Celebration of the memory of Saint Dionysios in the Church where he liturgised as Bishop of Aegina

With the blessing of His Eminence Metropolitan Ephraim of Hydra, Spetses and Aegina, on Sunday afternoon, 17 December 2023, the Vespers Service and Artoklasia took place in the Church of Saint Dionysios (Episkopi) in Palaia Chora, Aegina.

In this Church for two years (1577 – 1579) Saint Dionysios as Bishop of Aegina officiated, who, arriving in Aegina after the destruction of Barbarossa, helped in the spiritual support of the inhabitants of the island by offering consolation with his teaching and pastoral work.

Outside the Church today, the small throne of the Saint is still preserved and opposite the church is his cell. Saint Nektarios, Bishop of Pentapolis and wonderworker of Aegina, also often liturgised in this Church.

The Vespers Service was conducted by the Vicar General, Archimandrite Amfilochios Geladakis, along with Father Stylianos Koutsoukos, while Father Konstantinos Barberis chanted the sacred hymns of the feast day.

Father Amfilochios spoke about the important initiative to celebrate Saint Dionysios in the church he officiated in, while also pointing out the need to protect and maintain the monuments of Palaia Chora (Old Town).

The initiative for holding the Vespers Service was taken by the Cultural Heritage Protection Group of Aegina.