An official Doxology was held at the Church of St. Demetrios in Thessaloniki, in the presence of the President of the Hellenic Republic, Konstantinos Tasoulas, marking the double celebration of the city’s patron saint, St. Demetrios the Myrrh-Streamer, and the 113th anniversary of Thessaloniki’s liberation.
Upon his arrival, President Tasoulas was welcomed by the Chief of the Hellenic National Defense General Staff, General Dimitrios Choupis. An honor guard rendered honors, followed by the playing of the National Anthem.
He was then greeted by the Deputy Minister of the Interior (Macedonia–Thrace), Kostas Gioulekas, representing the government; MP Diamantis Golidakis, representing the President of Parliament; Regional Governor of Central Macedonia, Athina Aidona; Mayor of Thessaloniki, Stelios Angeloudis; and Metropolitan Philotheos of Thessaloniki.
Together, they welcomed the President of the Republic of Cyprus, Nikos Christodoulides, before entering the church.
Metropolitan Philotheos of Thessaloniki presided over the Doxology, while Metropolitan Panteleimon of Veria, Naousa and Kampania officiated at the Orthros, led the concelebration of hierarchs, and delivered the sermon.
Also participating were the Metropolitans: Panteleimon of Xanthi, Pavlos of Servia, Theoklitos of Ierissos, Panteleimon of Maroneia, David of Grevena, Chrysostomos of Trikala, Stefanos of Philippi, Ieronymos of Aigialeia, Kallinikos of Kastoria, Dorotheos of Drama; and the Bishops Nikiforos of Amorio, Eirinaios of Rigio, Apostolos of Tanagra, Varnavas of Christoupolis, Athinagoras of Domeniko, Nikodimos of Epidavros, and Theologos of Talantio.
Among those present were also the leader of SYRIZA–Progressive Alliance, Sokratis Famellos; the leader of NIKI, Dimitris Natsios; MP Rania Thraskeia representing PASOK; MEP Emmanouil Fragkos representing the Hellenic Solution party; EU Commissioner Apostolos Tzitzikostas; deputy ministers Nikos Tachiaos, Stavros Kalafatis, Eleni Rapti, Nikos Papaioannou, and Andreas Efthimiou; MPs Stratos Simopoulos, Dimitris Kouvelas, Theodoros Karaoglou, and Panagiotis Pappas; MEP Vangelis Meimarakis; local officials; and the leadership of the Armed Forces and Security Corps.
The morning began with the raising of the national flag at the White Tower, accompanied by a 21-gun salute.
Photo credit: Raphael Georgiadis / EUROKINISSI
