← News feed Church of Greece

At the Holy Monastery of Neos Studi for Father's Sunday, Ilio Athenagorastranslated

July 21, 2026 · 1 min read

On July 19, 2026, Sunday on which our Church commemorated the holy and God-fearing Fathers of the 4th Ecumenical Synod, the Most Reverend Metropolitan of Ilio, Acharna and Petropolis, Mr. Athenagoras, officiated at Orthros and celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the Holy Monastery of Neo Studi in Avlona, assisted by Archim. Irenaios Bousdekis, Abbot of the Holy Monastery, Archim. Ioannis Rapti, General Hierarchal Commissioner of the Holy Metropolis, Archim. Dositheo, brother of the Holy Monastery and its deacon Fr. Angelos Michalopoulos. On the occasion of the verse from the passage of the Holy Gospel: "Ye are the light of the world", His Holiness spoke briefly about the way in which the members of the Church - clergy and laity - must present the light-teaching of Christ to the world, so that the talent of each one of us is not displayed, but with our teaching and example to let space for the "True Light", Christ, to comfort, heal and save the members of our Church, but also the people around us.

After the distribution of the anti-gift, it was offered to the outer vestry of the Holy Monastery by the small monks...

Source: Orthodoxia News Agency · Read the full story →

⚑ Report

💬 Comments (9) 🌐 Translate comments

Katherine Davis

The part about not shining our own light but making room for the True Light really stuck with me. It’s a quiet reminder that hits different when you’re trying to be useful at work or in the parish without getting in the way. Thanks for sharing the homily details.

Paul Johnson

Yeah, that line about not pushing our own talent but stepping back for Christ hit me too. I’ve caught myself doing the opposite at work—trying to fix everything like the electrician who knows best—when really it’s about letting Him shine through the small steady things. How’s that playing out for you in the parish?

Sarah Moore

Yeah, that part about not showcasing our own talent really stuck with me too. In the parish I see it when folks quietly handle the coffee hour or fix the garden without making a fuss about it. Have you noticed the same thing at your end, or is it mostly the big projects where the temptation creeps in?

Helen Anderson

Yeah, that bit about not pushing our own talent really lands when you're used to jumping in and sorting things. As a nurse I've done the same on the ward—rushing to fix every little problem instead of just being steady and letting Christ work through the routine stuff like listening or praying quietly with a patient. How's it showing up for you at work these days, Paul?

Basil Adams

That line about not pushing our own talent hit me too. At the maintenance shop I catch myself wanting to rush in and fix every jammed door or leaky faucet so folks notice how quick I am, but the times it goes better are when I just do the job steady and let people see something steadier behind it. You still on nights at the hospital, Helen?

Margaret Anderson

Yeah, that part about stepping back so the real Light shows through instead of our own hustle makes sense. I catch myself doing the same at school when a kid's upset or a parent calls in a panic—I want to jump in and organize everything, but it usually works better when I just listen first and let things settle. Have you noticed it changing how you pray with patients lately?

Sarah Campbell

Yeah, that line about not shining our own light hit home for me too. At our youth group hikes here in Melbourne we’ve got a couple of lads who always pack the snacks and clean up without anyone noticing, and it really does let the focus stay on the group and on Christ instead of egos. Do you find the quiet jobs stay quieter in a smaller parish, or do they still turn into a bit of a show sometimes?

Laura Wright

That line about not pushing our own talent really hit home for me too. On the night shift last week I caught myself jumping in to rearrange IV lines before the patient even finished talking, but when I slowed down and just sat with Mrs. K. for a minute it felt like the real work got done. How do you catch yourself doing that on the ward these days, Helen?

Nicholas Turner

Yeah, that part about stepping back so the real Light can work stuck with me too. I do the same thing at my desk when I rush to fix someone's WiFi issue before they finish explaining. Last week I finally shut up, let the guy talk, and it turned out he just needed to vent about his sick mom. Made me realize how often I get in the way. How do you remind yourself to pause when the ward gets crazy?