Start of events for the 200th anniversary of the Martyrdom of the Four Holy New Martyrs of Rethymno
With widespread participation, despite the heavy rain, on Sunday morning, 28 January 2024, the procession of the first Holy Icon of the Holy Four New Martyrs took place, who came from Melambes and were martyred in Rethymno, Georgios, Aggelis, Manouil and Nikolaos. The procession started from the Holy Metropolitan Church of the Entrance of the Theotokos into the Temple and finished at the Holy Church of the Four Holy Martyrs of the city of Rethymno.
This Holy Icon was crafted by Ioannis Frangopoulos, from Zakynthos, in the year 1836, just 12 years after the martyrdom of the Four Holy New Martyrs, a fact which certifies the consciousness of the people of God about the holiness of the Four Martyrs.
The procession of the Holy Icon was followed by PASOK – Movement for Change MP for the Prefecture of Rethymno Mr. Emmanuel Chnaris, the Deputy Governor of Rethymno Ms. Mary Lioni, the Mayor of Rethymno Mr. Georgios Marinakis, the Mayor of Mylopotamos, Mr. Georgios Klados, the head of the major opposition of the Municipality of Rethymno, Mrs. Irini Koutsaledaki, Deputy Mayors, Regional and Municipal Councillors, Army and the Security Forces representatives, Clergy of the local Holy Metropolis and a multitude of believers.
The arrival of the Holy Icon at the Church of the Four Holy Martyrs was welcomed by the Philharmonic Band of the Municipality of Rethymno, playing appropriately, while the Holy Icon was carried by Cadets of the Rethymno Police Cadet School accompanied by local Traditional Associations and Organisation, and the Asia Minor Association of Rethymno, the Hellenic Lyceum-Rethymno Branch, the Red Cross and the Scouts.
After the arrival of the Holy Icon, a prayer service was performed in front of it and the Sacred Skulls of the Holy Four Martyrs, as a blessing was also distributed of their Holy Icons, for this anniversary year, to all the faithful.
In the afternoon of the same day, His Eminence Metropolitan Prodromos of Rethymno and Avlopotamos, officiated at the Holy Supplication Service to the Four Holy Martyrs, during which the Byzantine Music Choir “Pavlos Vlastos” chanted most beautifully under the direction of Protopsaltis Mr. Antonios Micheloudakis.
His Eminence Metropolitan Prodromos announced that throughout the year, on the 28th of each month, a central anniversary event will be held, culminating in the Patriarchal Divine Liturgy during the celebration of the memory of the Saints, on 28 October 2024, by His Beatitude Pope and Patriarch Theodore II of Alexandria and all Africa.
