The local Church of Smyrna celebrated the memory of Saint Bucolus, Bishop of Smyrna and disciple of Saint John the Theologian and Evangelist, who ordained him and appointed him as the city’s first bishop. For pastoral reasons and by decision of the Metropolitan, the feast was transferred from its usual date of February 6 to Sunday, February 8, so that the faithful could participate more fully in the annual commemoration of one of the spiritual patrons of the local Church.
On the evening of Saturday, February 7, Great Vespers for the Sunday of the Prodigal Son were celebrated, including hymns in honor of Saint Bucolus. The service was presided over by Metropolitan Bartholomew of Smyrna, who also blessed the Artoklasia for the health of the members of the Orthodox Community of Smyrna.
The Divine Services on Sunday, February 8, the day of the feast, were presided over, at the invitation of Metropolitan Bartholomew, by Metropolitan Andreas of Forty Churches, who serves as Hierarchical Head of the historic community of Stavrodromi in Constantinople. In his homily, Metropolitan Andreas spoke about the theological meaning of the Sunday of the Prodigal Son and the spiritual personality of Saint Bucolus, also recalling his shared service with Metropolitan Bartholomew in the Patriarchal Court.
Metropolitan Bartholomew warmly welcomed Metropolitan Andreas to historic Smyrna and thanked him for traveling from Constantinople to participate in the feast, highlighting their common service in the Patriarchal Court and their present ministry within the hierarchy of the Ecumenical Patriarchate.
