New Year’s Day at the Vatopedi Metochion of Galata, Constantinople

The Feast of the Circumcision of Our Lord and the memory of Saint Basil the Great was celebrated, according to the Julian Calendar, at the Vatopedi Metochion of Galata, Constantinople.

On Tuesday, 14 January 2025, the Divine Liturgy took place at the Church of Saint Andrew the Apostle, in Galata, where the Russian speaking community of Constantinople attends church. His Eminence Metropolitan Athenagoras of Kydonia presided over the Divine Liturgy, and was joined in concelebration by the Priests of the Holy Metochion. The choir of the Church sang diligently and faithful from Constantinople and pilgrims from abroad attended the Feast Day Divine Liturgy.

After the dismissal of the Divine Liturgy, the Proistamenos of the Church, Grand Preacher Archimandrite Panaretos, welcomed His Eminence Metropolitan Athenagoras of Kydonia with warm words, who, on behalf of His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, officiated on this glorious day of the Circumcision of the Lord and the memory of Saint Basil the Great.

During his response, Metropolitan Athenagoras of Kydonia conveyed to the Russian-speaking Parish the Patriarchal wishes and the paternal blessing of His All-Holiness and analysed in simple and understandable words the epithets “Great” and “Ouranophantor (a revealer of heavenly mysteries)”, which the Church has bestowed on the luminary of Caesarea, Saint Basil the Great. This was followed by the blessing and cutting of the Vasilopita, in the adjacent Church Hall, where a festive reception was held for the entire congregation.