The City of Kalamata celebrates its Patroness and Protectress “Panagia Ypapanti”

The capital city Kalamata, of the region of Messinia, celebrated its Patroness and Protectress, “Panagia Ypapanti”. The feast day celebrations began on Saturday evening, 1 February 2025, in an atmosphere of due ecclesiastical splendour and devotion.

During the Great Poly-Hierarchical Vespers, which was celebrated in the celebrating Metropolitan Church of the Presentation of Christ, His Eminence Metropolitan Serapion of Paramythia officiated, with the concelebration of Their Eminences, Metropolitan Ephraim of Hydra, Metropolitan Nektarios of Kerkyra, Metropolitan Athenagoras of Ilion, Acharnes and Petroupolis, Metropolitan Konstantino of Megara, Metropolitan Meletios of Carthage, Metropolitan Theoklitos of Stagoi and Meteora, Metropolitan Epiphanios of Mantineia and the local Shepherd, Metropolitan Chrysostomos of Messinia.

The holy sermon for the feast day was preached by His Eminence Metropolitan Epiphanios of Mantineia, who in a clear and direct way referred to the meanings of the great feast of the Presentation of Our Lord in the Temple, but also to the sanctity of the person of the Most Holy Theotokos.

During the Vespers Service, a large number of believers came to the Holy Church to venerate the Holy and Miraculous Icon of the Virgin Mary, as well as to participate in the service. Representatives of local authorities and organisations were also present.

The feast day celebrations culminated on Sunday, 2 February 2025, with the celebration of the Poly-Hierarchical Divine Liturgy and the magnificent procession of the Miraculous Icon throughout the city.