The celebrations of the "Synagogue of the Saints in Thassos", which was established by Metropolitan Philip of Neapolis and Thassos (FNTH) K. Stephanos, will honor this year with their presence the Ecumenical Patriarch Mr. Bartholomew, the Archbishop of Athens Mr. Hieronymus and the metropolitan of Kiev and all Ukraine Mr. Superficial.
It is the first time that the Primate of Orthodoxy visits the island of Thassos, while for Mr. Epiphanio is his first official trip to Greece after receiving the volume of Autocephaly from the Ecumenical Patriarchate, by which the Church of Ukraine is recognized as autocephalous and independent.
Both the Ecumenical Patriarch and the two Blesseds are coming to the holy metropolis of ΤΥΤΟ at the invitation of the relevant pastor, Metropolitan and. Stefanou. Speaking to APE – HE the Eminence spoke of a highly honorable visit to the apostolic metropolis of Philippi, in the place from which the Apostle Paul preached the Gospel for the first time, founding the first church in Greece and Europe and baptizing the first European Christian woman, the co-apostle Lydia of Philippi.
The program of the visit and celebration
Metropolitan Stefanos estimates that the visit of the Ecumenical Patriarch and the two Beatitudes, it has both a symbolic and historical character for the apostolic metropolis of Philippi and especially for the island of Thassos which will celebrate with all solemnity and pomp the memory of its six local saints, on the first Sunday of September as established.
"Our Saints", notes the metropolitan, "who lived or passed through this blessed island of ours, which is rich in culture, in his religiosity, in his piety and in his history, from antiquity to the present day, are the protectors and patrons of this hallowed place".
The six saints of Thassos are: The faithful and god-bearing father Daniel, the holy and god-bearing father Euthymios, the faithful and god-bearing father Luke, the faithful and god-bearing father Euphrosynos, the holy glorious neomartyr John and the holy mother and confessor Haido.
The program of the three prelates on the island of Thassos includes various religious and honorary events by the island's municipality and local bodies such as the declaration of them as honorary citizens and the naming of the beach road of Limenaria after "Patriarch Bartholomew".
On Sunday morning the three prelates will concelebrate in the historic church of the Dormition of the Theotokos in the community of Panagia of Thassos.
On Monday and Tuesday the Ecumenical Patriarch and the Metropolitan of Kyiv will visit Kavala where they will participate in a variety of religious and cultural events organized in their honor by the municipalities of Kavala and Nestos and local bodies.