Metropolitan Philotheos of Thessaloniki / "My great responsibility", he says speaking to APE-MPE, in his first interview after his ordination, the new Metropolitan of Thessaloniki Mr. Loving god. He also mentions that the three new metropolitans, Loving god, Mr. Paramythias. Serapio and Florini k. Irenaios will pass together immediately after their enthronement, At the traffic light.
Q. What does your election and your presence in a metropolis that carries a heavy historical burden mean to you?;
Ap. Absolutely, it entails a great responsibility, I am possessed by feelings of emotion. But mainly this sense of responsibility, of being a bishop of people and having the ministry. To constantly refer people to the face of Christ and for the church community of Thessaloniki to form around you. I am grateful to God to whom we owe everything but also grateful to the person of the blessed k. Jerome and the members of the hierarchy of the Church of Greece, who oversaw my humility to serve in this so historic holy metropolis of our homeland.
Q. Let us consider that your presence will mark a new relationship between the church and the city;
Ap. Look, each bishop comes to continue the work of his predecessors. The work of the bishop is the work of the church, that is, how he will be able to lead more and more people closer to Christ and to Salvation itself. Of course, everyone uses their talents, what God has offered him, its capabilities, his personal character. I hope and pray that God will bless this new effort and with the cooperation of the clergy of the holy metropolis of Thessaloniki as well as the lay brothers and collaborators that the work of our local church will increase and progress and certainly continue this work which remained and His Holiness Metropolitan Mr. Anthimos and the rest of our predecessors.
Q. There are things you are thinking of changing; Obviously, you will have been informed about the picture in the territory of your new metropolis;
Ap. I would prefer to come first, to be informed, to meet people, things, situations and then with the cooperation of the other actors of the holy metropolis to proceed with what is necessary.
Q. There is the hot issue of identities in the news. How do you position yourself as a pastor and how do you comment on criticism from some priests;
Ap. Look, my position cannot differ from the position of the Church of Greece, as it has been expressed from time to time with its circulars and as in the recent past the permanent holy synod of the month of August and the month of September decided that it examines the question and will put it before the future synod of the hierarchy without currently any other more specific question being raised.
Q. Your first trip will be to Fanari;
Ap. It is always customary for the metropolitans of new countries to go to the Ecumenical Patriarchate to receive the blessing of His Holiness before taking the official consecration of the holy metropolis, i.e. before the enthronement.. Bartholomew. This is what we have decided. Together with the newly elected metropolitans of Paramythia Mr. Serapion and Florinis k. Irenaeus let us act too. Before our enthronement we will go to Fanari to ask for the blessing of His Holiness. And we will do this with the blessing of the Holy Synod of the Church of Greece.