On the occasion of the feast of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary according to the Julian calendar, Grand Protosyncellus Theodoros presided over the solemn Divine Liturgy at Saint Andrew Metochion in Galatas on Saturday, August 28, accompanied by Grand Hierokyrix Panaretos, Head of the Metochion, Archimandrite of the Archdiocese of Constantinople Victor Copuşciu and Oikonomos Dimitrios Magioglou, Head of the Cathedral of the Presentation of Virgin in Peran.
During the Divine Liturgy, which was performed in Slavonic and Turkish, members of the Russian Parish of Constantinople and Turkish-speaking believers attended the service as reported by fosfanariou.gr.
Grand Hierokyrix Panaretos welcomed the Grand Protosyncellus for the first time under his new capacity in the premises of the metochion.
After thanking for the invitation to preside over the feast, the Grand Protosyncellus spoke in Turkish to the congregation about the meaning of the feast of the Dormition and conveyed the paternal wish and blessing of the Ecumenical Patriarch, as well as the continued interest of the Ecumenical Patriarchate for all believers regardless of nationality and cultural or linguistic identity.
He also congratulated the clergy of metochion for the interest and pastoral sensitivity they show in satisfying the pastoral needs of the Russian-speaking faithful of Constantinople.
The Grand Protosyncellus also addressed a special greeting to the Turkish-speaking faithful who attended the service under the leadership of Fr. Dimitrios Magioglou, as he pointed out the importance of their presence from time to time in various churches of the Archdiocese of Constantinople with members of the Greek Community of Constantinople regardless of national origin.
This was followed by a reception and a festive meal.