On Tuesday, August 15, 2023, at the invitation of the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, Metropolitan Apostolos of New Jersey accompanied the Ecumenical Patriarch to the historic Monastery of Panagia Soumela in Trabzon, Turkey for the auspicious occasion of the celebration of the Patriarchal Divine Liturgy for the feast day of the Dormition of the Theotokos.
The monastery of Panagia Soumela was founded nearly 1600 years ago in the Pontic Mountains and is visited by thousands of pilgrims every year.
Through the tremendous efforts of the Ecumenical Patriarch, the tradition has been revived to celebrate the Divine Liturgy on the Feast Day of the Panagia and it was truly a great honor and rich blessing for the Metropolitan, in one of his first official duties as the newly-elected Metropolitan of the sacred Metropolis of New Jersey, to be prayerfully present for this historic event in the life our Orthodox Church.
Source: Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America