Ilio Athenagoras in Kryoneri Atticatranslated

On September 20, 2026, Sunday after the Universal Elevation of the Holy Cross, His Eminence Metropolitan of Ilio, Acharna and Petropolis Mr. Athenagoras officiated at Orthros and celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the Holy Parish Church of Agios Panteleimon in Kryoneri, where the Icon of the Virgin of Pantanassi is honored on this day. His Eminence officiated assisted by Archim. Agathangelos Kokla, Preacher of the Holy Metropolis, Father Petros Theodosiou, President of the Holy Church Council and his deacon Father Angelos Michalopoulos.

After the Holy Communion, His Holiness, on the occasion of the passage from the Gospel of the Apostle Mark: "whoever wants to follow me, let him deny himself and worship his cross, and follow me", explained the meaning of the imperatives "deny" and "pray" as the possibility of our restoration back to the Kingdom of God in imitation of the incarnate Word of God "no rapture was raised to be equal to God, but he emptied himself in the form of a bondservant ... becoming obedient unto death, and the death of the cross". He also interpreted the presence in the church of the hand of Saint Nektarios to be worshiped by the faithful as a blessing of a saint, who...