Ecumenical Patriarch visited the Church of Fifteen Hieromartyrs in Kilkis

His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew stated, “The culture, life, and history of the people of this region, both indigenous and refugee, are inextricably linked and interwoven with our Church,” during his visit to the Church of the Fifteen Hieromartyrs in Kilkis on Saturday afternoon, 21 September 2024.

“It is a great pleasure for us to be among you and to attend the festive program of the cultural associations of the city of Kilkis, which we are certain will move us and evoke memories of the history, pain, and nostalgia of the homeland,” said the Ecumenical Patriarch.

“At the same time, it will present to us the current reality, interwoven with both the past and present, showcasing the virtues and praise of our ancient ancestors — the earliest presences of our Nation — in lands sanctified by tears and sacrifices, marked by a Christian seal, as evidenced by the monuments of our churches and schools, which exude life.”

Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew then emphasised “the inseparable unity of continuity, cohesion, and consequence” of the people, which is deeply reflected in their traditions. He stressed that the events organised by the Metropolis of Polyana and Kilkis, on the occasion of the centenary of its elevation, “eloquently testify to your respect and love for the centuries-old institution of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the Mother Church, from which you stem, like a temperate climate nurturing the vine.” He continued:

We appreciate all efforts to preserve the traditions of the Nation. The culture, life, and history of the people of this region, both indigenous and refugee, are inextricably linked and interwoven with our Church.”

The Ecumenical Patriarch commented that the faith of the refugees was the driving force behind the construction of monasteries, churches, and monuments, as well as the creation of a “culture rooted in values”—values that are passed down from generation to generation.

“The spiritual life of the refugees was founded on the solid rock of faith, and it is this Orthodox faith that sustains them,” said His All-Holiness, expressing his wish that “the eternal values of the Gospel” and the faith of the Nation “continue to guide the lives and thoughts of all.”

“The persecutions our people endured due to their devotion to Christ and His ideals are countless,” the Ecumenical Patriarch added, emphasising: “Yet, as the late academic Konstantinos Despotopoulos wrote about the region of Ionia, all these persecutions ‘dissolved like a spider’s web and vanished like waves breaking on the seashore.’”

And if persecutions persist, perhaps in a different form today, across the world, the lessons and experiences remain alive and form our spiritual and cultural legacy, which I safeguard and which we are all called to preserve intact.”

The Ecumenical Patriarch was then addressed by the head of the church, Father Polykarpos.

His Eminence Metropolitan Ignatios of Demetrias and Almyros, representing His Beatitude Archbishop Ieronymos of Athens and All Greece, Mayor of Kilkis Dimitrios Kyriakidis, Parliament Vice-President Georgios Georgantas, former acting Prime Minister Ioannis Sarmas, and others attended the church service.

A concert of traditional music and a presentation of traditional dances by the cultural associations of Kilkis followed the event.