Fokida: Inauguration of Katholikon with Byzantine grandeur at the Holy Monastery of Panagia Varnakova

The Inauguration service (opening of the doors) of the Byzantine Katholikon Church of the Monastery of the Dormition of the Theotokos, Panagia Varnakova, in Dorida, took place with great reverence and Byzantine grandeur, on the eve of the feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos and was officiated by His Eminence Metropolitan Theoktistos of Fokida.

The Katholikon Church of the Holy Monastery is one of the most magnificent Byzantine monuments of Greek church architecture. It was built in 1077 AD. from Saint Arsenius Varnakovitis and the generous support of the Emperors of the Comneni dynasty. The Comneni emperors of Byzantium assisted the monastery financially and granted it extensive holdings in the Mornos valley, stretching as far as the sea and islands in the Gulf of Corinth. It was rebuilt in 1831 by the Governor of Greece Ioannis Kapodistrias, after it was blown up in 1826 by the Turkish occupation. It remained closed since the year 1995, after the strong earthquake of Aigio which seriously affected the static adequacy of the building.

The Inauguration Service was followed by the enthronement of the holy icon of Panagia Varnakova, the new icon which was painted with the care of the Metropolitan Theoktistos of Fokida, after the total destruction suffered by the Holy Monastery from the two fires of 2017 and 2020. The Metropolitan who loves, worries and takes care of all the monasteries under his jurisdiction, after the second fire, made the creation of a new icon of the Virgin Mary a priority of his pastoral care. Thus, on 14 August 2021, at the Great Vespers of the Dormition of the Theotokos, the reception of the new holy icon of Panagia Varnakova took place.

At this year’s Great Vespers, which was officiated by His Eminence Metropolitan Theoktistos of Fokida, the numerous pilgrims had the blessing of learning the maxims and virtues of life with the inspiring address about the historical course of the Holy Monastery and those living in it. In particular, Archimandrite Nektarios Moulatsiotis, Chancellor of the Holy Metropolis spoke and addressed the congregation, as he read a short but meaningful text, written by the sisterhood of the Holy Monastery, at the request of the Abbess Theodosia of the Holy Monastery.