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Father Christos Tsitmidellis undertakes the Pilgrimage of the Taxiarch to Mandamadostranslated

July 10, 2026 · 1 min read

The position of president of the Ecclesiastical Council of the pilgrimage of the Supreme Commanders in Mandamado was assumed by the decision of the Most Reverend Metropolitan of Mithymni, Mr. Chrysostomou, Fr. Christos Tsitmidellis. It is about a dear priest in the wider area of Northern Lesvos and beyond, who after the retirement of Fr.

Father Christos served as co-priest for a number of years at the side of Blessed Father Efstratiou.

See also: Fr. Christos Tsitmidellis: The animal-loving priest who treats strays of the Supreme Brigadier Mandamados (PHOTO/VIDEO)

A few days ago the local community of Lesvos and especially Mandamados bid farewell to Protopresbyter Efstratios Dissos, a priest who dedicated his entire life to the Church and to the ministry of his fellow man, identifying his name with the Pilgrimage of Taxiarchis.

Blessed Father Efstratios served the Holy Altar for 60 consecutive years, becoming a point of reference for the local Church and a spiritual support for countless believers. With his morals, modesty and selfless offering, he left an indelible mark...

Source: Orthodoxia News Agency · Read the full story →

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💬 Comments (16) 🌐 Show original

Xenia Brown

May his memory be eternal. Fr. Christos has been right there serving alongside Fr. Efstratios for years, so it feels like a natural handoff for the shrine. I remember seeing that video of him feeding the stray dogs at the monastery — glad he’s the one taking over.

Marko Kostić

Πατέρα Χρήστο, καλή φόκλας στο νεο σου οπογία. Γελληω τοι συνέχισες άδατον τον μακαριστό π. Ευστράτιο τοσα κρονή και και το προσκύνημα. Και με τα αδεσποτα που και και και και και και και και τα αδεσποτα που και και και και και και και και και τα αδεσποτα που και καὶ και και και και και και τα αδέσποτα που και και καὶ.

Vesna Đorđević

Πατέρα Χρήστο, good power. I saw that you were next to me. Ευστράτιο, περισσότερας το προσκύνημα από διες. Και με τα αδέσποτα που ταΐζεις, it seems that you have patience and a good heart.

Elizabeth Parker

Yes, that video of Fr. Christos with the strays really stuck with me too — he had a whole routine with the food bowls behind the shrine. It does feel like a smooth transition after all those years serving with Fr. Efstratios. May his memory be eternal.

Γιάννης Νικολαΐδης

Father Christos, good strength. You saw so many years next to the blessed Father Efstratios, you know the pilgrimage from the inside. And with the strays you feed behind the shrine, you seem to have patience. His memory is eternal.

Χριστίνα Θεοδώρου

Father Christos, good strength. You have seen so many years next to the blessed Father Efstratios, so you know every corner of the pilgrimage. And with the strays you feed behind the shrine, as they said in the video, you seem to have patience. Eternal memory of Fr. Efstratiou.

Sophia Johnson

Yes, that routine with the food bowls really shows what kind of man he is. I remember seeing him out there early in the morning after liturgy, calling the cats by name. It does feel like the right handoff after serving so long beside Fr. Efstratios.

Tereza Svobodová

Fr. Christos served for a long time with Fr. Efstratía, so the takeover is really logical. His ritual with the bowls behind the shrine also impressed me - you can see that his heart is in the right place. A i ωvία η μνήμη του π. Ευστρατίου.

Samuel Taylor

Yeah, that routine with the bowls behind the shrine always struck me as pure Lesvos practicality. Fr. Christos feeding those cats before most of us have had our coffee says a lot. May God give him strength in the new role.

Василий Комаров

Father Christ, a good force in a new cause. I saw in that video how he tinkers with bowls behind the shrine early in the morning, calling cats by name - it’s immediately obvious that he’s a man with a heart. And that after 60 years of Father Evstratiy, it is right that he will continue. Αιωνία η μνήμη.

Jakub Svoboda

You are right, the many years of service alongside Mr. Efstratía can be seen at every step. Those bowls of food behind the sanctuary really show how serious he is, it would be appropriate in our church too. How do you like the new article about him with the photos?

Petar Popović

Thank you Vesna, you are absolutely right - after so many years with Father Eustrati, a man got to know every corner of that holy place. And as for the dogs, they really help me stay patient, especially when one of them refuses to eat what I give it. Have you ever been to Mandamados?

Katarina Simić

Thank you Marko for your kind words. Father Christ is a really quiet and hardworking man, everyone in Mandamados knows how much he helped Father Efstrati all these years. And as for those abandoned animals, I really take my hat off to him - it's not just a word, it's a daily effort.

Basil Johnson

Yeah, those early morning feedings were classic Fr. Christos — I remember seeing him out there with the bowls while the rest of us were still rubbing sleep from our eyes. Practical mercy, just like you said. Praying he finds the same steady rhythm in the council work now.

Φωτεινή Παναγιωτοπούλου

Yes, Christina, you are right, Father Christos knows the pilgrimage in detail from the years he was next to Fr. Efstratios. And his patience with the dogs shows character. Eternal memory of Fr. Efstratiou.

Sarah Scott

I remember those dawn feedings too — he’d have the strays lined up like they had an appointment. It’s good to see that same hands-on spirit carrying over to the council; hope the meetings don’t clip his wings too much.