A pilgrimage organized by the Metropolis of Neapolis and Stavroupolis to the historic land of Pontus culminated in an emotional Divine Liturgy at the Monastery of Panagia Soumela on Sunday, August 23, 2026.
The large pilgrimage group visited Pontus from August 20 to 24 under the initiative and spiritual guidance of Metropolitan Barnabas of Neapolis and Stavroupolis.
Walking through places where a flourishing Greek Orthodox presence endured for centuries, the pilgrims followed in the footsteps of their ancestors, visiting churches, monasteries, towns and villages associated with the history of Pontic Hellenism.
The highlight of the pilgrimage was the Divine Liturgy for the Apodosis of the Dormition of the Theotokos at the historic Monastery of Panagia Soumela on Mount Mela.
Metropolitan Barnabas presided over the Divine Liturgy, representing Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew. He concelebrated with Bishop Kassianos of Aravissos and Bishop Paisios of Xanthoupolis, together with clergy of the Metropolis of Neapolis and Stavroupolis.
The Metropolis expressed its gratitude to the Ecumenical Patriarch for the honor of the patriarchal representation and for his continued concern for preserving the historical memory and spiritual heritage of the Greek Orthodox tradition.
Metropolitan Barnabas: A return to the roots
In his address following the Divine Liturgy, Metropolitan Barnabas stressed that the journey to Pontus was more than a visit to places of historical significance. It was, he said, a return to the pilgrims’ roots.
Through churches and monasteries, mountains and paths, cities and villages that still bear traces of the centuries-old Greek Orthodox presence, the pilgrims encountered the memory of a community that, although uprooted from its ancestral homeland, never lost its connection to it.
When the words “Blessed is the Kingdom” were heard once again inside Panagia Soumela, the Metropolis noted, “memory became prayer and emotion became thanksgiving.”
For the pilgrims, Pontus represented not simply a place belonging to the past but a living memory, a faith and a connection to their roots, with Panagia Soumela remaining an enduring symbol of this heritage for generations of Greeks throughout the world.
