Civil Administrator of Mount Athos at Dormition Celebrations in Rethymno, Crete (PHOTOS)

The Feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos was celebrated with solemnity and the participation of large numbers of faithful in Rethymno, Crete, on August 14 and 15, 2026.

On the eve of the feast, Metropolitan Prodromos of Rethymno and Avlopotamos presided over the festal Hierarchical Vespers at the celebrating Shrine of Panagia Charakiani, which belongs to the Monastery of Saint John the Forerunner of Atali-Bali, along the Heraklion–Rethymno National Road.

The Metropolitan also presided over the service of the Lamentations to the Most Holy Theotokos, attended by representatives of local and regional authorities, the Armed Forces and Security Services, as well as numerous pilgrims from across Crete.

Metropolitan Prodromos thanked the faithful for their prayerful participation and expressed particular gratitude to the Protosyncellus and Abbot of the Monastery of Saint John the Forerunner, Archimandrite Parthenios Kalyvianakis, and all those who contributed to the preparations for the feast.

On the morning of August 15, Metropolitan Prodromos presided over Orthros and celebrated the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy at the Shrine of Panagia Halevi of the Monastery of Saint Irene…