Metropolitan of Austria celebrates Divine Liturgy at St. George Epanosifis Monastery in Crete

Metropolitan Arsenios of Austria and Exarch of Hungary presided over a concelebrated Divine Liturgy at the Holy Monastery of St. George Epanosifis in Crete on Sunday, October 18, 2026, with the blessing of Archbishop Eugenios of Crete.

The monastery, where Metropolitan Arsenios began his monastic life, welcomed him for the celebration of the Sunday of the Holy Apostle Luke.

Concelebrating were Bishop Paisios of Apamea, also a member of the monastery’s brotherhood, and Bishop Maximos of Aristi. They were joined by clergy, including the monastery’s Abbot, Archimandrite Dionysios Kasimatis, and Protosyncellus Archimandrite Bartholomew Vogiatzoglou.

In his sermon, Metropolitan Arsenios encouraged the faithful to become vessels of divine grace through humility, repentance and forgiveness.

Reflecting on the Gospel account of the disciples’ mission, he emphasized that genuine spiritual life is measured not by extraordinary powers but by one’s relationship with God.

He explained that the true miracle is the liberation of the human heart from selfishness and its transformation into a dwelling place of the Holy Trinity.

The Metropolitan also highlighted the importance of…