With an outdoor festive Divine Liturgy, presided over by Archbishop Ioannis of Albania and concelebrated by Metropolitan Nikolaos of Apollonia and Fier, the Skete of the Myrrh-Bearers—founded from the ground up by the late Archbishop Anastasios—celebrated its feast at the Monastery of St. Vlasios in Durrës.
At the end of the Divine Liturgy, a procession took place around the Skete in a prayerful and uplifting atmosphere.
In his homily, Archbishop Ioannis emphasized the courage, dedication, and unwavering love of the Myrrh-Bearing Women for Christ. As he noted, “These blessed women teach us that true love does not retreat in the face of danger and that living faith requires courage. Neither darkness, nor fear, nor the stone sealing the tomb stopped them, but they moved forward with faith, offering an eternal example for every Christian.”
The Skete of the Myrrh-Bearers is home to devoted women engaged in extensive missionary work.
The Archbishop also visited the “House of Hope,” located within the grounds of the Monastery of St. Vlasios, which hosts poor, orphaned, and abandoned children. He distributed gifts to them, and in return, the children sang “Christ is Risen,” along with Christian hymns.
Fr. Ilias Makos
