Great High Priestly Vespers of the Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord in Kato Mera Ierapetratranslated

With all splendor and sanctity, and with the participation of the city's clergy and multitudes of believers, the Great solemn High Priestly Vespers of the Feast of the Transfiguration of the Savior was celebrated on the afternoon of Wednesday, August 5, 2026, in the historical Parish Church of the same name of "Kato Mera", in the old city of Ierapetra. The service was officiated by the Most Reverend Metropolitan of Ierapytni and Sitia, Mr. Kyrillos, who blessed the breads and preached the divine word.

His Eminence, referring to the messages of the great Despotic feast, pointed out that the divine Transfiguration before the three Disciples took place on Mount Tabor shortly before the Passion of Christ the Savior, so that they would be strengthened in view of the passion on the cross, so that when they would later see him nailed to the cross they would understand that the passion was voluntary and their faith would not be shaken.

As he also pointed out, the God-man Christ revealed on Mount Tabor part of His uncreated divine splendor, His "archetypal beauty", i.e. the glory of his Divinity, which his three qualified Disciples saw "as possible", according to the apolytikium, and "as they entered" according to the stock of the feast.

Then Rev.…