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At an extraordinary meeting held on the morning of Wednesday, April 9, 2025, in Heraklion, the Holy Synod of the Church of Crete, on the occasion of the passing of Metropolitan Damaskinos of Kydonia and Apokoronas, made a series of decisions regarding his funeral service and the temporary administration of the Metropolis.
The Funeral Service on Saturday, April 12 in Chania
According to the decision of the Holy Provincial Synod, the funeral service of the late Hierarch will be held on Saturday, April 12, 2025, at 11:00 a.m., at the Holy Metropolitan Church of the Presentation of the Virgin Mary, in Chania.
In the same Holy Church, the following liturgical services will also take place:
- Thursday, April 10, at 7:00 p.m. – Hierarchical Divine Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts
- Friday, April 11, at 8:00 a.m. – Hierarchical Divine Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts
- Friday, April 11, at 9:00 p.m. – Nighttime Tri-Hierarchical Divine Liturgy
- Saturday, April 12, at 7:00 a.m. – Tri-Hierarchical Divine Liturgy
Metropolitan Amphilochios of Kissamos and Selinos appointed as Locum Tenens
Metropolitan Amphilochios of Kissamos and Selinos has been appointed Locum Tenens of the Holy Metropolis of Kydonia and Apokoronas, per the provisions of the Constitutional Charter of the Church of Crete (Law 4149/1961).
Eulogies at the Funeral Service
During the funeral service of the late Metropolitan, Archbishop Eugenios of Crete, President of the Holy Provincial Synod, will deliver an address on behalf of the Ecumenical Patriarchate.
On behalf of the Synod, Metropolitan Kyrillos of Ierapytna and Siteia will deliver a eulogy, while on behalf of the clergy, the monastic brotherhoods, and the devout people, Archimandrite Nikiforos Eikosidekas, Chancellor of the Holy Metropolis of Kydonia and Apokoronas, will speak.
In accordance with the wish of the late Hierarch, no other eulogies will be delivered.
Find below the official announcement of the Holy Synod of the Church of Crete
The Holy Synod of the Church of Crete, at its extraordinary meeting, on the occasion of the passing of Metropolitan Damaskinos of Kydonia and Apokoronas, convened today, Wednesday, April 9, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. in Heraklion, and decided:
a) The Funeral Service will be held on Saturday, April 12, 2025, at 11:00 a.m., at the Holy Metropolitan Church of the Presentation of the Virgin Mary in Chania.
On Thursday, April 10, at 7:00 p.m., a Hierarchical Divine Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts will be celebrated.
On Friday, April 11, 2025, at 8:00 a.m., another Hierarchical Divine Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts will be celebrated. On the same evening, at 9:00 p.m., a Nighttime Tri-Hierarchical Divine Liturgy will be held.
On Saturday, April 12, 2025, at 7:00 a.m., a Tri-Hierarchical Divine Liturgy will be celebrated.
b) The duties of Locum Tenens of the Holy Metropolis of Kydonia and Apokoronas, in accordance with Article 20 of Law 4149/1961, were assumed by His Eminence Metropolitan Amphilochios of Kissamos and Selinos.
c) The mourning on behalf of the Holy Synod will be represented by the Locum Tenens of the Holy Metropolis of Kydonia and Apokoronas, His Eminence Metropolitan Amphilochios of Kissamos and Selinos.
On behalf of His All-Holiness, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, His Eminence Archbishop Eugenios of Crete, President of the Holy Provincial Synod, will deliver an address.
On behalf of the Holy Synod, the eulogy will be delivered by His Eminence Metropolitan Kyrillos of Ierapytna and Siteia, while on behalf of the clergy, the monastic brotherhoods, and the devout people, the Very Reverend Archimandrite Nikiforos Eikosidekas, Chancellor of the Holy Metropolis of Kydonia and Apokoronas, will speak.
In accordance with the wish of the late Hierarch, no other eulogies will be delivered.
Metropolitan Damaskinos of of Kydonia and Apokoronas peacefully fell asleep in the Lord on Tuesday afternoon, at the age of 67, after a prolonged battle with cancer.
According to local sources, the late Metropolitan had been hospitalized over the past few weeks in a private clinic in Athens, following a successful intestinal surgery performed approximately two weeks ago.
This had been preceded by another major operation in July 2024. In total, within less than a year, he underwent two challenging surgeries.
Unfortunately, his health rapidly deteriorated, and despite the efforts of his doctors, he suffered a stroke and passed away, plunging the clergy and faithful of his Metropolis into mourning.
In its official announcement, the Church of Crete announced the repose of the late Metropolitan Damaskinos of Kydonia and Apokoronas, Member of the Holy Synod.
The announcement reads:
“The Holy Provincial Synod of the Church of Crete, with profound sorrow, announces the repose of the late Metropolitan of Kissamos and Apokoronas, His Eminence Damaskinos, Member of the Holy Synod.
The Members of the Holy Synod will convene in an extraordinary Synodical Meeting, during which the details concerning the funeral service and the burial of the venerable body of the blessed Hierarch will be determined.
The Holy Synod will inform the clergy and the pious faithful through a subsequent official announcement.”
Translated by Ioanna Georgakopoulou
