On Wednesday, 20 May 2026, on the eve of the Great Feast of the Ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ, His Eminence Metropolitan Philotheos of Thessaloniki presided over the celebration of Great Vespers at the celebrating Parish Church of the Ascension.
The homily was delivered by Fr Dimitrios Tziafas, preacher of the Holy Metropolis of Thessaloniki.
On the feast day itself, Thursday, 21 May, the Matins Service, Hierarchical Divine Liturgy, and the ordination to the Holy Priesthood of the devout Deacon Fr Elias Rammos were celebrated. Fr Elias is a married clergyman, father of two children, and graduate of the Department of Visual and Applied Arts of the School of Fine Arts at the University of Western Macedonia.
Before the ordination, the Metropolitan preached to the large congregation and also addressed paternal exhortations and words of love to Deacon Elias, referring to his many gifts, which had become evident during the brief period of his ministry both at the Church of the Ascension and at the offices of the Metropolis of Thessaloniki.
Many clergy from the Metropolis, as well as from other Holy Metropolises, participated in both the Vespers service and the Divine Liturgy.
At the dismissal of the Divine Liturgy, Metropolitan Philotheos expressed his joy and satisfaction for the important pastoral work being carried out by the priests of the parish. He warmly congratulated the parish clergy, the members of the church committees, the staff, and the volunteers for the excellent preparation of this year’s feast celebrations, as well as both choirs of chanters for their outstanding rendering of the ecclesiastical hymns.
The Metropolitan of Thessaloniki announced to the faithful congregation that the newly ordained priest would be appointed as the third parish priest of the Parish Church of the Ascension of the Lord, where he had until now served as a deacon.
