Father Justin's Blog

Icon lamps in front of the iconostasion are lit on Sundays and feast days.

On Friday, October 18/31, Archbishop Symeon was formally enthroned as Archbishop of Sinai, Faran, and Raithou, at Saint Catherine’s Monastery. Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem was present, and presented Archbishop Symeon with the episcopal staff of authority.

Also present from Jerusalem were Metropolitan Hesychios of Capitolia, Archimandrite Ieronymos, Secretary of the Holy Synod, Archimandrite Christodoulos, and Deacon Prodromos. The Ecumenical Patriarchate was represented by Metropolitan Demetrios of the Princes’ Islands, the Patriarchate of Alexandria by Metropolitan George of Guinea. Bishop Christophoros of Karpasia was present, representing both the Church of Greece and the Church of Cyprus.

Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Prime Minister of Greece, was present at the enthronement, together with important officials from Greece.

Present also were Major General Khaled Mubarak, Governor of South Sinai, together with important officials from Egypt. Representing the United States were Michael Rigas, Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources, and Herro Garg, Ambassador to Egypt.

Patriarch Theophilos made an address in which he said,

«Ἐν ταύτῃ τῇ ἰδιαιτέρᾳ καὶ ἱστορικῇ στιγμῇ, ὅπου παρίστανται ἐνταῦθα ἐξέχουσαι προσωπικότητες, καλοῦμεν ἀμφοτέρους νὰ συνεργασθῶσι πρὸς διαφύλαξιν τοῦ ἱεροῦ τούτου χώρου καὶ τῆς μακραίωνος παραδόσεως αὐτοῦ, ἐν ἐγρηγόρσει συνειδήσεως καὶ ὑψηλῷ αἰσθήματι εὐθύνης ἔμπροσθεν τῆς ἱστορίας, τῆς ὁποίας πάντες καθιστάμεθα μέρος καὶ μάρτυρες».

‘At this special and historic moment, where prominent personalities are present here, we call on both to cooperate in preserving this sacred space and its centuries-old tradition, with a heightened sense of conscience and a high sense of responsibility before the history of which we are all part and witnesses.’

On Sunday, October 6/19, 2025, Hegoumenos Symeon of Sinai was consecrated Archbishop of Sinai, Pharan, and Raitho, by Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem, in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Many bishops and priests were present, to show their respect and support for the newly consecrated Archbishop.

He made his Confession of Faith, and promise to uphold the traditions and teachings of the Church. ‘And all those things, my bounden duty, which I have this day promised in word, I also promise to perform in deed unto my uttermost breath, for the sake of the covenanted good things to come. And may God, who seeth the heart, be the witness to my vow. And may our Saviour himself be my helper, in my sincere and zealous government and my performance thereof; and unto Him, together with the Father and the Holy Spirit, be glory and dominion, honour and worship, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.’

Following the Entrance with the Gospel, he made a personal address. ‘Called by the honourable and unanimous vote of the Venerable Sinai Brotherhood to take upon myself the burden of the cross of the Hegumenship of the ancient Imperial and Autonomous Monastery of Christ the Saviour and of the Holy Great-Martyr Catherine, and with it the Archiepiscopal protection of the God-trodden Archbishopric of Sinai, Pharan and Raitho, I was not able to refuse this new evangelical yoke of my ecclesiastical ministry in remote Arabia, despite my many inner hesitations and grave objections, and despite my relatively advanced age and certain problems with my bodily health. And this because, whereas I never coveted, desired, or in any way whatsoever, directly or indirectly, sought such a position, as all who know me well, and especially my Sinai brethren, can attest, I was found, alas! in a time of exceptionally great tempest and painful historical turmoil of Sinai affairs, useful as it seems and fit in the eyes of my Brethren to take up the sacred duties. . . .

