86 Overlea Blvd.

Toronto, Ontario

M4H 1C6

 

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Our Theological Academy in now Accredited;
Its Dean is Elevated & Consecrated a Bishop

Our Theological Academy opened its doors and began to function in September 1998. This year, meetings were held with representatives of the University of Sherbrooke in Quebec, and the result was the recognition of our Academy as equal in rank to other Theological Schools and Seminaries. This means that when our students have completed ten classes (with 30 credits), they will receive a Diploma in Orthodox Theology. After the completion of 30 classes (with 90 credits) they will receive a Bachelor of Theology Degree. The University of Sherbrooke is not involved in the internal affairs of our Academy. All classes, along with the curriculum taught is under the direction and supervision of our Metropolis. The recognition of our Academy, after just one year of operation, is an achievement without precedent in the history of our Metropolis! All of us must rejoice in this manifest blessing and success.
The Dean of our Theological Academy, as is well known, was elevated and consecrated Bishop. Upon the recommendation of His Eminence Metropolitan Archbishop Sotirios, the Sacred and Holy Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate elected the Very Rev. Christophoros Rakintzakis as titular Bishop of Andidon, which was a former Diocese of the Metropolis of Pergis in Asia Minor. His Grace Bishop Christophoros was consecrated Bishop at the Church of St. Nicholas in Scarborough, in a ceremony full of Byzantine majesty and beauty. Along with His Eminence Metropolitan Archbishop Sotirios, who presided at the consecration, the other ordaining Hierarchs who participated in the Consecration Liturgy were: His Eminence Metropolitan Anthony of Dardanellion and San Francisco; His Eminence Metropolitan Maximos of Ainos and Pittsburgh; His Grace Bishop Yurij of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Canada; and His Grace Bishop Vasileios of Trimythountos from the Church of Cyprus. His Grace Bishop Christophoros is much loved and respected, and has been enthusiastically received by all our people. Everyone is over-joyed and pleased at his elevation to Bishop, for he is well educated and a profoundly spiritual man, with a love for the services and liturgical tradition of our Church. As Dean, he has done and continues to do excellent work in directing the programs and life of our Academy. Our students regard him respectfully as their Spiritual Father, and they work together as one real family. We thank God for the beautiful work being accomplished in the Academy for the future of our Church. Last year, we began with seven students, and this year, eight more students have started their studies that will eventually lead them to service in the Church and ordination to the Holy Priesthood. This indeed is a blessing from God, since we have a shortage of Priests to serve our churches in Canada. This blessing is even more profound, when one considers that the seminarians who are studying in our Academy our young, Canadian born and educated, and have offered themselves in purity of heart to serve our Church as Priests in the near future: this fact gladdens the hearts of all of us, and is the most beautiful offering for our Church and the future of Hellenism in Canada.
Last year, our Theological Academy was housed in the residence of our Metropolitan in Toronto. This year, the new headquarters of our Metropolis that was recently purchased has been renovated, and the Academy along with its students have moved there. On the second floor of the Metropolis headquarters, 24 rooms have been partitioned for the living quarters of the students. An apartment for the Dean has also been built, along with three classrooms, a computer room, and other multi-use facilities.
The Chapel of our Metropolis and our Academy is housed on the first floor, and it is dedicated to St. John the Evangelist and Theologian, who is known as the Apostle of love. The Chapel of St. John the Theologian will celebrate its Nameday twice a year: on September 26th and May 8th. On both these anniversaries, our Chapel will celebrate its Patronal Feastdays with liturgical celebrations at our Theological Academy. Every day, there is a full cycle of liturgical services in the Chapel of St. John the Theologian. At 8:00 a.m. each day, Orthros is prayed. In the afternoon at 5:00 p.m., Vespers is chanted, and in the evening at 7:00 p.m., Compline is read. All students studying at the Academy participate in these services, which are presided by His Grace Bishop Christophoros. It should be noted that all these services are open to the public, and everyone is most welcome to join us in prayer at these appointed times. During the Christmas Fast, which begins on November 15th, the Divine Liturgy will be celebrated daily in the Chapel of St. John the Theologian for the 40 days of the Fast until Christmas. These Liturgies will be served by His Grace Bishop Christophoros, the Dean of our Academy.
It is our prayer that His Grace Bishop Christophoros of Andidon, always be worthy of his calling to serve our Church in this capacity. May he please God first and foremost, and then the people of God and the students of our Academy entrusted to his pastoral care. May our Theological Academy flourish under his leadership. We must all embrace our Theological Academy with our love and care, because it indeed is a spiritual garden in which our students have been firmly planted, and in which they will develop and grow spiritually to become our future Priests and leaders of our Churches in Canada. We all know that without Priests, and especially well trained and educated clergy, our Church can not survive and flourish in Canada.
"All things work together for good to those who love God..." (Romans 8:28). We love God with humility and devotion. This is why He has blessed us and given us the increase, and why we have progressed along the spiritually ascending way that leads to the Kingdom. We thank God from the depths of our being for all His gifts and blessings showered upon us, and we pray that He help us daily. Without His divine assistance from above, we can do nothing. "If the Lord does not build the house, those who build it, labour in vain."
We welcome our seminarians to a new academic year, and our new home at the Metropolis. We wish them health, progress and every success in their studies. We pray that our Academy fulfil its mission in the best possible way, under the protection and blessings of God, through the prayers and intercessions of its Patron, St. John the Theologian.