The Sacred and Holy Icon of Panagia “Axion Esti” is received in Komotini, Greece
Thousands of people from all corners of Thrace, Macedonia, but also Northern Greece in general, came from early Tuesday afternoon to the “heart” of the Rhodopes, Komotini, in order to “welcome” the Holy Icon of Panagia of “Axion Estin” which for the first time “visits” the boarder city of northen Greece.
People of all ages, with flowers and basil in their hands, waited a long time beforehand on the right and left of the street in order to shower the Mother of All with their flowers and receive Her blessing.
The Holy Icon arrived accompanied by the Head of the Holy Superintendency of Mount Athos Elder Christophoros Iveritis, fellow members of the Superintendency Hieromonk Theophilos Pantokratorinos, monk Nikiforos Philotheitis, Hieromonk Hieronymos Simonopetritis, as well as members of the Holy Community and the Representatives of the Holy Monasteries of Mount Athos.
The reception was held at the western entrance of the city by Metropolitan Panteleimon of Maroneia and Komotini and the Mayor of Komotini Ioannis Garanis, at the statue of Eleftherios Venizelos. With a procession, accompanied by the Army Philharmonic Band, police and military bands, cultural clubs, Hierarchs, clergy and deacons from various Metropolises, they first headed to the Heroic War Memorial of the city where the official welcoming ceremony took place.
The reception was attended, together with the Local Metropolitan Panteleimon and the Mayor of the city, by their Eminences, Metropolitans: Seraphim of Sebasteia, Damaskinos of Didymoteichos, Orestiada and Soufli, Panteleimon of Xanthi and Peritherio, Ignatios of Dimitriados and Almyros, Theophylaktos of Tripoli, Seraphim of Piraeus, Dorotheos II of Syros, Tinos, Andros, Kea, Mylos, Delos and Mykonos, Chrysostomos of Messinia, Athenagoras of Ilia Acharnon and Petroupolis, Nikodimos of Kassandreia and Polygyros, Joel of Edessa Pelli and Almopia, Theoklitos of Ierissos, Mount Athos and Ardameri, Chariton of Elassona, David of Grevena, Stefanos of Philippi, Neapolis and Thanos, Athanasios of Sisaniou and Siatistis, Bartholomew of Polyanis and Kilkisiou, Gennadios of Botswana and His Grace Bishop Polykarpos of Lefkopolis, Military authorities and security forces also attended, Muftis of Komotini Dr. Jihad Khalil and the representative of the Armenian Community.
Upon arrival at the Heroic Way Memorial of Komotini, a prayer was held and addressing those in attendance were the Mayor of Komotini, Mr. Ioannis Garanis, the Secretary General of Communication and Information as the representative of the Government Mr. Dimitrios Galamatis, the Regional Governor of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace, Mr. Christos Metios, the local Heirarch, His Eminence Metropolitan Panteleimon, and the Elder Christoforos Iveritis, Chief Superintendent of Mount Athos, also spoke.
The procession ended at the Holy Cathedral of the Annunciation of the Theotokos, where a Doxology took place and a crowd of people reverently waited to venerate the Holy Treasure.
It is noted that today, Wednesday, September 7, Komotini will be visited by Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, who will preside over the Official Doxology to be celebrated at 7 pm local time at the Holy Cathedral of the Annunciation of the Theotokos, while on Thursday morning he will officiate during the Divine Liturgy that will be celebrated in the same Church, on the feast of the Birth of the Theotokos. At noon on Thursday, His All-Holiness will visit Sapes Rodopi, where an official Doxology will be held, in the Holy Church of Saints Constantine and Helen.
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Source: orthodoxianewsagency.gr
