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Vimaorthodoxias · Aug 17 View source View full article on hyper.nooz.ai

Μητροπολίτης Δημητριάδος: Κινδυνεύουμε από έναν σύγχρονο μηδενισμό - Βήμα Ορθοδοξίας

🌐 Quote shown in the original Greek — English translation below

… Νεομάρτυρος Αποστόλου του Νέου, αυτού που είναι δικός μας, που ξεκίνησε από αυτόν τον τόπο για να γίνει Νεομάρτυρας της Εκκλησίας στους δύσκολους χρόνους της σκλαβιάς».

Στη συνέχεια, ο κ. Ιγνάτιος στάθηκε στην ιδιαίτερη συγκυρία της φετινής εορτής, η οποία συμπίπτει με την Κυριακή, συνδέοντας την Ανάσταση του Χριστού με την Κοίμηση της Θεοτόκου και τη μνήμη του Αγίου Αποστόλου επισημαίνοντας ότι «Κάθε Κυριακή είναι ημέρα Αναστάσιμη, η ημέρα του Κυρίου, κατά την οποία η Εκκλησία μνημονεύει την Ανάσταση του Χριστού και καλούμεθα, κοινωνώντας στη Θεία Ευχαριστία, να μετέχουμε στη δική Του Ανάσταση».

Αναφερόμενος στην Παναγία, τόνισε ότι «είναι η πρώτη που μετέχει στην Ανάσταση με ξεχωριστό τρόπο, καθώς η Κοίμηση και η Μετάστασή Της προαναγγέλλουν τον δρόμο που καλείται να ακολουθήσει κάθε άνθρωπος, με την ελπίδα της Αναστάσεως και της αιωνίου ζωής κοντά στον Χριστό».

Σε άλλο σημείο της ομιλίας του, ο Σεβασμιώτατος αναφέρθηκε στο πρόσωπο του Αγίου Αποστόλου του Νέου και στα βιώματα που διαμόρφωσαν …

▲ For · Church
Sentiment: positive

The speaker describes the Church's role in commemorating the Resurrection and participating in the Eucharist.
🇬🇧 English translation

Metropolitan of Demetrias: We are at risk from a modern nihilism - Vima Orthodoxias

Metropolitan of Demetrias: The Church of Demetrias celebrated the memory of the local New Holy Apostle, from Agios Lavrentios, Pelion, during the two-day period of 15-16/8.

The center of the celebration was the Holy Pilgrimage Church of the Saint, in his birthplace, Agios Lavrentios, Pelion, where on the eve of the feast, the Great Panegyric Vespers were celebrated, presided over by the Metropolitan of Demetrias, Mr. Ignatios.

In attendance were the Member of Parliament for Magnesia, Mr. Christos Boukoros; the Vice Regional Governor of Magnesia and Northern Sporades, Ms. Anna Maria Papadimitriou; the Director of the Magnesia Police Department, Mr. Athanasios Koulouris; as well as a multitude of pilgrims.

In his sermon, His Eminence initially referred to the great feast of the Dormition of the Mother of God, noting the widespread participation of the people in the worship services of August 15th and expressing his doxology to God for the peaceful celebration of the festivities in our local Church.

"God the All-Holy has honored us to celebrate the great feast of the Dormition of the Mother of God, the Easter of Summer, with a widespread presence and substantial liturgical life of the faithful in our Temples and villages," he noted, adding that for the Metropolis of Demetrias, the joy of the great Theotokos feast is extended by the memory of "the New Martyr Apostle, who is our own, who set out from this place to become a New Martyr of the Church during the difficult times of slavery."

Subsequently, Mr. Ignatios addressed the special coincidence of this year's feast, which coincides with Sunday, linking the Resurrection of Christ with the Dormition of the Mother of God and the memory of the Holy Apostle, pointing out that "Every Sunday is a Resurrection day, the day of the Lord, during which the Church commemorates the Resurrection of Christ and we are called, through communion in the Holy Eucharist, to partake in His Resurrection."

Referring to the Panagia, he emphasized that "she is the first to partake in the Resurrection in a unique way, as her Dormition and Assumption preannounce the path that every human being is called to follow, with the hope of Resurrection and eternal life near Christ."

At another point in his speech, His Eminence referred to the person of the New Holy Apostle and the experiences that shaped his faith from his youth.

"The Apostle was young, only 19 years old. He was born in this place and was baptized amidst slavery, but there was the village priest, there was the Church, the Monastery, there was a tradition," he noted. The Shepherd emphasized that this living tradition and deep faith in Christ accompanied the young Apostle even to Constantinople, where he faced coercion and threats when he sought to defend his compatriots.

