The three-day festivities culminate today on Corfu in honor of St. Spyridon.
Thousands of faithful travel to the island from all over the world, mainly from Russia, Ukraine, Serbia and Cyprus, to pay their respects to the sacred and incorrupt relics of St. Spyridon, whose miracles are known throughout the world.
Although born in Cyprus, Saint Spyridon’s relics remain on the island since 1456, when Corfu was still occupied by Venetians. According to the religious tradition, Saint Spyridon has saved many times the island from the plagues and the successive Ottoman raids.
Saint Spyridon is solemnly celebrated on Corfu, in addition to his feast, with five great processions. Specifically, the sacred relics are taken in procession in the streets of the old city, accompanied by Corfiot marching bands, the local authorities and thousands of believers. The processions indicate the relation of the Corfiot traditions to the distant past.
The first procession of the new church year takes place on Sunday of Orthodoxy when the relics of Saint Spyridon are carried in procession along with the relics of Saint Theodora. The procession was established in 1985 by Metropolitan Timotheos, in memory of the restoration of the Icons by St. Theodora. The second procession takes place on Palm Sunday in memory of Saint Spyridon’s miracle of expelling the plague from the island in 1630. The third procession takes place in the morning of Holy Saturday. It is the oldest of all the processions of Saint Spyridon and was established because of the rescue of the island by the terrible famine that struck Corfu shortly before Easter in 1553. The fourth procession takes place on August 11 for saving Corfu from the Turkish siege that lasted from July to August in 1716. The fifth procession takes place on the first Sunday in November in memory of the miracle of expelling the plague from the island for the second time.
At the feast of St. Spyridon, the sacred relics are not carried in procession, as the Saint is the host of his temple and welcomes all the faithful.
Metropolitans from Greece and abroad attend the religious events while the festal Divine Liturgy is also read in Russian.
Today Spyros is celebrating his name day in every house on Corfu while loukoumades – a fried dough sweet – soaked in honey and coated with cinnamon have been offered as a treat in honor of Saint Spyridon for hundreds of years.
Source: ANA-MPA
