The Feast of the Dormition of the Mother of God was celebrated on the island Imbros in an atmosphere charged with emotion.
Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the Holy Church of Sts Theodoroi in his village. The Divine Liturgy was concelebrated by Metropolitans Kyrillos of Moschonissia and Chrysostomos of Myron. Many of his fellow villagers attended the Divine Liturgy, as well as the President of the Ιmbrian Association in Athens, Stelios Poulados, and Imbrians, who live abroad and return to their homeland for their summer holidays.
“An eminent scholar and beloved brother was with us here 10 years ago. A Hierarch, who wrote that the Patriarch of Saints Theodoroi was with him as a pilgrim and had come “to bring some hope back, to suggest a solution to grievances, to sweeten up and console people, to realise that many people had departed, which caused him pain, to encourage and strengthen people so as to keep moving forward,” the Ecumenical Patriarch said, following the celebration of the Divine Liturgy.
“I wish to add that it has been 10 years since then. We will keep moving forward until the turn of the century! We will not abandon our schools, our students, and hope. We aim at the repatriation of our expatriate brothers and sisters. We will keep moving forward at the renovated parish Churches and the many renovated chapels for which we honour our previous shepherd, the Saint of Moschonnisia. We will keep moving forward along with our new Despot of Mytilene, who has promised to do so much more thanks to his tireless dynamism and optimism. We will carry on working with the Imbrian associations abroad, the diverse activity of which promotes stability and progress on our island. We will carry on showing our love for Imbros, the place that gave birth to us, the place that went through troubles, the place that made us cry, the place suffering from depopulation, the place that saw its children scattered in the winds flying away like crazy birds, as writer Maria Iordanidou would say.
This place of pain and suffering has the right to breathe, hasn’t it? We have to right the wrongs and welcome our grandchildren, so as to start a new life. It is never too late! We survived, we pulled ourselves together, we got back on our feet and we keep moving forward. Never betraying what is right, as the Alexandrian poet, Constantinos Cavafy, said.
Because we owe it to our forefathers, our parents, our ancestors, our shepherds, our priests, our teachers, the high-profile figures of our island, our benefactors – all those who created the local folk culture that we are proud of. We have a duty to our ways and customs, to our childhood memories, to all that we all lived together, to the good old and blessed times, up until the dark times of the sixties came.”
His Holiness referred to a “forgotten and wronged” benefactor of the island, who was from his village, late Konstantinos Iliadis. He was a distinguished professor in Caesarea of Cappadocia and Jerusalem, and, in the early thirties, he made a financial contribution for the construction of the Primary School of Sts Theodoroi. He also provided financial assistance to other Greek schools and colleges on the island. The Ecumenical Patriarch read a relevant passage from the three-volume work of a Greek author, Katerina Nikolaidou-Danassis, entitled “Caesarea”. The work is about the contribution of Konstantinos Iliadis to his birthplace, Imbros.
In addition, the Ecumenical Patriarch referred to the deepest respect that his compatriots have for the Theotokos, “who is in the heart of every Imbrian, who stayed here or emigrated. The Imbrians have been honouring the Theotokos, who always was by their side, as a Mother.” At the end of his homily, he wished the faithful, and especially his compatriots in Imbrios, to all the best. “May the Blessed Theotokos always protect and give you courage,” he said.
Finally, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew concluded, “Today is the Feast of the Dormition of the Mother of God, who is the protector of our island and, therefore, we are honouring her. May the Theotokos be our constant protector and may she help all of us, so that there is no turning back, but only a path forward; A path of progress and prosperity for the present and the future of Imbros. Amen.”
