On Sunday afternoon, 11 August, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew officiated at the service of the Supplicatory Canon to the Most Holy Theotokos at the Church of the Dormition of the Theotokos, ‘Exi Marmara’.
Present also and joined in prayer were Metropolitan Gabriel of Nea Ionia and Philadelphia and Metropolitan Maximos of Selyvria, Supervisor of the Hypsomatheia District, along with clergy and many faithful believers.
In his address, after the Supplicatory Canon, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew expressed his emotion because once again this year he prayed together with the faithful to the Most Holy Theotokos in the Holy Church of ‘Exi Marmara’, which is dedicated to her, recalling that this Church is one of the many that were destroyed during the tragic events of September 6th to 7th, 1955. Then, he introduced Metropolitan Gabriel of Nea Ionia, whom he urged to address words of spiritual edification to the congregation.
Metropolitan Gabriel referred to the great feast day of the Mother of God, the Dormition of the Theotokos and to the special love of God’s people for the Virgin Mary. Expressing his profound respect for the person, ministry and contribution of the Ecumenical Patriarch, Metropolitan Gabriel of Nea Ionia emphasised that it will be a great blessing for the Primate of Orthodoxy to visit his refugee ecclesiastical province, which this year marks 50 years since its establishment.
On the morning of the same day, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew was present in prayer during the Divine Liturgy, at the venerable Patriarchal Church of Saint George at the Phanar, which, following his permission and exhortation, was officiated by Metropolitan Gabriel of Nea Ionia.
Photographs: Nikos Papachristou
