The solemn Great Vespers on the feast of St. Panteleimon was officiated on the afternoon of July 26 in the namesake chapel of the Hellenic Hospital.
Metropolitan Nicodemus of Memphis and the Archimandrites Pavlos and Paisios, as well as the Arab-speaking priests: Michael, Paul, and Theodore, attended the service. The chants of the community chanter and professor of Byzantine Music, Giannis Kountrias, and Archimandrite Paul, a young priest in the ecclesiastical family of Cairo, once again gave a mystical dimension to the ritual. The festive evening was attended, among others, by the treasurer of the Greek Community of Cairo (G.C.C). Antonis Iordanidis and the community employees Anna Pontikidou and Angela Charalambopoulou head of the Nursing Home of the Hellenic Hospital.
Metropolitan Nicodemus brought with him for the Divine Liturgy a relic of Saint Panteleimon, from the Patriarchate in Hamzaoui where it is kept.
In his speech after the service, Metropolitan Nicodemus urged the faithful to follow the example of the Holy, Great Martyr Panteleimon, and to alleviate as much as possible the pain and suffering of our fellow humans. He stressed that today is a time of secularization and selfishness that prevents us from being close to our fellow humans. We should imitate as much as we can the life example of Saint Panteleimon with simple daily acts of compassion and support to our fellow man.
On Tuesday, July 27, in the morning, the Orthros and Divine Liturgy were performed on the feast of St. Panteleimon. The sacrament was performed by Archimandrite Paul and the Arabic-speaking Fr. Theodore. Present at the service and the treasurer of G.C.C. Antonis Iordanidis, as well as Angela Charalambopoulou, head of the Nursing Home of the Hellenic Hospital.
In his preach after the service, Archimandrite Paul took us on a journey through the life and work of the Great Martyr Saint Panteleimon, illuminating the road with the example of his steel faith, which in difficult times of Christianity did not renounce and at the end of his life he testified to his faith. He reminded us that throughout his life Saint Panteleimon was a helper of every afflicted person, healing the soul and body of those in need. His example, as he characteristically pointed out, stands unflinching for more than 1700 years, giving the light of confidence and faith in the name of Christ, waiting for imitators in the difficult times we are going through.
Source: ekkairo.org