Message of His Eminence Metropolitan Aetolia and Acarnania and Damascenes for the Feast of Saint Demetriustranslated

His Eminence the Metropolitan of Aetolia and Acarnania Mr. Damascenes

In a trope of today's Continuation, the hymn writer addresses Saint Demetrius, "as the co-conspirator of the Lord's martyr" and this is one of the reasons why he is considered one of the most likable and popular Saints of the Church.

Saint Demetrius was likeable, as a soldier of Jesus Christ. If for his earthly homeland he was an officer in the Roman army, for his heavenly homeland he was a simple soldier. And if it is once an honor to be an officer in the armies of the world, it is a thousand times an honor to be a soldier in the ranks of the Lord, of the Church of Christ. In the scale of values, which worked wonderfully in the heart of Demetrius, the value of "soldier of Jesus Christ" (2 Tim. 2, 3) weighed more than the office of general and duke.

Saint Demetrius was also liked, as a missionary of Christ. Teaching the Gospel was a desire and a passion. He considered himself enlisted in the preaching and catechism of the divine word. "No one," says Paul, "gets involved in the affairs of life by being a soldier, so that...