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Aetolian Damascene: Saint Marina is projected by the Church as a female victortranslated

July 17, 2026 · 1 min read

The memory of Saint Martyr Marinis was celebrated with splendor in the Holy Churches and the many Chapels of the Holy Metropolis of Aetolia and Acarnania, which are dedicated to the Saint, on the two days of July 16 and 17, 2026. On the evening of the eve, Thursday July 16, His Eminence the Metropolitan of Aetolia and Acarnania, Mr. Damaskinos, officiated at the High Priestly Vespers service and preached the divine word, in the under construction Holy Chapel of Agia, located in the Parish of Mataraga Makrynea.

At the dismissal of Vespers, His Eminence ordained as Reader a most venerable youth of the Parish, Mr. Anthimos Koustas, Ichthyologist.

The Holy Mass was attended by a large number of people including the Member of Parliament Mr. Thanasis Papathanasis and the President of the Municipal Council of Agrini Mr. Konstantinos Zois

On the morning of Friday, July 17, 2026, our Reverend Pastor Mr. Damaskinos officiated at the Orthros service and presided over the Divine Liturgy at the celebrating Parish Church of Agia Marini, located in the settlement of Xiraika Messolonghi.

Preaching the divine word, His Holiness analyzed how modern man can emerge victorious through...

Source: Orthodoxia News Agency · Read the full story →

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Иванка Иванова

I am glad that this year they celebrated so solemnly in Mataranga and in Ξηραίικα. I was particularly impressed that the bishop ordained the young ichthyologist Antimos Koustas as a reader - it is good to see young people at the altar. I wonder what exactly he said about how modern man can emerge victorious like St. Marina.

Величка Ангелова

I am glad that you also noticed the ordination of Antimos Koustas - my neighbor from Macarinea told me that the boy has been helping in the church for years, and now also works as an ichthyologist on the fish farms by the Lake. For the sermon, the bishop said that victory comes when one does not give in to fear and small compromises every day, just as St. Marina did not give in. What do you think, do young people today have the strength for such patience?

George Anderson

Nice to see young Anthimos Koustas made reader – a proper fisherman’s son from the lake farms helping in the altar for years, now this. The bishop’s point about not giving up to win the fight sounds like something straight out of St Marina’s own life. Hope the new chapel in Mataranga gets finished soon.

Katherine Johnson

Yes, Anthimos has been serving faithfully at the altar since he was a kid — nice to see his patience rewarded like that. The bishop’s talk on becoming a “victorious woman” through endurance really hit home; St. Marina didn’t quit even when everything looked lost. I drove past the Mataranga chapel site last week and the walls are already up to the windows — should be ready by next summer if the weather holds.