The first church dedicated to Saint Pious Porphyrios the Kapsokalyvite was consecrated Tuesday, 10 May 2016, in Iraklion locality, Langadas – imlagada.gr informs.
The consecration service and first Divine Liturgy were celebrated by His Beatitude Hieronymus, Archbishop of Athens and All Greece. Several hierarchs of the Church of Greece concelebrated together with His Beatitude:
- Metropolitan Alexandros of Mantinia şi Kynouria;
- Metropolitan Theoklitos of Vrestheni;
- Metropolitan Andreas of Arkalochorion, Kastelion şi Viannos;
- Metropolitan Dorotheos of Syros;
- Metropolitan Chrysostomos of Patra;
- Metropolitan Athinagoras of Ilion, Acharnes and Petroupolis;
- Metropolitan Kyrillos of Kifisia, Amarousion and Oropou;
- Metropolitan Timotheos of Thessaliotida and Fanariofarsala;
- Metropolitan Maximos of Ioannina;
- Metropolitan Ioustinos of Nea Krini and Kalamaria;
- Metropolitan David of Grevena;
- Metropolitan Chrysostomos of Trikki and Stagon;
- Metropolitan Ioannis of Langadas, Liti and Rentini;
- Bishop Dimitrios of Therma;
- Bishop Nikiphoros of Amorion.
Various representatives of the state and local authorities attended the event.
At the end of the celebration, Metropolitan Ioannis of Langadas, Liti and Rentini thanked the Archbishop of Athens for his participation in the celebrations dedicated to the consecration of the place of worship, awarding him the highest distinction of the Metropolitanate: the Golden Cross of Saint Paul the Apostle and of Saints Kiril and Methodius, as a sign of gratitude.
Metropolitan Ioannis said in his speech that “Saint Porphyrios was a true friend of Jesus Christ, a sincere man and with a true religious soul”.
He has also mentioned the fact that Saint Porphyrios chose this place to build a church. Metropolitan of Langadas underlined in his homily the fact that “The Church may have enemies, but it looks upon them with the same undiminished love, because its duty is to guide human beings to God”.
Archbishop Hieronymus took turns in thanking for invitation and for the distinction awarded, also referring to the fact that the bishops’ duty is to be in the service of the people. “Our homeland is faced with a hard way”, the Archbishop affirmed adding that “all our troubles will continue and maybe the hardships will increase, but let us follow the advice of Saint Porphyrios who said: patience and the eyes set to heaven!”
His Beatitude Hieronymus underlined the need of synergy (cooperation) with God and conveyed a message to the authorities present at the event: “The conferences and participations in events are good, but they are just like aspirins which stop the pain for a short time, but do not heal the disease. We need antibodies. It is high time we all think over and assume responsibilities. Let us not try to transmit our own mistakes to other people!”
Then, the hierarchs visited the Byzantine Museum of the Diocese of Liti and the church of Saint Athanasius of Liti, where the new book by Metropolitan Ioannis of Langadas entitled “The Heavenly Church – Old Metropolitan Cathedral of Thessaloniki. Church of the Bodiless Powers – Saint Gheorghe Rotunda”, in which the history of this monument of Orthodoxy is presented, was launched.
The same day in the afternoon, Archbishop Hieronymus attended the Youth Feast organised by the Metropolitanate of Langadas, Liti and Rentini, in collaboration with the Department for Youth and Schools of Catechisation of the parishes.
Saint Pious Porphyrios the Kapsokalyvite (1906-1991) was a charismatic Greek father confessor who lived at the Holy Mount Athos. The Holy Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople enlisted him among the saints during its session of 27 November 2013, to be celebrated on 2 December, the day he has fallen asleep into the Lord.
