Heraklion: The Feast Day of Saint Menas the Great Martyr, the Patron Saint of the City

Saint Menas the Great Martyr and Patron Saint of Heraklion, Crete was honoured with all due solemnity and splendour. In the presence of local authorities and officials, as well as a large number of people, the Feast Dat Divine Liturgy began at 7 a.m. presided over by His Eminence Archbishop Evgenios of Crete, while a procession of the relics and the Holy Icon of Saint Menas followed through the main streets of the city. A crowd of believers followed the procession, while also many believers were in various parts of the city, through which the Holy Icon and the relics of the patron Saint passed.

Agios Minas has been associated with the former “Great Castle” and the protection of the city, while every year this feast day in Heraklion is a local holiday.

In his statement about the great celebration and the Patron Saint of Heraklion, Mayor Alexis Kalokairinos, noted:

“Many blessed years Heraklion, and to the women and men of Heraklion and to those who are with us here, and there are many of them today, in the Cathedral of Saint Menas. Many – many people. That means something. It means that there is a sense of community, here, in this place. And I think it is worth it, this community that is so alive, to have it active not only in celebrations, but also in the projects that we have to undertake together and that only if we are all together will be able to move forward. For the people of Heraklion, today is a day mainly of celebration, but also of rest. I hope you all have a good time and I hope that at some point the rains will come that we need to move on in the coming months.”

In his statement on the occasion of the feast of Saint Menas, the Regional Governor of Crete, Mr Stavros Arnaoutakis said:

“Today is the day of Heraklion. The city honours its patron Saint and protector, who is identified with the history of the Great Castle, Saint Menas. The most recent history of Heraklion has established the Metropolitan Church as a spiritual ark, as one of the most important religious monuments of the island. With our eyes cast on the future and the next generations, we face the challenges of the time united and optimistic. Blessed Feast Day to the women and men of Heraklion. Many Blessed Years to all Cretans”.

Source: AMNA