by Thanos Thanopoulos
A festive Divine Liturgy was held today, June 15, 2019, on the occasion of the feast of Archbishop Ieronymos of Athens and All Greece, at the Holy Convent of Metamorphosis of the Savior (Saint Porphyrios) in Milesi, Attica.
Archbishop Ieronymos presided the Divine Liturgy, while the representative of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, Metropolitan Amphilochios of Adrianople and the representative of the Patriarchate of Alexandria, Metropolitan George of Guinea, were also present.
On behalf of the Archpriests, Metropolitan Alexandors of Mantinia conveyed the blessings to His Beatitude.
The Protosyncellus of the Holy Archdiocese, Bishop Symeon of Thespies also wished Archbishop Ieronymos, offering him a book on the 100th anniversary of the Revolution of 1821 and a volume with studies of the Fall of Constantinople.
On his part, Archbishop Ieronymos thanked Metropolitan of Mantinia for his wishes and all the Archpriests who honored him with their presence, the priests who officiated today and the multitude of the faithful who gathered in the Monastery of Saint Porphyrios.
He stated that “the name given to us by the Church is a sacred thing, and we must honor it”, and also referred to the Monastery of Saint Porphyrios.
“Knowing Saint Porphyrios and benefiting from him, I would like to suggest something out of the ordinary while worshiping the image of the Saint; I would like you to think if the figure of St. Porphyry has any difference from the other saints. There is an underlying smile in his face. This is not usual in our Saints”, added Archbishop of Athens and All Greece.
In closing, Ieronymos emphasized: “Father Porphyrios looked back at the past but also into the future. Today, I would like to ask you something: Is there a possibility that Porphyrios wants this place to be according to his spirit, to guide, to give a perspective, to help the Church in all issues according to modern times? That was my thought, on the one hand to honor St. Porphyrios, and at the other hand to contemplate whether this place has become for something much greater and important.”