Palm Sunday was celebrated with all due solemnity and reverence at the venerable Patriarchal Church of Saint George the Great Martyr, the seat of the Ecumenical Patriarchate at the Phanar.
Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew officiated from the throne during the Divine Liturgy, and was joined by Their Eminences, Metropolitan Meliton of Philadelphia, Metropolitan Irinaios of Myriophytos and Peristasis, Metropolitan Chrysostomos of Myra, Metropolitan Theoliptos of Iconium, Metropolitan Ioakeim of Bursa and Metropolitan Theodoros of Seleucia.
The Holy Sermon, as according to the order of the Church, was given by Deacon Father Oikoumenios Amanatidis, Undersecretary of the Holy and Sacred Synod.
Present for the feast day were, among others, Monks of Mount Athos, Archons of the Great Church of Christ, represented by the President of their Brotherhood, Archon Exarch Mr. Athanasios Martinos, the Consuls General of Greece and Ukraine in the City, Ambassador Mr. Konstantinos Koutras and Mr. Roman Nedilskyi, the Mayor of Chania, Mr. Panagiotis Simandirakis, with officials from the Municipality, a delegation of the AHEPA Branch of Vari, Voula and Vouliagmeni, and a number of faithful believers from Constantinople and abroad.
After the Dismissal of the Divine Liturgy, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew distributed the blessed palms to the entire congregation.
On Saturday afternoon, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew officiated during the Vespers Service of Palm Sunday, at the end of which his elevated Hieromonk Father Alexios Demirtzis and bestowed on him the office of Archimandrite of the Ecumenical Throne, who will also take the role of Parish Priest of the Community of Saint Dimitrios in the Tataoula district.
On Sunday afternoon, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew also officiated during the Service of the Matins of Great and Holy Monday, also known as the Service of the Bridegroom.
Photographs: Nikos Papachristou
