Elder Metropolitan Emmanuel of Chalcedon officiates at the Sacred Spring of Panagia Göksu
On the Eastern side of the City of Constantinople, with the calm waves of the Bosphorus, within the boundaries of the once flourishing Community of Kandylli, is located in a green place, a miraculous Sacred Spring in honour of the Most Holy Theotokos in the area of Göksu.
The Feast Day of the Sacred Spring gathered every year a large number of believers and pilgrims from the city, the wider region – and beyond – who flocked to celebrate the Nativity of the Virgin Mary on the 8 September.
This year, for one more year, a Divine Liturgy was celebrated and officiated from the throne by His Eminence Elder Metropolitan Emmanuel of Chalcedon. The Divine Liturgy was conducted by the Protosyncellus of the Metropolis of Chalcedon, Archimandrite Eugenios Karatzas, along with Deacon Philip Bardakci.
Despite the heavy rain, many believers from Constantinople, the surrounding area and abroad came to celebrate the Feast Day of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary. At the end of the Divine Liturgy, the blessing of the five loaves (Artoklasia) took place for the health and longevity of the members of the Community and the pilgrims.
Before the dismissal, His Eminence, after thanking the President and the members of the Community for the perfect organisation of the feast day, addressed the faithful, and referred to the person of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the importance of the feast of her Nativity, wishing everyone many years under the cover and the protection of the Virgin Mary.
In the vibrant and lush green courtyard of the Sacred Spring, the committee, with the special care of its President, Mrs. Ioannis Demirtzoglou, offered traditional hospitality to all the pilgrims, accompanied by music, reviving the festival that was celebrated in the past years.
