A.Th. Panagiotis, the Ecumenical Patriarch Mr. Bartholomew excelled today, Sunday of the Myrrh Bearers, 30 April 2023, of the Patriarchal and Synodal Divine Liturgy, which was performed, according to custom, in the Catholicos of I. Patriarchal and Stavropigian Monastery of Valoukli, with the participation of Rev. Elder Derkon Mr. Apostle, Orthodox Sunday was celebrated with brilliance at Fanari. Irenaeus, Ikoniu Mr. Theoleptou, New Zealand Mr. Myron, Spain and Portugal etc. Vissarionos and Prousis Mr. Joachim.
The divine word was preached by Rev. Metropolitan of Neapolis and Stavroupolis Mr. Barnabas.
In his speech, after Th. Mode, His Holiness expressed his gratitude to God for allowing everyone to celebrate this day in the historic Monastery of Panagia Valoukliotissa.
"We came here today not only because this has been customary since ancient times, but also driven by inner mental need. The need to find ourselves again in this hallowed and renowned place over the centuries. Let's light our Easter candle and worship the miraculous Valoukliotissa Panagia. To kneel before the graves of our forefathers, to pray for the repose of their souls and to thank them for all that they preciously offered to the Holy Great Church of Christ and the Nation. Let's meet at the graves of others around our fathers and brothers who are resting, who live beyond the true life. Equally, Nevertheless, and to send our whole-hearted resurrection blessing to the hospitalized and elderly in the adjacent charity shops of our Homogeneity, which were so sorely tried by the destructive fire of last summer."
He then referred to the Myrrh-bearing women, which hear "first the glad tidings that the Lord is risen."!”. And keep going:
"And they are developing rapidly from the monument, after fear and great joy, he recites to his disciples. With wings on their feet and glitter in their eyes, they hurry to become the first evangelists to the later evangelists. And they meet the Lord himself, who addresses them with "Cheers"! It was the greatest reward to the Myrophores, about which the Holy Predecessor of our Meekness John Chrysostom said: "the weaker race appeared bravest then".
Priests and Theophilist brothers and most beloved children,
The perfumes of the Myroforos that still smell through the ages, the breeze and the colors of spring, the light and joy of the Resurrection that possesses us, all this makes up a wonderful picture, not merely external and superficial, but experiential and existential for all of us who continue this long tradition, which connects today to yesterday, as we walk towards tomorrow in faith, hope and love.
The Myroforos teach us exactly this steadfast faith, this unwavering hope, this unchanging love. With their faith in the Master and with the certainty that nothing ended on the Cross, with the love, which never falls, they stood up. The Myroforos conquered time!
This is what faithfulness accomplishes, the stability, the hope, patience! Here are lessons that are timely and worthy of imitation!”
Then His Holiness mentioned:
"Today here our joy is fulfilled, because we have our chosen spiritual children with us praying and congratulating on Easter, like the group of pilgrims from beautiful Xanthi, under the leadership of the dear Fr. Anthimou, and, New call to end the war in Ukraine, our seminarians from Athoniada, who make a multi-day pilgrimage, together with their teachers, in town, in Eastern Thrace, Bursa and the Ionian coast.
We welcome you once again with all our hearts, beloved children, and in your person we salute the faithful of all the God-saving provinces of the universal Throne. Today all of you become preachers of the Easter message that with the grace of God and with the protection of the Heroic General, the Lantern is not going to go out, it is not going to stop emitting and flashing the light of the Resurrection. Because this light is infinite. For all of you with the oil of your faith keep unquenchable the spiritual beacon called the Lamp. This is not evidenced by your presence here today; What other reason did you have to come and receive the blessing of your Patriarch, to pray together with Him and together with the Hierarchy that respects Him, if this reason is not your deep faith in God and your love for the Holy and Seven Center of Orthodoxy;”
Concluding his speech, the Patriarch, expressed his satisfaction to the Overseer of Theophilus Monastery. Bishop of Xanthoupolis Mr. Paisios and its Administrative Committee "for the reverent reception and for the fruitful work they carry out in favor of the respect of this staging of our Fathers". Particularly, Nevertheless, praised the sisters from the Holy Sanctuary of the Holy Forerunner of Akritochorio, which, as he said, "as new Myrophores, with a resurrected mind, sacrificially and with self-denial they minister night and day to this holy place, literally giving life to him and preserving the monastic tradition of this Holy Monastery, as a center of spiritual recreation, contemplation and uplifting". And he added:
"End, praise and honor belong to all those named and anonymous, the near and the far, the rich with their generous offering and the poor with the widow's penny, who contributed decisively to the repair work of our fire-damaged nursing home, contributing to not denying the hope of our desperate elderly fellow human beings, of those who have no other refuge but God, the Church and the love of their brothers."