Patriarchal Divine Liturgy on the Feast Day of Apostles Peter and Paul in Arta, Greece
On Saturday morning, 29 June 2024, a Patriarchal Divine Liturgy took place on the occasion of the memory of The Holy Glorious and All-Praised Leaders of the Apostles, Peter and Paul, and the Parish Church of Saint Maximos the Greek, in Arta, Greece.
In front of the Holy Church, an official reception was held for His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew by His Eminence Metropolitan Kallinikos of Arta and the Mayor of Arta Mr. Christoforos Siafakas.
The Matins Service was officiated by His Eminence Elder Metropolitan Apostolos of Derkoi, while the Divine Liturgy was presided over by His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, and he was joined in concelebration by Their Eminences, Metropolitan Maximos of Ioannina, representing His Beatitude Archbishop Ieronymos of Athens and All-Greece, Metropolitan Joseph of Proikonnisos, Metropolitan Panteleimon of Maroneia and Komotini, Metropolitan Ierotheos of Nafpaktos and Agios Vlasios, Metropolitan Athenagoras of Ilion, Acharnes and Petroupolis, Metropolitan Theophilos of Lefkada and Ithaca, Metropolitan Chrysostomos of Nicopolis and Preveza and Metropolitan Dimitrios of Kefallonia.
Present and joined in prayer from the Holy Sanctuary were Their Eminences, Elder Metropolitan Apostolos of Derkoi, Metropolitan Kallinikos of Arta, Former Metropolitan Ignatios of Arta, Metropolitan Theoklitos of Stagoi and Meteora and Metropolitan Kallinikos of Kastoria.
His Eminence Metropolitan Kallinikos of Arta, warmly addressed His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and thanked him for his honourable first visit to the Metropolis. At the same time, he offered him a pastoral staff as a souvenir of his visit.
Afterwards, the Ecumenical Patriarch was addressed by the MPs of the prefecture, Mr. Georgios Stylios and Ms. Olga Gerovasili, the Deputy Regional Governor of Arta, Mr. Vasilios Psathas and, on behalf of the Ecclesiastical Council, the Parish Priest, Protopresbyter Nikolaos Kakochristos, who offered His All-Holiness a Hierarchical Cross-Engolpion set.
The Ecumenical Patriarch, in his turn, properly responded to their addresses, making reference to the Saints of Arta, but also to the personalities who illuminated the Church and the Ecumenical Patriarchate.
Finally, he offered as gifts to the Metropolitan a silver oil-lamp for the Holy Church of Saint Maximos, a Hierarchical Engolpion, a silver hand washing basin and jug and books about the Ecumenical Patriarchate.
