Your Eminence, Metropolitan Athenagoras, Beloved Brother and Representative of His all Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew.

Esteemed Hierarchs of the other Christian Communions, Your Eminence Cardinal Wu, Your Grace Bishop Peter Kwong, Your Excellency Bishop Tong.

Distinguished Clergy and Representatives of the various faith Traditions of Hong Kong

Honorable Consul General of Greece, Ioannis Georgiadis

Honored guests

Sisters and Brothers in Christ Jesus

Peace be to you from God above.

Just some days ago, our holy Orthodox Church celebrated the ancient feast of the Theophany, recalling the moment in time when Jesus began His public ministry. Although he had walked amongst people for some thirty years, his baptism in the waters if the Jordan marked a new chapter in the life of our world. The world of sin and darkness no longer awaited salvation - for the Messiah, Emmanuel, now appeared.

To all people he preached of the Kingdom, since God desired that all people should be saved and come to the knowledge of his Truth. His message of redemption and salvation was the banner to be lifted and carried by his followers, so that every generation would be afforded the opportunity of eternal life.

In order that his flock would be guided through and on the path of life, he called and appointed shepherds, who would minister to the sheep. From the world, he selected us - not because of our virtues or our resources - but that we would become the instruments of his grace, love and peace. Through the spirit of consecration, he made us shepherds and pastors, and entrusted to our care the souls of the faithful. all this he did, because of the unconditional and sacrificial love he has for us.

With each passing day and the growing number of believers, Christ called more shepherds to the office of the episcopacy. and now, he has appointed one to the once - distant lands of Asia, so that truth which he entrusted to his Orthodox Church would be shared and preached to the gentle people of the East. Along with great faith traditions native to these lands, we are to join the other Christian confession in sewing the holy people of God and in the hope of creating heaven on earth.

Our vision, beloved sisters and brothers, is a call to holiness - an appeal to overcome the restrictions of our world and to find total freedom in God. We are called not to desire to know God - but to become one with him, joined to him in a relationship of love. In our personal struggle to reach this lofty task, we reach our to one another so that we do not remain alone, isolated and cold, but rather, that we walk together, as members of the body of Christ, his holy Church - and within the church, the ark of salvation, we find the comforting grace which comes from above.

For several years, a small band of faithful and dedicated Orthodox Christians, held to the sacred Tradition of our Eastern Church - often without a clergyman. In their love and with hope, they prayed that God would send a priest to minister to their needs. These humble and kind words of petition did not fall on rocky or barren soil - but, our good and loving God placed the requested and kindled them in the heart of the great Mother church of Constantinople and our beloved Ecumenical Patriarch, Bartholomew. Even as Christ, told his disciples that he would provide for them and not leave them as orphans, our Patriarch decided the same of the growing communities of the eastern lands. As always, the Mother Church responded and reached out in her loving embrace and gathered the faithful with her flock. In time, and with the dedication of such individuals as His Eminence Metropolitan Athenagoras, a new Diocese was established and I was called to be your shepherd.

Now, we are together - an ecclesiastical marriage - Bishop and his Diocese - Shepherds and his flock - and we are all yoked together - bound for one common good - the message of Christ. Together we are called to witness and preach. As the Eucharistic community, we must reveal the Kingdom on earth and invite all to become partakers of divine nature. To a world which has seen generation of philosophies and ideologies fail - Let us proclaim that Christ is risen and He alone is the answer.

Allow me, then, to quote to you from the paternal exhortation of His All Holiness Patriarch Bartholomew on the day of my ordination to the Episcopacy.

"Go East, from where the light came, making no distinction. go with the spontaneity of your character and the dynamism of your age. With the piety and the modesty that distinguished you. God having as equipment the fruits of the Spirit which descended upon you. That is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control".

"There, let us raise the banner of Orthodoxy, as we march toward the century of Orthodoxy, The moment is historic and the need is imperative."

Beloved people, Orthodox and non-Orthodox, we have come with our banner not in war, but in peace, harmony and cooperation. We are here to correct the fallen state and return to the natural beauty of creation. In peace we greet you and humbly request your prayers and support.

I bring in my heart, the unwaning light of the great Church of Constantinople, and pledge my allegiance to proclaiming the Truth which has been entrusted to me. I thank His All Holiness and the Holy Synod for the trust and confidence in me, just as I express my gratitude to His Eminence Metropolitan Athenagoras and all the clergy who labored for what I have received. To all here, let s walk from glory to glory, so that the light of Christ may shine upon our efforts and his name may be glorified by all people to the ages of ages.

The Proclamation No 1554

Biography of Metropolitan Nikitas