Around 1,000 pupils from 37 schools at all levels of education in Thessaloniki chanted hymns to the Virgin Mary at the city’s Hagia Sophia Church.
The pupils, together with the choir of the Hellenic Army Officers’ School and the Eirmos Byzantine Children’s Choir of the Metropolis of Thessaloniki, provided the liturgical responses on Friday, 13 March, during the great compline with the 3rd stasis of the Akathist Hymn.
The service was celebrated by Archbishop Ieronymos II of Athens, Primate of the Church of Greece, together with Metropolitan Philotheos of Thessaloniki, Metropolitan Gabriel of Nea Ionia, Metropolitan Maximos of Ioannina, Metropolitan Stephanos of Philippi and Metropolitan Damaskinos of Velestino.
Young Voices in the Life of the Church
Archbishop Ieronymos II spoke about the role of the Mother of God in the life of Christians and encouraged the students to live their faith concretely.
“You who sing the hymns this evening are not simply offering us a beautiful musical moment. You yourselves become a manifestation of the new creation that Christ offers us,” he said.
“When your young voices praise the Virgin Mary and your hearts participate in the prayer of the Church, the world breathes differently,” the archbishop added.
The primate of the Church of Greece urged the students to become witnesses of the faith with kindness and respect in school, in family life, and in society.
Church and Education Together
The Archbishop of Athens also emphasised the importance of cooperation between the Church and educational institutions.
“When the Church and education walk hand in hand, the fruit is blessed,” he said.
Among those attending the service were Stelios Angeloudis, mayor of Thessaloniki, Alexandros Koptsis, regional director of education for Central Macedonia, and other representatives of local authorities.
The event took place as part of the educational and cultural programme “The Akathist Hymn – Kontakion and Canon”, organised in cooperation with the Regional Directorate of Education of Central Macedonia and addressed to primary and secondary school students.
Photo: Metropolis of Thessaloniki
