Public Lecture

"Our speaker for the first annual 'Missions Day' on our campus is someone you will not want to miss," enthuses Chancellor/CEO Archpriest Chad Hatfield. "Our presenter, Father Themistocles Adamopoulo, was once an atheist Rocker from Australia, now turned missionary to Africa."

The Right Rev. Dr. Archimandrite Themistocles, member of the Alexandrian Orthodox Patriarchate, indeed had a vibrant ministry and mission in Nairobi, Kenya, and now is in Sierra Leone. In both settings, "Father Themi," as he is known, ministered to the poor by providing educational and employment opportunities.

In Kenya, Fr. Themi opened some small business enterprises in one of the mission compounds to provide some self-sufficiency for the poor of that part of the world, especially the abandoned mothers and their young ones. He had his first class of early school teachers graduate from his Orthodox Teachers' College, who were congratulated and praised for their high capabilities by the Kenyan Minister of Education. The Teachers' College has since grown into the St. Clement of Alexandria Orthodox College of Africa.

Father Themi now has been placed in charge of outreach in Sierra Leone, as administrator of the newly created Diocese of Freetown, under the authority of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria. Since his arrival in Sierra Leone in 2007, the Church has gone from being non-existent to consisting of two parishes with four local priests, a large primary/secondary school in the capital, an agricultural school in the countryside, a clinic to assist in the rehabilitation of amputees, and an educational outreach in a women's prison in Freetown. In September 2011 an Orthodox university was due to open in the country as well.

Join us Saturday, November 19th in the Metropolitan Philip Auditorium of the John G. Rangos Family Building for this presentation. We will start at 10:00 a.m. and end at noon. This event is free and open to public.

"Like" Fr. Themi's Facebook Page, and read his bio here.

Watch a goosebump producing video about Fr. Themi's work in Sierra Leone on his Website: "Paradise Kids 4 Africa," here.