The Feast Day of Saint Euphemia the Great Martyr at the Metropolitan Church in Chalcedon

The feast day of the Holy Great Martyr and All-praised Saint Euphemia was celebrated at the Holy Metropolitan Church of Chalcedon with great splendour and due ecclesiastical order.

On Sunday, 15 September 2024, the Great Vespers of the Feast took place, while on the main day of the feast, His Eminence Metropolitan Andreas of Forty Churches officiated at the service of Matins and presided over the Divine Liturgy, following the kind invitation of the local Shepherd, His Eminence Elder Metropolitan Emmanuel of Chalcedon, and was joined in concelebration by the Protosyncellus, Archimandrite Evgenios Karatzas, the parish priest, Protopresbyter Naucratius Fourountzoglou, and Deacons Father Filippos Bardakci and Father Nicholas Simitsoglou.

Also present for the Feast Day were His Grace Bishop Smaragdos of Daphnousia, and many faithful believers from Constantinople and Chalcedon. At the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, the service of the blessing of the five loaves (Artoklasia) took place, for the health and length-of-days of the members of the Chalcedon Community and the pious pilgrims who came to celebrate the feast day.

His Eminence Metropolitan Andreas of Forty Churches, having first thanked His Eminence Elder Metropolitan Emmanuel of Chalcedon for the kind invitation, and after congratulating the President and the members of the Community for the perfect organisation of the feast day, he appropriately addressed the faithful analysing the Gospel reading of the day, making special reference to the honoured Saint, wishing us all to imitate her bravery, her brave attitude, as well as the fervour of her faith towards the Saviour Christ.

In the courtyard of the church and after the liturgical synaxis, the active and hospitable Community of Chalcedon offered a rich festive meal to the congregation with much love and kindness.