After two years, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the feast of Saint Philotheι was celebrated in pomp and splendor at the Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church in Toronto, where there is a chapel dedicated to the holy woman. At the same time, it was decided that this year will start again the spiritual retreats of the Philoptochos Society; the first three will be in Toronto, Montreal and southwestern Ontario.
An evening Divine Liturgy took place, presided by Archbishop Sotirios of Canada, with Bishop Athenagoras of Patara concelebrating and twelve priests of the Greater Toronto Area.
The eleven students of the Theological Academy chanted the Divine Liturgy with Byzantine solemnity.
In his sermon, Archbishop Sotirios said that Saint Philothei, among many others, teaches us three basic things.
First, our faith and devotion to God. Second, our love for our Homeland and third, our love and our help to those in need, both spiritual and material.
Archons of our Ecumenical Patriarchate and a large number of Christians attended.
Following the Divine Liturgy, dinner was served at the wonderful Cultural Center of the Holy Archdiocese.
The event was organized by the President of the Philoptochos Society of Canada, Mrs. Zoe Veroutis, together with the President of the Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Community, Mrs. Anastasia Sotiropoulos.
The celebrations of the evening ended when all the participants chanted the Fimi of the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew.
