Feast of Holy Glorious Martyr Demetrius the myrrh-gusher was celebrated at the Patriarchate of Jerusalem
On Wednesday, 8 November 2023, the feast of the holy glorious martyr Demetrius the myrrh-gusher was celebrated by the Patriarchate of Jerusalem.
On this feast, the Church renews in its memory that Saint Demetrius came from Thessaloniki, of which he is also the patron saint and lived in it during the times of the emperor Maximian. He was the son of pious parents and a fervent teacher of the faith.
His sermons disturbed Maximian, who, coming to Thessaloniki, ordered his imprisonment. At the end of the games in Thessaloniki, Lyaeus, arrogantly full of himself provoked the athletes to a fight. A Christian named Nestor came to the prison, and received the blessing of Saint Demetrius, to fight against Lyaios. Saint Demetrius answered, “You shall both defeat Lyaios and bear witness for Christ”. As the saint prophesied, Nestor fought in the stadium and managed to strike Lyaios and killed him. Upon learning the reason, Maximianus sent him to prison and killed Saint Demetrius with spears and decapitated Nestor with a sword at the sight of him.
In honour of Saint Demetrius, Vespers was held in the afternoon and the Divine Liturgy in the morning in the chapel of Saint Demetrius in the Central Monastery, officiated by His Eminence Metropolitan Demetrius of Lydda, along with the Typicon Keeper Archimandrite Alexios, the Archimandrites Makarios, Amfilochios, Christodoulos, Presbyter Nectarios and Archdeacon Mark.
The Secretary of the Holy Synod, Hierodeacon Simeon delivered the chanting with the help of Archimandrite Niphon and the Patriarchal School Students. The Liturgy was attended by faithful Christians and the teachers of the adjacent School of Saint Demetrius, praying to the Saint for the cessation of the war and the relief of its innocent victims.
During the Divine Liturgy, His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem and Holy Sepulchre Fathers came for veneration.
After the end of the Divine Liturgy, a festive meal was served in the forecourt of the Holy Church, by those serving at the Central Monastery of Saint Constantine, Father Byron and Father Seraphim.
Source: Patriarchate of Jerusalem
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