His Eminence Dorotheos B’: Κυριακή των Βαΐων και Βαϊοφόρος Λιτάνευση “Ο Περίπατος του Αυτοκράτορα” στην Μύκονο [pictures & 5 videos]

Palm Sunday in Mykonos – Ωσαννά ευλογημένος ο Ερχόμενος
Bright Litany of Vaiophoros, which is a ancestral tradition, συνέχεια της Βυζαντινής και Τσαρικής παραδόσεως “Ο Περίπατος του Αυτοκράτορα”.

The Mykonians, faithful to the ancient traditions, εόρτασαν -τη Βαϊοφόρο – τη μνήμη της θριαμβευτικής εισόδου του Κυρίου στα Ιεροσόλυμα μετά την Ανάσταση του Λαζάρου, when the children of the Jews received Him shouting: "Hosanna to the Son of David, blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord after branches, vaion and spreading their garments".

The People of Mykonos are united, faithful and unmoved keeper of ancestral traditions and customs that he received from his ancestors and over the centuries in his collective memory kept alive, celebrated Palm Sunday with splendor and enthusiasm today, with the pandemic litany of Vaiophoros both in Chora, as well as in the Upper Side.

Arches of triumph from branches of palm trees, works of his philosophic and ficocal Ephemeris, received the Reverend Mr. Δωρόθεο Β’ ερχόμενο στον Ι. Metropolitan Church of Our Lady of Mykonos

The Eminence. Dorotheos II, officiated at the Metropolitan Church of Megali Panagia, who was subdued by cruciform traditional Vaya, where, according to local custom, the faithful are distracted by the chandeliers and the candles, of which are pending, during the reading of the Gospel phrase "and they received the plagues of the palm trees"!
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Gospel Reading
The Reading is from the Gospel According to John 12:1-18 – Ευαγγελικό ανάγνωσμα: Io. 12: 1 – 18
The Gospel passage comes from the Holy Gospel of John and includes two events. The first is the dinner set in honor of Jesus Christ at the home of his friend Lazarus, whom He raised from the dead and the second is the account of His triumphal entry into Jerusalem. These events took place, as the evangelist John informs us, six days before the Jewish Passover and the Passion of Jesus Christ.
Six days before the Passover he came to Bethany, where Lazaros the traditional, being raised from the dead. They made him dinner there, and Martha lives, and Lazarus is one of those who are with him.
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Jesus Christ is walking again in Jerusalem as we are at the gates of Holy and Great Week. The multitudes of the people then "went out to answer him". As then, so today Jesus Christ will walk the path of sacrifice and martyrdom. The question that arises is how we will receive Him and what attitude we will maintain towards him; Through the great hymnology of Holy Week, the Church teaches us, that Jesus Christ's Journey to the Passion is also our journey. The Church calls us to accompany and cross paths with Him, so that we can meet Him and taste the joy and glory of the Resurrection which means our salvation and adoption by God, that is, our share in His eternal kingdom.
According to the Christian calendar it was established to be called Sunday of Palms (or Lazarus Sunday or Vaiophoros Sunday) the previous Sunday of the Feast of the Resurrection.

In his speech, His Eminence Mr.. Dorotheos II to the full assembled believers, among which were Cycladic MPs Katerina Monogyou, Philip laden, the Mayor of Mykonos Mr. Constantinos Koukas and Municipal Councilors, he referred to the opportunity that opens up for every believer, in view of Holy Easter, to regard the time as a welcome time of repentance and purification, so as to follow Christ ascending to Jerusalem experientially, to cross with Him and participate worthily in His Resurrection from the dead.
and finally, thanked and congratulated the High Priest of the Temple, Protopr. Petro Marago, the Dean of the Protopr. Georgios Kousathanas and his associates, for the preparation and flawless execution of the Festival.
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Then, His Eminence Mr.. Dorotheos II prefect of the brilliant procession of Vaiophoros, from the historic Church of Achiropoiitos Paraportiani and the former Metropolitan Church of Agia Basilomitoros Eleni, bearing the Icon of Vaiophoros, on the beach and the picturesque streets of Mykonos, in which the three Parishes of Chora participated and which was followed by a large number of faithful Mykonians, visitors and small children.
This litany is a survival of Byzantine custom, which took place on this day in Constantinople, called "The Emperor's Walk", from the Palace to the Great Church. During this route, the Emperor was handing out woes to the world, with which the faithful decorated the walls of their houses and their iconostasis, and crosses, and the Patriarch accompanying him distributed crosses and candles.

Leading the litany were the children of Mykonos, who ceremonially waved the elaborate Vaias (branches) from palm trees, which they built, speaking to each other, announcing in the Country of Mykonos the beginning of the Holy and Great Week and the triumphant entry of Christ into Jerusalem and into the lives of the people.. and singing the carols of Vaiophoros: "Wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy, we eat fish and kolio, and the next Sunday we eat the roast lamb"!
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Upon the arrival of the litany at the Metropolitan Cathedral, His Eminence Mr.. Δωρόθεος Β’ ευχαρίστησε και συνεχάρη τον Εφημέριο του Ιερού Μητροπολιτικού Ναού, Archpriest Peter Marago, for his ministry in general, his contemporaries, the Commissioners and the pious ladies and the young men for the craft of the most beautiful works, congratulated the children's parents, he wished them good progress for their children and everyone for Easter.
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Below are images from the Divine Liturgy and the Procession:

Images from the Bright Litany of Vaiophoros, “Ο Περίπατος του Αυτοκράτορα”: