Father Theoklitos, the son of a Jewish rabbi, was ordained an Orthodox deacon (church rank before priesthood) in Kalambaka near Meteora, Greece, on Sunday, May 3, 2026.
The Israeli-born monk of the historic Holy Monastery of Varlaam was ordained during the Divine Liturgy at the Church of the Holy Meteoritic Fathers in Kalambaka, as celebrations honoring the ascetic figures of Meteora came to a close.
Rabbi’s son ordained Orthodox deacon during divine liturgy near Meteora, Greece
Metropolitan Chrysostomos of Patras presided over the festive Divine Liturgy, which drew many faithful to the church dedicated to the Holy Meteoritic Fathers. He was joined by Metropolitan Theoklitos of Stagoi and Meteora, the local hierarch, and Bishop Methodios of Knossos from the Holy Archdiocese of Crete.
The day carried special meaning for the Church in Meteora, as the annual feast also marked the entrance of a Varlaam monk into the diaconate.
From Israel to Orthodox monastic life
Father Theoklitos’ background has drawn attention because of his journey from Judaism to Orthodox Christianity. Born in Israel and raised in the Jewish tradition, he later entered monastic life at Meteora, one of Greece’s most important religious landmarks.
Rising on towering rock pillars in Thessaly, Meteora has served for centuries as a center of prayer, asceticism, and Orthodox monasticism. The Monastery of Varlaam, where Father Theoklitos belongs, remains one of the site’s historic monastic communities.
Rabbi’s Son becomes deacon at Meteora, Greece, in ceremony of faith and humility
During the service, Metropolitan Chrysostomos of Patras delivered the sermon and spoke about the ascetic life of the Holy Fathers of Meteora as well as the importance of monasticism as a spiritual guide in the modern world.
Metropolitan Theoklitos of Stagoi and Meteora also addressed the newly ordained deacon. He called on him to keep the flame of faith alive and preserve the humility that belongs to the Meteora monastic tradition.
The ordination attributed a personal and symbolic dimension to the feast, linking Meteora’s enduring spiritual legacy with the path of a monk who now begins his ministry as a deacon in the Orthodox Church.
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