From Judaism to Christianity: Rabbi’s Son Becomes Greek Orthodox Priest at Meteora

Israeli-born rabbi’s lad was ordained an Orthodox deacon astatine the Church of the Holy Meteoritic Fathers successful Kalambaka, Greece. Credit: Wikimedia Commons / LBM 1948 / CC BY SA 4

Father Theoklitos, the lad of a Jewish rabbi, was ordained an Orthodox deacon (church fertile earlier priesthood) successful Kalambaka adjacent Meteora, Greece, connected Sunday, May 3, 2026.

The Israeli-born monk of the historical Holy Monastery of Varlaam was ordained during the Divine Liturgy astatine the Church of the Holy Meteoritic Fathers successful Kalambaka, arsenic celebrations honoring the ascetic figures of Meteora came to a close.

Rabbi’s lad ordained Orthodox deacon during divine liturgy adjacent Meteora, Greece

Metropolitan Chrysostomos of Patras presided implicit the festive Divine Liturgy, which drew galore faithful to the religion dedicated to the Holy Meteoritic Fathers. He was joined by Metropolitan Theoklitos of Stagoi and Meteora, the section hierarch, and Bishop Methodios of Knossos from the Holy Archdiocese of Crete.

The time carried peculiar meaning for the Church successful Meteora, arsenic the yearly feast besides marked the entranceway of a Varlaam monk into the diaconate.

From Israel to Orthodox monastic life

Father Theoklitos’ inheritance has drawn attraction due to the fact that of his travel from Judaism to Orthodox Christianity. Born successful Israel and raised successful the Jewish tradition, helium aboriginal entered monastic beingness astatine Meteora, 1 of Greece’s astir important spiritual landmarks.

Rising connected towering stone pillars successful Thessaly, Meteora has served for centuries arsenic a halfway of prayer, asceticism, and Orthodox monasticism. The Monastery of Varlaam, wherever Father Theoklitos belongs, remains 1 of the site’s historical monastic communities.

Rabbi’s Son becomes deacon astatine Meteora, Greece, successful ceremonial of religion and humility

During the service, Metropolitan Chrysostomos of Patras delivered the sermon and spoke astir the ascetic beingness of the Holy Fathers of Meteora arsenic good arsenic the value of monasticism arsenic a spiritual usher successful the modern world.

Metropolitan Theoklitos of Stagoi and Meteora besides addressed the recently ordained deacon. He called connected him to support the occurrence of religion live and sphere the humility that belongs to the Meteora monastic tradition.

The ordination attributed a idiosyncratic and symbolic magnitude to the feast, linking Meteora’s enduring spiritual bequest with the way of a monk who present begins his ministry arsenic a deacon successful the Orthodox Church.