With exceptional splendor and in an atmosphere of deep reverence, the Patriarchal Divine Liturgy was celebrated on Wednesday morning at the historic Church of Saint Nicholas of the Poorhouse, located on Vasilissis Sofias Avenue, presided over by the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew.
The Ecumenical Patriarch arrived at the church at 09:15, where he was welcomed by a large crowd of faithful who had filled the space from early on. Despite the initial schedule, Archbishop Ieronymos was ultimately unable to attend due to an unexpected change in his program. Nevertheless, the atmosphere remains festive, with the church literally filled.
Mid-Pentecost
Today holds particular significance for the Church, as it marks the Feast of Mid-Pentecost, that is, the Wednesday following the Sunday of the Paralytic. As its name suggests, this feast stands midway between two great milestones—Easter and Pentecost—uniting them and foreshadowing the glory of the Ascension, which will be celebrated in fifteen days. In Byzantine times, Mid-Pentecost was among the most important feasts of Constantinople, observed with official ceremonial rites described even by Constantine Porphyrogenitus in his De Ceremoniis.
Saint Nicholas of the Poorhouse: A Landmark of 1876
The church where the liturgy is being celebrated is not merely a religious center, but an architectural gem of Athens with a rich history. It was built in 1876 within the grounds of the former Athens Poorhouse, which had been established by the “Charitable Society” thanks to a donation by Andreas Syngros. It is the work of the distinguished architect Panagiotis Kalkos and is a cross-in-square church with a dome, designed in the Neo-Byzantine style.
The church stands out for its exposed stone masonry and brick ornamentation, and for its remarkable proportions, which Kostas Biris once described as a source of aesthetic emotion. Its imposing presence at the corner of Vasilissis Sofias and Ploutarchou streets remains unchanged, even though the institution building that once surrounded it no longer exists. Today’s liturgy, presided over by the Ecumenical Patriarch, once again highlights the importance of this church as a point of spiritual reference in the heart of the capital.
Source: Orange Press Agency
Translated by Ioanna Georgakopoulou
