The Ecumenical Patriarch in Agridia, Imbros, for the Feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos (VIDEO)
The great Feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos was celebrated on the Aegean island of Imbros with religious devotion and in a deeply moving atmosphere.
His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew concelebrated with the Primate of the Church of Albania, His Beatitude Archbishop Joani of Albania, at the festal church in the mountain village of Agridia. They were assisted by Their Eminences Metropolitan Meliton of Philadelphia and Metropolitan Chrysostomos of Myra.
Prayerfully present were His Eminence Metropolitan Kyrillos of Imbros and Tenedos, the local Hierarch; members of the clergy; the President of the Brotherhood of Archons of the Great Church of Christ “Panagia Pammakaristos” and Ecumenical Grand Benefactor, Mr Athanasios Martinos; its Vice-President, Mr Georgios Prokopiou; and many other Archons. Also present were the Mayor of Nea Smyrni, Mr Georgios Koutelakis; the presidents and members of the boards of the Imbrian associations of Athens and Thessaloniki; and a great multitude of the Patriarch’s fellow Imbrians and friends of the island.
The homily was delivered by His Eminence Metropolitan Meliton of Philadelphia, and at the conclusion of the service, the holy icon of the Panagia was carried in procession through the streets of the picturesque village.
Following the Divine Liturgy, traditional Imbrian refreshments were offered in the village square of Agridia, where young men and women from the Archdiocese of Ohrid sang and performed traditional dances in honour of the Ecumenical Patriarch and all the pilgrims.
That same afternoon, the Ecumenical Patriarch attended prayerfully the post-festal Vespers, presided over by His Beatitude Archbishop Joani of Albania at the festal Church of the Dormition of the Theotokos in the village of Glyky. The village was the birthplace of the late Hieromonk Bartholomew Koutloumousianos, a distinguished figure in Greek letters and a Teacher of the Nation, in whose honour His All-Holiness received the name Bartholomew at his ordination.
On the eve of the feast, His All-Holiness presided at Vespers in the Church of the Dormition of the Theotokos in his native village of Agioi Theodoroi. Following the dismissal, he addressed his fellow Imbrians with moving words.
Photographs: Nikos Papachristou / Ecumenical Patriarchate
H αναδημοσίευση του παραπάνω άρθρου ή μέρους του επιτρέπεται μόνο αν αναφέρεται ως πηγή το ORTHODOXIANEWSAGENCY.GR με ενεργό σύνδεσμο στην εν λόγω καταχώρηση.
Ακολούθησε το ORTHODOXIANEWSAGENCY.gr στο Google News και μάθε πρώτος όλες τις ειδήσεις.
