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THE FEAST OF SAINT SPYRIDON AT THE PATRIARCHATE

On Saturday, 12/25 December 2021, the Patriarchate celebrated the feast of our Father among the Saints Spyridon, Bishop of Trimythus the wonder-worker, at the Holy Monastery dedicated to him, near Damascus Gate, inside the wall of Jerusalem.

On this feast the Church renews in its memory that Saint Spyridon came from Cyprus, he was a shepherd of sheep, married and virtuous, and when his wife and daughter died, he was called by God to become a shepherd of logical sheep in the Church, as the Bishop of Trimythus. God gave him the grace to work miracles, as his Apolytikion says, as he called his dead daughter above her grave and she spoke to reveal where she had hidden some treasure so that it would be given to the poor. He changed a snake into gold and again the gold into a snake, opened the heavens to rain heavily and stop the draught, he stopped the course of the river to cross over and had angels co-celebrating the Divine Liturgy with him. He participated in the 1st Ecumenical Synod in AD 325 where he bravely defended the doctrine of the one essence of the Son with the Father.

In honour of this High Priest and Father of the Church, Great Vespers and the Divine Liturgy were officiated by His Eminence Metropolitan Joachim of Helenoupolis, with the co-celebration of Archimandrites Ignatios and Makarios, Priest Hader and Hierodeacon Simeon, at the chanting of Archimandrite Eusevios, Mr Gotsopoulos and the Patriarchal School Students, with the contrite prayer of Monks, Nuns, and other Orthodox faithful.

During the Divine Liturgy, H.H.B. our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem came for veneration, accompanied by Hagiotaphite Fathers.

The Patriarchal and Episcopal entourages were offered a reception at the Hegoumeneion by the good keeper of the Monastery, Hegoumen Archimandrite Sergios.

From Secretariat-General