriarchal Auxiliary, and the parish priests.

The Latin of Iskenderun Bishop Antoine Elgad also attended the Liturgy, along with heads of associations and parishioners.

During the service, Archimandrite Paul Orduloğlu was consecrated bishop. At the conclusion of the Liturgy, His Beatitude placed the crown upon the new bishop’s head and handed him the pastoral staff, saying:

“Take this staff… strengthen yourself with it spiritually, that you may cleave through the surging waves surrounding the holy Church, and lead your new flock unharmed, unblemished, and flawless into the land of eternal promise…” — while the faithful proclaimed: Axios!

At the end of the Liturgy, His Beatitude made the following speech:

“We are children of the Church of Antioch, children of this land that has passed through the travail of history h]anded down to us the faith of our forefathers, engraved in stone as in human hearts. We are children of this land that was trodden by the apostles and saints. We are children of Great Antioch, which gave the world the name ‘Christians’ and let it swing as a sweet melody on the lips of all generations.”

He continued: “In this blessed Paschal season, in this episcopal ordination and majestic Antiochian gathering, behold Antioch has clothed herself anew. Therefore, in our name and in the name of the Fathers of the Holy Synod, we bless Bishop Paul and pray that his ministry be acceptable before the altar of the Lord. We bless the faithful of this region and the family of Bishop Paul. The presence of so many of our children from various countries is proof that the Church of Antioch, in her spirit and holiness, is planted in the heart of each of us. Wherever we may be on earth, whatever citizenship we may hold, the air we breathe and the heart within us still beats Antioch.”

His Beatitude concluded by praying that the Lord may strengthen the new bishop so that he might preserve the command of the Apostle Paul, to boast only in the Cross of Christ, and to guard this deposit. He also prayed for peace and the end of wars.

The newly consecrated Bishop Paul responded:

“In these blessed moments, I come before you, our Father and Patriarch John X, most holy and greatly revered, with gratitude and thanksgiving for your sincere paternal love, your tender care, your prayers, and your concern which has never left me throughout my priestly journey. Your love and trust, Your Beatitude, have been my support; your word has been light to my path; your fatherhood has been a school of service, humility, and prayer. This care and concern have been, and remain, and I am confident they will continue, for the bond of fatherhood and sonship is built on love, and love never fails.”

He offered deep thanks to the hierarchs of the Holy Synod for their trust:

“This trust, which I greatly value, I do not see as an honor or distinc.