Messaria, Santorini, Greece, May 18, 2021
Photo: romfea.gr
St. Paisios the Athonite is one of the greatest saints of the 20th century and one of the most beloved saints in the Orthodox Church today. As a testimony to this love, churches have been built in his honor throughout the Orthodox world.
On Sunday, another one of those churches was consecrated, on the Greek island of Santorini.
The festive rite of consecration was celebrated by Metropolitan Epiphanios of Thera, Amorgos, and Nisoi at the church in the village of Messaria, reports Romfea.
The celebration began on Saturday afternoon, as the holy relics of Sts. Demetrios the Myrrh-Gusher, Sebastian, and John of Konitsa were received and placed into the holy altar table, followed by the festive Vespers service.
The next morning, Orthros for the Sunday of the Myrrh-Bearing Women was celebrated, followed by the rite of consecration. Met. Epiphanios and local clergy then served the first Divine Liturgy on the newly-consecrated altar.
Following the Divine Liturgy, His Eminence wished that “the Grace of the Holy Spirit, Who today descended and sanctified the holy altar and the whole church might sanctify the souls and lives of the founders and all the faithful. May the holy church of the saint of our days, Paisios of Mount Athos, be well established, and be the medicine of our souls and bodies.”
The Church of St. Paisios is one of the three large and beautiful churches of the village of Messaria.
In August 2019, a Romanian Church of St. Paisios was consecrated on Mt. Athos, and in February of that year, the first Athonite church in his honor was built for the community of Elder Evthymios, a spiritual grandchild of St. Paisios.
OrthoChristian has also reported on churches of St. Paisios in Cyprus, Crete, Russia, Belarus, Syria, and throughout Greece.
Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Vkontakte, Telegram, WhatsApp, Parler, MeWe, and Gab!
