Chora, Naxos, Greece, July 16, 2026
Photo: vimaorthodoxias.gr
Thousands of Orthodox faithful filled the streets of the island capital of Naxos on Tuesday, July 14, as a grand procession was held in honor of St. Nikodemos the Hagiorite, the island’s patron saint and one of Orthodoxy’s most celebrated teachers.
The celebrations began with the Vespers and a Paraklesis service at the parish church of St. Nikodemos, presided over by Bishop Bartholomaios of Keramon, reports Vima Orthodoxias.
Pilgrims from Naxos and from across Greece gathered for the liturgical events in an atmosphere described as one of deep reverence.
Following the services, the sacred icon of St. Nikodemos was carried in procession along the coastal road of Chora. The procession also featured the translation of a relic of St. Nikodemos the Hagiorite and the venerable skull of St. Arsenios of Paros. The icon was borne by sailors from the Naval Observation Post of Naxos, officers of the Harbor Authority, and soldiers of the National Guard company.
Photo: vimaorthodoxias.gr
The procession was led by Metropolitan Kallinikos of Paronaxia and attended by Metropolitan Georgios of Thebes, Levadeia and Aulis, Metropolitan Chrysostomos of Nikopolis and Preveza, and Bishops Bartholomaios of Keramon and Varnavas of Christoupolis.
Musical accompaniment was provided by the band of the Hellenic Coast Guard and the municipal band of Naxos, who performed marches and ecclesiastical arrangements throughout the procession.
The procession concluded at the Life-Giving Spring Cathedral, where final prayers and a Paraklesis to the Most Holy Theotokos were celebrated.
Metropolitan Kallinikos publicly thanked all those who contributed to the organization of the celebrations, noting that the turnout of thousands of faithful demonstrated the enduring veneration of St. Nikodemos across the Aegean.
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