Orestiada, Greece, November 9, 2022
The concelebrating hierarchs with the precious skull of St. Panteleimon. Photo: imdos.gr
The feast of the Synaxis of the Archangel Michael and All the Bodiless Powers drew crowds of faithful and hierarchs from three Local Churches to the Church of the Holy Archangels Michael and Gabriel in Orestiada, Greece yesterday.
The glorious celebration was also blessed with the presence of the skull of the Great Martyr and Healer St. Panteleimon, which was received by the Orestiada parish from the Panachrantos Monastery in Andros on Saturday.
Vespers for the feast was celebrated Monday morning by a visiting hierarch—His Grace Bishop Sioni of Velichka of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, reports the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Didymoteicho, Orestias, and Soufli.
Bp. Sioni also presided over a procession with the relics of St. Panteleimon and an icon of the Bodiless Powers.
Photo: imdos.gr
The next morning, Liturgy for the feast was celebrated by the Bulgarian hierarch together with the local Greek hierarch, His Eminence Metropolitan Damaskinos, and His Eminence Metropolitan Naum of Strumica of the newly autocephalous Macedonian Orthodox Church-Ohrid Archbishopric.
Welcoming the visiting hierarchs, Met. Damaskinos emphasized that their presence “proclaims the unity of the Church, regardless of nationality, language, and race, and the bond of love between the hierarchs, which is certainly the fruit of the presence of the holy angels in the life of the Orthodox Church.”
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