This year marks the tenth anniversary of the falling asleep in the Lord of the ever-memorable Elder Eusevios Vittis, a seminal contemporary spiritual father of the Orthodox Church.
With the blessings of His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, I am taking the initiative of collecting artefacts regarding Fr. Eusevios’ ministry in Scandinavia for the purpose of publishing a commemorative album in his memory, in due time.
The flock of the Mother Church of Constantinople in Scandinavia takes pride in the St. Nicholas Hermitage in Rättvik, Sweden, which served as Fr. Eusevios’ residence and spiritual springboard until his permanent relocation to Greece. It was transferred to the Holy Metropolis of Sweden on November 9, 2014, and the Thyranoixia (dedication) service for the renovated structure was celebrated on Sunday, December 6, 2015.
Fr. Eusevios was ordained a Presbyter in Sweden in 1965 by Archbishop Athenagoras Kokkinakis of Thyateira and Great Britain, and stood out for his asceticism and missionary zeal, his paternal love, and the love and care that he displayed for the salvation and spiritual edification of our Greek Community in Scandinavia. He stood well in his service, displaying zeal for his holy mission and spreading the lifegiving Word of the Gospel, and he embodied our common hopes, bearing witness to the Great Church of Christ through self-sacrifice. Hundreds of people of all ages – men and women, young and old, white and blue-collar workers, learned and unlettered – were inspired by his modest and discrete paradigm, as well as his vast pastoral, philanthropic, social, literary, and missionary work.
Those of you who personally met Elder Eusevios and have recollections of your spiritual interaction with him are kindly asked to share your accounts in writing, as these will be included in the commemorative album. Also, if you possess correspondence and related photos, I kindly ask you to make these available for the realization of this sacred undertaking. Your contribution will be recognized and your name will be included among those who contributed to bring this initiative to fruition.
If you know of people who were acquainted with Elder Eusevios living in Scandinavia, Greece, Cyprus, or elsewhere, kindly send me their contact information and I will get in touch with them.
Please send any information to the Holy Metropolis of Sweden via e-mail at metropolisofsweden@gmail.com or via post to our mailing address: Metropolis of Sweden, Birger Jarlsgatan 92, 11420 Stockholm, Sweden.
For more information, you may contact us at 004686123481.
I pray that the Lord our God will grant rest to the soul of the ever-memorable Fr. Eusevios in the tents of the righteous, where the righteous and those chosen by God dwell, and that this initiative will be crowned with success.
With paternal love in the Risen Christ,
+ Metropolitan Cleopas of Sweden