‘I had not, therefore, the right to refuse the call and to desert my post! And so, having loosed the latchet of my shoes before the mystery of the burning bush in the midst of which I unexpectedly found myself, with bowings of neck and knees I spake, and again I say, unto the All-Holy God: Lord, I have not sought the honour! I have not desired nor have I pursued golden stoles of positions, glories, and pastoral responsibilities! My humble priestly ministry in Thy Church sufficed me! But I have been pressed into service! Thou hast pressed me into service!’

In concluding his personal address, he said, ‘Your Beatitude, the rest of the things which flood my soul at this sacred hour, honouring them with silence, I commit to God, entrusting now to You in compunction and sacred awe my right hand, for Your further actions concerning me! O Lord, save now! O Lord, prosper now! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!’

‘0 Master, Lord our God, who through thine all-laudable Apostle Paul hast established for us an ordinance of degrees and ranks, unto the service and divine celebration of thine august and all-spotless Mysteries upon thy holy Altar; first, Apostles, secondly, Prophets, thirdly, teachers: Do thou, the same Lord of all, who also hast graciously enabled this chosen person to come under the yoke of the Gospel and the dignity of a Bishop through the laying-on of hands of us, his fellow Bishops here present, strengthen him by the inspiration and power and grace of thy Holy Spirit, as thou didst strengthen thy holy Apostles and Prophets; as thou didst anoint Kings; as thou hast consecrated Bishops: And make his Bishopric to be blameless; and adorning him with all dignity, present thou him holy, that he may be worthy to ask those things which are for the salvation of the people, and that thou mayest give ear unto him. For blessed is thy Name, and glorified thy Kingdom, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.’

He was vested with the sakkos, omophorion, and mitre, and presented with the pastoral staff.

At the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, the newly consecrated Archbishop Symeon made the dismissal and blessed the people.

The icon of the Holy Prophet Moses on the southwest pier in the Church of Saint Catherine, the Sinai metochion in Athens. He holds the two stone Tablets of the Law, surmounted by the golden pot that had manna, and an icon of the Virgin Mary and the Christ Child. Her hands are extended in prayer for all of creation.

Εἶχέν μὲν οὖν καὶ ἡ πρώτη σκηνή δικαιώματα λατρείας τό τε ἅγιον κοσμικόν σκηνὴ γὰρ κατεσκευάσθη ἡ πρώτη ἐν ᾗ ἥ τε λυχνία καὶ ἡ τράπεζα καὶ ἡ πρόθεσις τῶν ἄρτων ἥτις λέγεται Ἅγια· μετὰ δὲ τὸ δεύτερον καταπέτασμα σκηνὴ ἡ λεγομένη Ἅγια Ἁγίων χρυσοῦν ἔχουσα θυμιατήριον καὶ τὴν κιβωτὸν τῆς διαθήκης περικεκαλυμμένην πάντοθεν χρυσίῳ ἐν ᾗ στάμνος χρυσῆ ἔχουσα τὸ μάννα καὶ ἡ ῥάβδος Ἀαρὼν ἡ βλαστήσασα καὶ αἱ πλάκες τῆς διαθήκης ὑπεράνω δὲ αὐτῆς χερουβιμ δόξης κατασκιάζοντα τὸ ἱλαστήριον· περὶ ὧν οὐκ ἔστιν νῦν λέγειν κατὰ μέρος.

Then verily the first covenant had also ordinances of divine service, and a worldly sanctuary. For there was a tabernacle made; the first, wherein was the candlestick, and the table, and the shewbread; which is called the sanctuary. And after the second veil, the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of all; which had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron’s rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant; and over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the mercyseat; of which we cannot now speak particularly. (Hebrews 9:1-5)

In writing ‘of which we cannot now speak particularly’, the author hints that to enter into the signification of each would have required a long discourse. For these were not physical objects only, as Saint John Chrysostom points out, but they were also certain αἰνίγματα, as he calls them, a word that means ‘figures, types, symbols, signs’. It remained to later writers to search out the significance of these objects.

The icon of Saint Catherine on the northwest pier in the Church of Saint Catherine, the Sinai metochion in Athens.