Dearly Beloved Brothers and Sisters in the Lord Incarnate,
At our gathering today, you will permit me to refer to two individuals, members of our local Church, who play a particularly important role in its life and activity, on the one hand because of their scientific and professional standing, and on the other because of their devotion and dedication. These persons are Mr. Rafail Poumeyrau and Mr. Fredrik Styrlander, lawyers.
These two individuals have constituted the two arms of the Metropolitan in all matters pertaining to legal issues, which, of course, require the decisions of the Metropolis Executive Board, as well as in the relationship of the Holy Metropolis with State services and various organizations.
In particular, however, I would like to refer to their exemplary and absolutely devoted service to the Holy Metropolis and to the speaker, approximately two years ago, when certain individuals—countable on the fingers of one hand—unjustly troubled our local Church and society, having, through unfounded and slanderous publications, attempted to tarnish the standing of our Church and of the undersigned.
At that time, both of them, on a daily basis and for many hours, devoted their personal and precious time, and with their legal expertise guided matters to a favorable outcome, so that not only was the groundlessness and fragility of the accusations proven through judicial decisions, but also— for the first time in the history of Swedish justice— the Labor Union was compelled not only to withdraw its lawsuit against the Holy Metropolis, but also to compensate it initially, and subsequently the speaker, for translation expenses. As a result, a substantial monetary amount was donated to the Holy Metropolis, thus covering the expenses for the second phase of the restoration of our Cathedral.
For all these reasons, and above all because their dedication and service are unpaid and therefore without cost to the Holy Metropolis—in a country where you know how expensive legal services are—I was led to propose to His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew that he confer upon them the highest honorary distinction of the Mother Church, enrolling them among the Archons of the Holy Great Church of Christ.
He responded gladly, and by his personal Patriarchal will and benevolence, today confers through me upon Mr. Rafail Poumeyrau the office of Archon Nomophylax, and upon Mr. Fredrik Styrlander the office of Archon Ekdikos, together with the corresponding Patriarchal diplomas and insignia.
The office of Nomophylax dates back to the Byzantine Empire from the twelfth century, so that an ecclesiastical guardian of the law might exist alongside the secular one. It is bestowed by the Mother Church upon learned jurists and advisers of the Holy Metropolises, who defend the rights of the Church.
As for the office of Archon Ekdikos, it too is conferred upon jurists and officials who have offered service to the Church. The relationship between the two offices lies in the fact that the Nomophylax safeguards the law, while the Ekdikos defends the law.
This is the first time that such a distinction has been conferred during the years of my pastoral ministry; nevertheless, I consider that both of these individuals are worthy of it, and that it is, of course, the least expression of thanks and gratitude for their invaluable service and devotion.
I pray that God, through the intercessions of Saint George, may crown them, together with the God-pleasing Patriarchal prayers and blessings of the Ecumenical Patriarch, and grant them health and every good desire of their hearts. Axioi!
+ Metropolitan Cleopas of Sweden and All Scandinavia
