The Feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos was celebrated with solemnity and the participation of large numbers of faithful in Rethymno, Crete, on August 14 and 15, 2026.
On the eve of the feast, Metropolitan Prodromos of Rethymno and Avlopotamos presided over the festal Hierarchical Vespers at the celebrating Shrine of Panagia Charakiani, which belongs to the Monastery of Saint John the Forerunner of Atali-Bali, along the Heraklion–Rethymno National Road.
The Metropolitan also presided over the service of the Lamentations to the Most Holy Theotokos, attended by representatives of local and regional authorities, the Armed Forces and Security Services, as well as numerous pilgrims from across Crete.
Metropolitan Prodromos thanked the faithful for their prayerful participation and expressed particular gratitude to the Protosyncellus and Abbot of the Monastery of Saint John the Forerunner, Archimandrite Parthenios Kalyvianakis, and all those who contributed to the preparations for the feast.
On the morning of August 15, Metropolitan Prodromos presided over Orthros and celebrated the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy at the Shrine of Panagia Halevi of the Monastery of Saint Irene in Rethymno.
At the Metropolitan’s invitation, the homily was delivered by Protopresbyter Panagiotis Papazafiropoulos, a clergyman of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America and Executive Director of Leadership 100.
Following the Divine Liturgy, a festive meal was offered at the Monastery of Saint Irene, during which gifts and blessings were exchanged.
Among those attending the two-day celebrations was Alkiviadis Stefanis, Archon Eparchos of the Great Church of Christ and Civil Administrator of Mount Athos, as well as a former Minister and Deputy Minister of National Defense and Honorary Chief of the Hellenic Army General Staff.
Metropolitan Prodromos warmly welcomed Stefanis and thanked him for his presence and for the respect he has shown toward his mentor, Manousos Paragioudakis, a native of Rethymno and former Chief of the Hellenic National Defence General Staff.
Addressing the large number of pilgrims during the celebrations, Metropolitan Prodromos emphasized the spiritual significance of the feast.
“All the children of the Panagia return to their Mother’s home during these two days,” he said.
The Metropolitan also encouraged the faithful to invoke the grace and intercessions of the Most Holy Theotokos in their daily lives.