"He did not bow. He did not want to exploit the opportunities that the situation offered him. He had experienced the Resurrection of Christ and believed in it. He knew that the Panagia was with him at that moment and was protecting him; the Saint, with the stability of his faith, became a New Martyr and joined the dozens, hundreds, thousands of New Martyrs of our homeland, who during the difficult times of slavery defended their faith in Christ even with their blood."

Following this, Mr. Ignatios connected the martyr-like mindset of the Saint with the challenges of the modern era, noting that "although slavery of those times does not exist today, man is at risk from another form of spiritual enslavement, from a spirit of a modern era that wants nihilism to dominate and for everything spiritual and substantial in life to be lost."

Nevertheless, he expressed optimism regarding the living relationship of the people with the Church, emphasizing that "the people have a sense, and if we do the minimum with sincerity, they respond manifold," while citing the flourishing of monasticism and new clerical calls in the local Church as tangible signs of this hope, noting that in recent years thirteen new monastic brotherhoods have been added, small but vibrant, "where the sleepless lamp burns and there are dedicated souls who pray," underlining that all this is a sign of hope for the future, "because Christ exists, our living hope for life and our future."

Concluding his speech, His Eminence referred specifically to the significant works that have already begun at the Holy Pilgrimage Church of the Holy Apostle, thanking and congratulating those who bear the responsibility and care for the Shrine. "Those who entered the Temple will already notice a renovation that has begun recently in this unique monument handed down to us by our fathers, in the Temple built here, where the Saint's house was," he stated.

He noted that a substantial intervention has already been made to the roof to address leaks and moisture, while the interior of the Temple has been cleaned and highlighted.

A special mention was made of the grand vision for the restoration of the old cells and the reopening of the Shrine's guesthouse, so that it may once again host pilgrims and simultaneously contribute to the revitalization of Agios Lavrentios.

"Our dream is for the cells that hosted pilgrims, the famous guesthouse of the Shrine, to be restored," he emphasized, noting that supporting such works concerns not only the Shrine itself but also the continuity of life in the village, the preservation of tradition, and the staying of residents in their place.

Closing, the Shepherd wished, "through the intercessions of our Holy New Martyr Apostle and our Panagia," health and strength to all, so that "we may be here, honor the Saint, glorify the Triune God, and continue the tradition."

On the morning of the feast day, the Festive Hierarchical Divine Liturgy was celebrated at the Holy Pilgrimage Church of the Holy Apostle, presided over by the Shepherd Mr. Ignatios, in the presence of all the residents of the village and a multitude of pilgrims.

In his sermon, His Eminence, prompted by the day's Gospel passage, referred to forgiveness and our relationship with our fellow man, noting that "our relationship with God has to do with our relationship with our brother, with our brothers, with others."

Analyzing the parable of the unmerciful servant, who, although he himself received remission of a huge debt, refused to show the same mercy to his fellow servant, he emphasized that Christ sets a clear rule for spiritual life: "God will forgive everything, if you also forgive your brothers."

And he added: "If you want your sins to be forgiven, you have no choice but to forgive the faults of others against you."

At another point, Mr. Ignatios called on the faithful to face themselves and reflect not only on what they have offered to others, but primarily on what they themselves have received in their lives. "How many 'thank yous' should I have said and did not say? How many times did I receive a blessing and did not repay it?", he wondered, observing that often a person easily remembers what they themselves offered, but forgets the blessings they received.

Referring to the obstacle of egoism, he noted that "egoism does not let us rejoice, because we are prisoners of our ego," a self that "only wants to be thanked and never to thank, only wants to be forgiven and never to forgive."

At the end of the Divine Liturgy, the Shepherd warmly thanked the residents of Agios Lavrentios for their response to the effort of renovating and reconstructing the Holy Shrine, while making a special mention of the Person in Charge of the Shrine and Protosyncellus of the Holy Metropolis, Archimandrite Maximos Papaioannou, who took over the responsibility after the retirement of Fr. Dimitrios, whom he also thanked for his many years of service and care.

His Eminence also referred to the continuation of the works, noting that after the cleaning of the Temple "the points that need continuation have now appeared," and expressed the hope that there will be people who will contribute so that "the icon painting of the Temple can finally be completed after so many years."

At the same time, he reiterated the grand vision for the reopening of the Shrine's guesthouse.

Concluding, Mr. Ignatios connected the upgrading of the Shrine with the general effort to maintain life in the villages of Pelion, emphasizing that "Agios Lavrentios has a future" and can "remain a very lively village and not only come alive in the summer, but also have life in the winter and keep young people."

He assured that the local Church will continue to care for the Temples, the Monasteries, and the Shrines, as well as the precious relics bequeathed by previous generations, concluding with the wish "may the Saint always be the protector of our youth, of the village of Agios Lavrentios, and our entire Metropolis."

For more photos click the link HERE

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