With splendor and spiritual devotion, the annual feast of the Parish of the Annunciation of the Theotokos in Utrecht was celebrated on Wednesday, March 25, 2026.
This great feast of the Mother of God, combined with the anniversary of the Greek War of Independence, lent a special character of joy and deep emotion to this festive gathering of the Orthodox community.
Metropolitan Athenagoras of Belgium and Exarch of the Netherlands and Luxembourg presided over the sacred services.
At the conclusion of the Doxology, the Metropolitan elevated the parish priest, Fr. Alexandros Pitsikakis, to the rank of Protopresbyter, in recognition of his offering and ministry. He also appointed the parish’s Protopsaltis and two altar servers as Readers, thereby strengthening the liturgical life of the community.
Among those attending the festal Divine Liturgy were the Ambassador of Greece to The Hague, Aikaterini Gkini, the Ambassador of the Republic of Cyprus to the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Spyridon Attas, as well as officers of the Hellenic Coast Guard and members of the Orthodox community.
At the end of the Divine Liturgy, the Metropolitan read the prayer over the kollyva and celebrated the Festal Doxology for the Greek War of Independence, honoring the struggles of the Nation and highlighting the significance of faith and freedom.
Translated by Ioanna Georgakopoulou
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