Ecumenical Patriarch in his homeland of Imbros for the Feast of Pascha
His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew officiated on Saturday of Lazarus, 8 April 2023, at the Divine Liturgy at the Holy Church of Saint Marina in Imbros.
The Divine Word was preached by the Grand Ecclesiarch Archimandrite Aetios, Director of the Personal Patriarchal Office, whom also conducted the Divine Liturgy along with Deacon Varnavas Grigoriadis.
Present also for the Divine Liturgy were His Eminence Metropolitan Kyrillos of Imbros and Tenedos, clergy, Monastics from Mount Athos, Archons of the Holy Great Church of Christ, residents of Imbros and especially students from the Island, along with Imbrians and friends of the Island from overseas.
After the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, His All-Holiness conducted a Trisagion Memorial Service for the repose of the souls of the ever-remembered Priests, Father Patrikios, Father Dimitrios and Father Konstantinos, who served the Holy Church of Saint Marina, as well as all the brothers and sisters who have fallen sleep and lay awaiting the general resurrection in the local Cemetery.
Then, in his short speech, His All-Holiness expressed his emotion and joy that on the days of this year’s Holy and Great Week and Holy Pascha he is in the homeland of Imbros to bless and strengthen his countrymen, noting that everyone should feel proud of their origin from this beautiful place.
At the hospitality that was offered in the courtyard of the Church, the young students of the Primary School sang the Carols of Saint Lazarus and His All-Holiness blessed them and offered all the children the ancestral “Lazarakia” and sweets.
In the afternoon, His All-Holiness officiated at the Great Vespers of Palm Sunday, which was held at the Holy Metropolitan Church of the Virgin Mary and then attended the Iftar dinner offered by the Holy Metropolis of Imbros and Tenedos to the Muslim fellow citizens of the island. The Patriarch spoke with warm words to the congregants, underlining the need for peaceful coexistence of the believers of the two religions, as well as the neighbouring peoples of Greece and Turkey.
The Ecumenical Patriarch arrived in Imbros on Friday, April 7, accompanied by the Grand Ecclesiarch Archimandrite Aetios and Grand Syncellus Archimandrite Iakovos, Deacon of the Order Varnavas Grigoriadis and Patriarchal Deacon Ieronymos Sotirelis, Mr. Nikolaos-Georgio Papachristou, Director of the Press and Communication Office, and Mr. Georgios Doxastakis, theologian, Panagiotis Grafiadelis and Themistoklis Karanikolas, Patriarchal employees.
At the port of the island, the Patriarch was welcomed by His Eminence Metropolitan Chrysostomos of Myra who is a member of the Patriarchal entourage, and the resident Metropolitan Kyrillos of Imbros and Tenedos, the Holy clergy, His All-Holiness’ brother, Mr. Nikolaos Archontonis, who resides permanently in Australia, and residents of the island with many students of the schools.
Afterwards, His All-Holiness went to the Holy Metropolitan Church of the Dormition of the Virgin, where he venerated. The Shepherd of the island welcomed the Imbrian Patriarch with warm words, who replied with cordiality and emotion.
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