Saturday 21 April 2018. The first priests of the Metropolis of Mexico are located in the region of Ixtan, right on the border between Mexico and Guatemala. Right at the military post in the area there is a dirt uphill road. The end of the road leads to a large meadow in which they are pinned down facing the imposing and enclosed Church of the Holy Baptist, whose inauguration was to be held the next day. The feelings become more intense when the priests see over a hundred faithful Mayan Indians of various ages, stopping for the last preparations before the great day, smiling despite their fatigue, singing the Christ Risen. Thus we arrive at the blessed morning of the dedication. The Mayan faithful come from the surrounding areas. The forest of lush vegetation echoes their speeches and their joy for what was to follow. Hundreds of faithful Maya, the priests of the Holy Metropolis of Mexico, representatives of St. John’s Church of the Diocese of Chicago (who paid all the expenses for the purchase of the materials for the construction of the new Temple), and pious citizens of the United States and Panama, await the arrival of His Eminence, Metropolitan of Mexico and Archbishop of Central America, Mr. Athenagoras. The faithful Maya, upon hearing that their Metropolitan and Father is arriving within minutes, all of them run five hundred meters away to welcome him. Our Metropolitan arrives, accompanied by His Grace Bishop Petronius of the Patriarchate of Romania. The faithful Maya, one by one, embrace him and receive his blessing. The eyes of the Bishop and the faithful Maya are filled with tears of joy.
Then, they march singing the Christ is Risen to the Church for the celebration of the service of the Consecration and the Divine Liturgy. The moments we experience are overwhelming. The faithful Maya are actively involved, young and old alike singing the Lord have mercy, the Parashu Lord, the Amen and the Christ Risen. The foundations of the Temple shake with the dynamic expression of their Orthodox faith. We all experience the unfolding miracle of seeing Orthodoxy manifest its explosive presence and greatness through the humble and true existences of the faithful Maya. Words become small and weak to express the evolving miracle of Guatemala! These moments will remain forever imprinted in the hearts of those present. How can you forget the existences of the faithful Maya, who, despite the vigil and the utter fatigue of the last few days, were full of vitality, expressing powerfully and angelically the source of their strength, which is none other than the grace of the Triune God, in whom they firmly believe.
At the end of the Divine Liturgy, the Metropolitan gave a speech, which delighted the faithful Maya. Our Metropolitan thanked the parish priest of the new church, Father Evangelos Pata Tuktuk. The inaugurated Church will serve thirty-two communities. Father Evangelos, however, ministers to seventy-two Orthodox villages, meeting the needs of the faithful tirelessly and fervently. The Metropolitan wished him the Holy God to strengthen him in his difficult work and with the power of God to increase his flock despite the difficulties and deprivations that he constantly faces. Father Evangelos took the floor and stressed that the 1500 people of Ixtan will soon convert to the Orthodox faith following the example of the 500 Orthodox Christians already there. After the thanks of our Metropolitan to all those who participated in the glorious resurrection day of the inauguration of the new church, a table was prepared by the faithful Maya, working all night, to thank all the faithful. The following day, April 23, 2018, our Metropolitan with Bishop Salaz after his entourage, the representatives of St. John’s Church of the Diocese of Chicago, the visitors from the United States, Panama and the priests of the Diocese of Mexico, visited the clinic of the Diocese of Mexico in Awakate, Guatemala. There, our Metropolitan expressed his thanks to those who participated in the establishment of the clinic, stressing that the clinic serves not only the residents of the surrounding areas but also those far away, since the Maya of Guatemala have been abandoned by the government and by the Roman Catholic Church, even though they were the predominant religion in Central America.
The people of Guatemala hope and believe in the work of the Orthodox Metropolis of Mexico. The work is enormous, but the needs are great for its successful completion. Our Metropolitan spoke of the need for the immediate establishment of a clinic in Ixtan as well. He also mentioned the need to print catechetical books, the need to prepare new priests, saying that the salaries and needs of the priests are covered by the Metropolis of Mexico, and the great need to build new charitable institutions. Concluding his speech, our Metropolitan wholeheartedly thanked the Brotherhood of Orthodox Foreign Mission for its selfless love and support for the work of the Metropolis of Mexico, as well as those who actively participate as members in the evolving miracle in Central America.
From the Holy Metropolis
