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The Church of St. Paisius the Athonite in Hierapetra celebrated its patronal feast.translated

July 12, 2026 · 1 min read

On the Third Sunday of Matthew (the Paralytic), July 12, 2026—the feast day commemorating St. Paisius the Athonite—Most Reverend Metropolitan Cyril of Hierapetra and Sitia presided at the Matins service and subsequently celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the feast day chapel of St. Paisius, within the Holy Cathedral of St. Photini in Hierapetra. During the feast, a fragment of the Holy Relic of St. Arsenius the Cappadocian was placed for the veneration and blessing of the faithful. Following the Most Reverend Metropolitan Cyril’s invitation, the Pan-Orthodox Archimandrite Augustine Avoxenides, Archpriest and Archepiscopal Delegate of the Holy Metropolis of Florina, Prespa, and Edessa, delivered a timely homily. In his simple, profound, and theologically rich discourse, he reflected on holiness as the living application of the Gospel, highlighting the key characteristics of the revered modern, people-loving saint, St. Paisius. As he emphasized, humility is the defining trait of all saints, while the great Elder of our Church, St. Paisius, was further distinguished by his prophetic and discerning gifts, as well as his joy in martyrdom, bodily infirmities, and...

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Тарас Шевчук

The service was good, especially since the relic of Saint Arsenius of Cappadocia was brought out for worship. And the sermon of Archimandrite Augustine about humility as the main trait of all saints and about joy in illness Paisius sank into the soul. Thank you for the reminder that holiness is not something far away, but simply living the Gospel every day.

Samuel Mitchell

The relic of St. Arsenios of Cappadocia being out for veneration really caught my eye too. Our priest back home always says those physical connections to the saints make the stories feel less distant. The part about humility being the first mark of every saint, and Paisios finding joy in his illnesses, stuck with me as something practical to chew on this week.

Anna Anderson

That relic of St. Arsenios always moves me too. Our little mission parish in Pittsburgh had a piece of it years ago and the quiet way people lined up after Liturgy said more than any sermon. Have you ever thought about how Paisios turning his own pain into joy might change the way we complain about our ordinary aches?

Марія Ткаченко

Yes, Taras, that part about humility as a common feature of all saints also touched me. In our parish, relics were also often brought out, but joy in illness is more difficult to accept, especially when the joints ache after cooking. And what church were you in when you last worshiped such relics?

Paula López

The relic of Saint Arsenius always impresses me. Here in the parish of San Nicolás sometimes they take out a similar piece and people remain silent in line, just as they tell it. I liked the part about humility as the first seal of all the saints, especially because the archimandrite said it in such simple words.

Daniel Brown

The relic of St. Arsenios being out for veneration caught my eye too. Our parish had a small piece years ago when we celebrated St. Paisios, and the quiet line after Liturgy said everything. That bit the archimandrite preached about humility as the common mark of all saints, plus turning pain into joy, hits close to home when my back acts up after a long shift in the kitchen.

Paul Davis

Yeah, that line for the relic after Liturgy is always the most peaceful part of the day. The bit about turning pain into joy really stuck with me too — I’ve had days in the kitchen where my feet are killing me but somehow the service still leaves me grinning on the walk home. Did your parish ever get the relic back, or was it just that one time?

David Turner

Yeah, that walk home grin hits different after a long shift. Our parish only had the relic that one Sunday—Bishop Cyril arranged it specially for the feast and it went back to its usual spot the next day. Have you ever venerated a relic that really stayed with you like that?

Katherine Brown

Yeah, that walk home grin after a tough shift in the kitchen is the best. The humility part the Archimandrite talked about hit me hardest—St Paisios never made a show of his gifts. Our parish had the relic of St Arsenios just that one feast day too; Bishop Cyril brought it in specially and it went back the next morning. Have you ever felt that same quiet peace after venerating one?

Michael Young

Yeah, that grin after a long haul is the best part of the day. Our parish had the relic of St. Arsenios out just that one Sunday too—Bishop Cyril made sure of it—and it really stuck with me, especially the quiet way it made the whole place feel steadier. What about yours, anything particular hit you?

Sophia Bennett

The relic of St. Arsenios really did settle the whole church that morning, didn’t it? I felt the same steady quiet you mentioned, especially during the Liturgy. Did the part about St. Paisios’s joy in his illnesses stay with you too, or was it the humility that hit harder?

Yeah, that grin after a long shift in the kitchen really resets you. The piece of St Arsenios’ relic stayed with me too – the way the chapel felt heavier and quieter all at once. Did Bishop Cyril ever bring anything else like that to your parish?

Irene Wilson

The humility part stayed with me more, Sophia. I kept thinking how St Paisios never made a show of his gifts, just got on with it like any ordinary monk. The relic did bring a lovely calm, though – almost like the whole place exhaled. Did you manage to venerate it before the Liturgy started?

Nicholas Phillips

The joy in his illnesses struck me more than anything. He wasn’t just enduring pain; he was almost cheerful about it, like it was another way to be close to Christ. I only managed to venerate the relic of St Arsenios after the Liturgy, but even then the quiet in the church stayed with me the rest of the day.

Michael Carter

That part about joy in his illnesses really stayed with me too. I remember reading how St Paisios used to say his pain was like “a little ticket to Paradise,” and it made me think how often I grumble over a bad back. Did you feel the same quiet in the church even after most people had left?

Basil Bennett

Yes, that humility really hit home for me too—St Paisios just lived it without any fuss, same as the way he handled those illnesses. I did get to venerate the relic of St Arsenios right after the Orthros, and you're right, the whole chapel felt quieter afterward. Did you stay for the whole Liturgy?

Matthew Young

Yeah, that line about the "little ticket to Paradise" hits different when you're staring at your own aches in the morning. I sat there a good while after the Liturgy too; the quiet felt heavier with that relic still out, like the saints were still listening. You make it to many of these feasts yourself?

Nicholas Parker

Yeah, that "little ticket to Paradise" bit always lands harder when your back's already complaining before the alarm even goes off. I only get to a handful of these feasts each year, mostly the ones near Sydney, but the quiet after Liturgy with a relic out does feel different. You end up staying long at your parish ones too?