The Sunday of Orthodoxy was celebrated in the Holy Metropolis of Belgium in the presence of King Philippe of Belgium, on Sunday, March 17.
Metropolitan Athenagoras of Belgium and the Exarch of the Netherlands and Luxembourg officiated the Inter-Orthodox Divine Liturgy, accompanied by Metropolitan Chrysostomos of Kyrenia, Bishop Dositheus from the Georgian Patriarchate and clerics of all Orthodox denominations in Belgium, while Bishop Marcos from the Romanian Patriarchate prayed during the Divine Liturgy, which took place at the Metropolitan Cathedral of Archangels Michael and Gabriel in Brussels.
King Philippe of Belgium honoured with his presence the celebration, officially opening the celebrations for the Golden Jubilee of the Metropolis of Belgium, marking the 50th anniversary since its foundation in the summer of 1969.
King Philippe accepted the invitation of Metropolitan Athenagoras and followed with his escort the Divine Liturgy of Saint Basil the Great, Romfea reports.
It is the first time a reigning monarch visits the Orthodox Church after its official recognition by the state in 1985 and the official visit by King Baudouin to the Saint Andreas parish in Ghent in 1980 on the 150th anniversary of the reign of Belgium.
Photo courtesy of Metropolis of Belgium
