Limassol, Limassol District, Cyprus, December 15, 2023
Photo: orthodoxianewsagency.gr
The municipality of Limassol, Cyprus honored its long-time hierarch this week.
His Eminence Metropolitan Athanasios, who has governed the Limassol Diocese since 1999, is well known throughout the Orthodox Church, far beyond the bounds of his diocese and the Cypriot Church.
On Wednesday night, he was honored with the Christodoulos Sozos 2023 Award “for his enormous work and multifaceted contribution to the city, which makes him one of the most important personalities of modern Limassol,” reports the Orthodoxia News Agency.
The event began with hymns by the St. Romanos the Melodist Byzantine Choir.
Then the mayor of Limassol, Nikos Nicolaidis, spoke about the Metropolitan, referring to him as “a worthy shepherd, a spiritual father for all, a Good Samaritan for the suffering.”
“His entire journey and activity have made him a leading hierarch of our place, the guardian angel and beacon of guidance for our city. Your Eminence, your city thanks you and is grateful to you!” the mayor exclaimed.
Met. Athanasios responded that the award is an honor for the entire Church: “The Church is the one that supports us all and is our mother and is the nurturer and guardian of every city and every homeland.”
“The works you have seen … are all the works of God, not my own. They are works of God,” the Metropolitan said. “We thank the All-Good God Who made all these works for His own glory.”
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