On Thursday, December 14, 2023, the Church of the Dormition of the Theotokos in Nea Ionia, Greece, reverberated with the solemn echoes of the Great Hierarchical Vespers in commemoration of the esteemed Hieromartyr Eleftherios, Bishop of Illyria. The holy relics of Saint Eleftherios, cherished as a profound spiritual treasure, are preserved within this sanctuary.
Metropolitan Gabriel of Nea Ionia, Philadelphia, Heraklion, and Chalcedon, performed the Vespers service, joined by a multitude of clergy from Nea Ionia’s local Church and various Holy Metropolises. One century after the relics’ translation, they were placed in a new silver casket (called “larnaka”).
But before this momentous occasion, the Metropolitan offered a heartfelt prayer for the well-being of the devout donors among the clergy and the faithful of the Holy Metropolis. In his homily, he illuminated the life of Saint Eleftherios, an illustrious figure revered as a symbol of Christian liberty. He expressed the hope that the venerable relic of the Saint will be safeguarded within the Holy Metropolis. These relics, borne by refugees from Asia Minor, stand as a singular spiritual legacy, an invaluable heirloom for both the parish and the local Church of Nea Ionia.
