In the Fiji Islands, where the natural sun rises, now the incomparably superior spiritual sun, the uncreated and eternal, the Sun of Righteousness, Christ, rises in the hearts of the local people. The tree of the Orthodox Church has taken root and sprouted. Two years ago, in the Holy Church of St. Gregory Palamas, His Eminence, Metropolitan of New Zealand and Oceania, Mr. Amphilochios, ordained the first Fijian priest, Fr. Bartholomew, a native of the larger island of Viti Levu. This year, on 12 and 13 June 2011, two more ordinations to the priesthood were held. We celebrate, congratulate together with our Fijian brothers and praise God. The Brotherhood of the Orthodox Foreign Mission feels joy, honor and blessing for this spiritual event, that here in Thessaloniki, the capital of the Orthodox Foreign Mission, the homeland of the Illuminators of the Savonic Saints Cyril and Methodius, these two ordinations took place. But the Mission also has anxieties and needs. On Saturday, June 11, 2011, before the Board of Directors of our Fraternity, His Eminence described to us both missionary blessings, activities and joys, and needs, among which he prioritized as an immediate priority the construction of a Holy Church in the name of the Holy Trinity and an Orphanage next to the Holy Church. The land exists in the Lautoka town area. It was purchased with the money of our Brotherhood from the donations of our fellow citizens. We firmly believe and trust in Almighty God and the Holy Spirit that He, the Comforter, will illuminate and find the donors. We do not apologize, nor do we coward. As the Lord God lives.
Vaios Prantzos
President of the Brotherhood
Our Brotherhood wishes to support these first steps of Orthodoxy in Fiji. We pray to God to bring forth new donors who will want to contribute to these Godly works.
