Group of pilgrims from the Metropolis of Neapolis and Stavroupolis visit Chalcedon
As part of the pilgrimage tour and organised activities, a group of fifty pilgrims from the Holy Metropolis of Neapolis and Stavroupolis, and more specifically from the parish of Saints Theodores of Sykies, visited the Queen of Cities, the City of Legend and History.
On Tuesday morning, 22 August 2023, the pilgrims also visited the Holy Metropolis of Chalcedon, accompanied by the Proistamenos of the Church, Protopresbyter Father Georgios Betas, and the Assistance Priest, Father Georgios Antoniadis. The pilgrims arrived by ship and were welcomed at the dock by Oikonomos of the Ecumenical Throne, Father Vasilios Ioannidis.
Afterwards, they headed to their first destination which was the Holy Metropolitan Church of Saint Euphemia, where they were welcomed by the vicar of the Holy Church, Protopresbyter Father Naukratios Fourountzoglou. After venerating and being guided through the Holy Church, they chanted the Apolytikion of Saint Euphemia, and went to the forecourt of the Church, where the Community of Chalcedon offered them refreshments and sweets.
The next stop was the Metropolitan Palace of the Holy Metropolis of Chalcedon where they were welcomed by the Protosyncellus of the Holy Metropolis, Archimandrite Evgenios Karatzas, who welcomed them with warm words, conveying at the same time the wishes and love of His Eminence Elder Metropolitan Emmanuel of Chalcedon.
After being guided around the grounds and learning about the history of the Holy Metropolis of Chalcedon, which has been lead by many great ecclesiastical figures, like His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, they left for their next destination, the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity.
There, after first venerating the two-faced icon of the Virgin of Chalcedon and the Crucifixion (14th century), they chanted a short prayer, they were guided around the Cathedral and heard about its history from the Dean of the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity and Protosyncellus of the Holy Metropolis of Chalcedon, Archimandrite Evgenios Karatzas.
The emotion and joy were evident on everyone’s faces while the leader of the group of pilgrims, Protopresbyter Father Georgios Betas, after thanking the venerable Shepherd of the Holy Metropolis of Chalcedon, Elder Metropolitan Emmanuel, and the Chalcedon Community for their Abrahamic hospitality, wished on behalf of all that a similar pilgrimage would soon be repeated.
Then, through the streets of the historic district of Modi, they headed to the dock to continue their pilgrimage to the Princes’ Islands, gaining the best impressions from their visit to the City of Constantinople.
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