Holy Monastery of Voulkono: With majesty and splendor and in the presence of a multitude of faithful, the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos was celebrated again this year in Messenia. The focus of the celebration was the historic Holy Monasteries of the Dormition of the Theotokos of Voulkono, on Mount Ithomi, and the Dormition of the Theotokos of Dimiovis, on the mountain massif of Taygetos.
At the Holy Monastery of Voulkono, the Matins service was presided over by the Metropolitan of Carthage, Mr. Meletios, who, at the end of Matins, proceeded with the Metropolitan of Messenia, Mr. Chrysostomos, leading the holy procession to the Monastery's Phiale, where, according to ancient custom, he received the Holy Icon of the Panagia of Voulkaniotissa, descending from the old Katholikon of the Monastery on the summit of Mount Ithomi.
Subsequently, a Hierarchical Divine Liturgy was celebrated, presided over by the Metropolitan of Carthage and co-celebrated by the local Shepherd, the Metropolitan of Messenia, Mr. Chrysostomos. The hierarchs were accompanied by the Abbot of the Monastery, Archimandrite Prokopios Smyrnis, one of the brothers of the Monastery, Archimandrite Alexios Sarantopoulos, and the Deacon Theofilos Kyriakos.
Upon the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, Metropolitan of Carthage Mr. Meletios expressed his gratitude for his participation in the celebration, emphasizing that he is “flesh of the flesh” of the Monastery, and wished to the large congregation and the representatives of the Authorities—namely the Deputy Minister of Culture Mr. Io. Lampropoulos, the Mayor of Messini Mr. Georgios Athanasopoulos, MP Mr. Miltos Chrysomallis, and the present members of the Regional Council of Peloponnese and the Municipal Council of Messini—that the Most Holy Theotokos may be the Help, Protection, and Perception of all Her children, especially those of Messenia wherever they may be.
Following the blessings and thanks, the Metropolitan of Messenia, Mr. Chrysostomos, presented to the Commander of the 9th Infantry Regiment of the city of Kalamata, Colonel Mr. Georgios Charitos, the Supreme Honorary Distinction of the Holy Metropolis of Messenia, the Gold Cross “Panagia i Hypapanti,” expressing the gratitude of the local Church through the person of the Commander, who since his first day of arrival in Kalamata has stood as a supporter and ally to the work of the Church. Finally, he thanked the Minister of National Defense, Mr. Nikolaos Dendias, for accepting the proposal for the Honorary Distinction for the Commander.
At the historic Holy Monastery of the Dormition of the Theotokos of Dimiovis, on the mountain massif of Taygetos, where Saint Vissarion the Agathonites, originally from Petralona, took his monastic vows, the Divine Liturgy was presided over by the Protosyncellus of the Holy Metropolis of Messenia, Archimandrite Filippos Hamargias, accompanied by the Abbot of the Monastery and Hierarchical Commissioner of Alagonia, Protopresbyter Ioannis Parthenios, and the President of the Monastery's Management Committee, Protopresbyter Sotirios Papadopoulos.
Before the conclusion, Father Filippos instituted the new Holy Icon of Saint Vissarion the Agathonite, which will now adorn the northern part of the iconostasis of the Katholikon. After the Divine Liturgy, a procession of the Holy Icon of the Panagia of Dimiovitissa followed, and subsequently, the customary blessing of the loaves was performed, which took place in the courtyard due to the large congregation.