Metropolitan Athenagoras of Belgium presided over the Divine Liturgy at the Holy Temple of Saint Marina in Brussels on Sunday, February 20, 2022.
In his sermon, he referred to the evangelical passage of Sunday, that of the Prodigal Son. At the end of the Divine Liturgy, he thanked the Hierarchical Head of the Parish, Treasurer George Kokkonas, for the pastoral work he performs for the parishioners, and on the occasion of the already started Trinity he wished “Happy Lent”.
Then Metropolitan Athenagoras, responding to an invitation from Archbishop Georgios Kourieh, Patriarchal Commissioner of the Church of Jacobite Church in Belgium, France, and Luxembourg, and accompanied by the Archdeacon of the Holy Metropolis Emilianos attended the ordination of a young priest, Habib Gecer, of his Church, and in particular of the Church of St. John the Baptist in Brussels. The Metropolitan of Belgium maintains close contact with Archbishop George Kourieh. The good cooperation started with the recognition of the Syrian-Jacobite Church by the Belgian State and with the signing of a statement that the Metropolitan of the Ecumenical Patriarchate represents all the Belgian Orthodox Christians to the Belgian Authorities, including the Syrians.