The Divine Liturgy was celebrated on Saturday, September 5, 2026, at the Monastery of the Nativity of the Theotokos in Asten, the Netherlands, with faithful attending from across the Benelux region and neighboring Germany.
Metropolitan Athenagoras of Belgium, Exarch of the Netherlands and Luxembourg, presided over the Divine Liturgy, concelebrated by Bishop Joachim of Apollonia and clergy from the Netherlands and Belgium. The hymns were chanted in Greek and Dutch according to the traditional monastic style.
Before the Divine Liturgy, Metropolitan Athenagoras tonsured Jesse Wortman, a young member of the Orthodox parish in Kampen, as a reader. The service was followed by the traditional procession around the monastery’s katholikon and the blessing of the loaves.
Addressing the faithful, Metropolitan Athenagoras reflected on the theological meaning of the Nativity of the Theotokos, stressing that “God often begins His greatest works through small and humble things.”
He also spoke about the future of the monastery and the need for new monastic vocations, noting that the contemporary world needs monasteries as places of “prayer, silence and complete dedication to God.”
Addressing women who may feel called to monastic life, he urged them: “Do not be afraid. Trust in God and find the courage to say to Him: ‘Lord, here I am.’”
The Metropolitan concluded by praying for the monastery, its sisterhood, Abbess Ioanna and Sister Taisia, and encouraged the faithful never to lose hope.
The celebration concluded with a traditional reception in the monastery courtyard, offering pilgrims an opportunity for fellowship.
