The Feast of Christmas at the Metropolis of Chalcedon

With due ecclesiastical splendour and brilliance the Great Feast of the Nativity of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ was celebrated at the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity in Chalcedon.

On the eve of the feast, there is an old tradition in Chalcedon to hold a holy vigil, where this year many people arrived very early to participate in the festal celebrations.

The feast day service was presided over by His Eminence Elder Metropolitan Emmanuel of Chalcedon, who also celebrated his Name Day, and was joined in concelebration by the Protosyncellus of the Metropolis, Archimandrite Evgenios Karatzas, and the Third-Patriarchal Deacon Father Barnabas Grigoriadis and Deacon Father Philip Bardakci.

After the reading of the Holy Gospel, the Patriarchal Message for the Feast of Christmas was read.

At the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, Edler Metropolitan Emmanuel thanked the clergy and laity, who came to wish him well for his Name Day.

After the conclusion of the Christmas Vigil, the always hospitable Community of Chalcedon offered a reception to everyone in the adjacent hall of the Holy Cathedral.