By Maria ANDREOU*
The Saints are the Gospel put into practice in our lives. And Saint Fanourios, who endured 12 terrible forms of martyrdom rather than deny Christ, remained steadfast in his faith and was therefore crowned by our Lord. He is undoubtedly, as our Church chants in his Apolytikion, “glorious!” Saint Fanourios—whose name derives from the Greek word φανώ (“to reveal” or “to bring to light”), reflecting his association with revealing things that are hidden or lost—is one of the most beloved Saints of the Orthodox Church. His memory is commemorated every year on August 27.
For the large family of Lavrentis Lavrentiadis, both in its business and personal dimensions, the celebration of the memory of Saint Fanourios holds a special significance.
At the verdant foothills of Mount Roda (Chlomos), in the Dendra area of Atalanti, within the grounds of the industrial complex owned by Lavrentis Lavrentiadis for the production of detergents, disinfectants, cosmetics and fertilizers, stands the stone-built Church of Saint Fanourios. The church was founded three years ago by the great benefactor Lavrentis Lavrentiadis.
It was there, on Tuesday, August 25, that Metropolitan Symeon of Fthiotida celebrated solemn Vespers in the presence of Archbishop Ieronymos of Athens and All Greece.
Also present were Metropolitan Maximos of Ioannina; Metropolitan Stephanos of Philippi, Neapolis and Thassos; Metropolitan Gabriel of Nea Ionia, Philadelphia, Heraklion and Chalcedon; the Archimandrites Ephraim and Dimitrios; priests from the surrounding region; numerous faithful; and employees of the industrial complex.
“I BELIEVE”
During the Divine Liturgy, the great benefactor Lavrentis Lavrentiadis fervently recited the Symbol of Faith—the Creed (“I Believe”)—and the Lord’s Prayer (“Our Father”) into the microphone, while also joining in the chanting during the Artoklasia. The entire Lavrentiadis family, his mother, Zafeiria, his children and his wife, Hero, received the Immaculate Mysteries of our Lord.
Metropolitan Symeon of Fthiotida offered prayers to Saint Fanourios and blessed the Fanouropita prepared by Mrs. Zafeiria, a traditional Lenten cake associated with Saint Fanourios and also known as the “lost-and-found cake.” Following the service, she cut the cake and distributed it among those in attendance.
Among the large crowd of faithful were MPs representing the prefecture of Fthiotida: Giannis Economou (New Democracy), Giorgos Kotronias (New Democracy), Christos Staikouras (New Democracy) and independent MP Giannis Sarakiotis, as well as the Mayor of Lokroi, Athanasios Zekentes.
All those present—including employees of Lavrentiadis’ businesses, managers and administrators, among them Theodora Kouloura, Tasos Christopoulos, Christos Kampouris, Evina Tsakiri, Maria Goufa, Leonidas Nikidis, Apostolos Kotouzas, Kostas Soukoulis and Dimitris Rizoulis—paid their respects to the icon of Saint Fanourios with deep devotion.
“GOD’S WILL”
One of the most memorable moments of the celebration was an emotional address by Lavrentis Lavrentiadis, which deeply moved those present. “Our family has had a long-standing relationship with Saint Fanourios. He has been a constant presence in our lives.
In addition to Atalanti, we have built a small chapel in his honor in Rafina, and through this chapel Saint Fanourios has been part of our daily lives for the past 20 years. It was God’s will that, for the last three years, we should also be active here in Atalanti. And I am very happy because this family in Atalanti continues to grow,” Lavrentiadis said.
He continued: “We began with the blessing of His Beatitude Archbishop Ieronymos and our beloved hierarch, Metropolitan Symeon, who embraces this entire region. The people of the area have embraced the factory with great affection.
For us, establishing it here was not simply a business decision, but a gesture from the heart. I believe that the quality of people gives the surplus value, so that we can increase our production, enter new markets, with value-added products that will be able to grow the factory day by day for decades, so that we can constantly engage in new activities. I believe that the greatest strength lies in people—and people who are blessed and have faith possess an even greater strength. It gives me great joy to be here with my family and to convey this love for business, which involves great difficulties and a Cross that must be borne every day, but which also brings joy.
I believe that creation is a blessing and something that transcends purely human affairs. I believe that this entire family, which began three years ago with 120 people and today numbers more than 300, represents an enormous force. Thank you, and I love you all very much! May Saint Fanourios bless us all and our families. I wish you good health, and may we all be together again next year!”
In his own address, Archbishop Ieronymos spoke of the newly revealed Saint Fanourios, saying: “May people always place their hopes and their quests in Christ, and may Saint Fanourios be their helper in everything that remains hidden, whether spiritually or physically.”
Metropolitan Symeon of Fthiotida: “We express our profound gratitude to a pioneer not only in entrepreneurship, but also in benefaction”
Metropolitan Symeon of Fthiotida said, among other things, in his address:
“Mr. Lavrentiadis’ family is not only his biological family, his family by blood, but also his wider family, which extends beyond this beautiful region, throughout Greece and across the world.
Today, we have the great joy, in the presence of Archbishop Ieronymos, distinguished clergy of our Church and members of our spiritual family, of celebrating Saint Fanourios here, the patron saint of this center, while also proclaiming the glorious life of Saint Fanourios throughout the region. This year we are gathered here in great numbers, but we were all here last year and the year before as well, thanks to your love for Saint Fanourios. All the priests of the region are also here for this celebration to express their gratitude to you, Mr. Lavrentiadis.
Their own parishioners are employed at your factory, where they are building their hopes, dreams and expectations. They are here today to join the municipality, the four MPs representing our prefecture—who are present here with one heart and one soul—as well as representatives of the Police, the Security Forces and the Army, the President of the Technical Chamber and representatives of various institutions, in saying a heartfelt ‘thank you’ to you. We are here to express our profound gratitude to a pioneer not only in entrepreneurship, but also in benefaction. Because doing business is one thing, while benefaction is another.
Entrepreneurship acquires its true meaning through benefaction. And business is concerned not only with what is visible, but also with what is unseen. Everything depends upon your own love and your own heart. As a spiritual father and companion to my fellow citizens, I thank you for everything.
The region of Locris is your province, and every year we move forward thanks to your blessing and your presence.”
*Republished from the newspaper Orthodoxi Alithia / Translated by: Konstantinos Menyktas
