This morning, at the Holy Monastery of Agios Gerasimos in Omala, the Divine Liturgy of many priests was celebrated with splendor, in the presence of many believers who came to worship the holy remains of the Saint, patron of Kefalonia.
The Metropolitan of Nea Smyrna, Mr. Simeon, celebrated the Divine Liturgy with the participation of the Metropolitan of Floris, Prespa and Eordaia, Mr. Irenaios, Bishop Theophilestos Stratonikeia, Mr. Stefanos (assistant Bishop of Leros), Mr. The Archbishop of Tomid, Mr. Theodosios of the Church of Romania, as well as the relevant Capital of Kefalonia, Mr. Dimitrios.
Metropolitan Simeon gave the divine speech, pointing out that the modern living miracles of the Orthodox Church are embodied through their Saints, just like the incorruptible relics of Saint Gerasimos. He referred to the Saint’s life, his miraculous intercession for the faithful, and emphasized the importance of the relics as evidence of Gerasimos’ sanctity.
At the end of his speech, he sincerely thanked the Metropolitan of Kefalonia Mr. Dimitrios for the honorable invitation to participate in this wonderful celebration, which is an important spiritual event for both Kefalonia and Orthodoxy.
After the end of the Divine Liturgy, clergy and people reverently accompanied the holy relics of Agios Gerasimos in the great procession, which ended at the historic plane tree and the fountain planted and built by the Saint himself.
The City of Kefallinia Dimitrios did not fail to sincerely thank the faithful who came this year from all over the world, especially the expatriates, to worship and pray with faith to the grace of Saint Gerasimos. The presence of two church choirs from Kefalonia, which enriched the festive atmosphere in the Holy Church of Agios with their sweet, cheerful singing. The Argostoli church choir led by Vassiliou Kalogiras and the Lixouri church choir, with choir leader Nikolaos Valsamos, a famous jurist and director of the Agios Georgios Karitsis church choir in Athens, offered unique moments.
This year, the famous Philharmonic School of Corfu “Kapodistrias”, which came to our island at the invitation of the Deputy Regional Governor Sotiris Kouris, gave a special color to the procession, and the Philharmonic School of Kefalonia also participated, lending a special note of celebration for this wonderful religious event.
A large number of representatives from the political and local leadership took part in the religious events at the Holy Monastery in Omala.
The government was represented by the Deputy Minister of Labor Kostas Karagounis, and present were the deputy of the prefecture Panagis Kappatos, the Regional Mayor of the Ionian Islands Yiannis Trepeklis, the mayor of Argostoli Theofilos Michalatos, the head of the great opposition Yiannis Lykoudis, the mayor Ithakis Dionysis Stanitsas, the mayor Samis Panagis Drakulongkonas, the Deputy Mayor Samis Spyros Spathis, the Mayor of Lixouri Giorgos Katsivelis, the regional deputy governors Sotiris Kouris and Eleninastasato, the president of the Chamber Stavros Spathis and others. AEN also participated in the religious ceremonies with a group of students.
Deputy mayors, city councilors, representatives of party organizations, Civil Defense Bodies and cultural associations of Kefalonia were also present.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY KEFALONIA!
REPORT: AFRODITI K.
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