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The memorial service for the victims of the Kommenos Massacre was performed by Metropolitan Artistranslated

August 16, 2026 · 1 min read

On Sunday, August 16, 2026, in the morning, in the martyrdom of Kommeno, Artas, the Most Reverend Metropolitan of Artis, Mr. Kallinikos, performed the Divine Liturgy in the Parish Church of the Holy First Apostles Peter and Paul, as well as the Memorial of the 317 victims of the Kommeno Massacre by the German Occupation Forces, on August 16 1943.

In his Sermon, His Holiness referred to the Gospel of the day and to Christian forgiveness, emphasizing, at the same time, the duty of preserving historical memory. "The memory of martyrdom becomes a path of peace", he characteristically underlined.

After the end of the Divine Liturgy, those present went to the Memorial of the Victims, in the central square of the village, where His Holiness read the Trisom of Death. This was followed by the laying of wreaths by representatives of the Authorities and Agencies.

The memory of the 317 victims remains alive and is a constant reminder of the value of human life, peace and the responsibility of younger generations.

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💬 Comments (6) 🌐 Translate comments

Grace Hall

The part about turning the memory of martyrdom into “a path of peace” really stayed with me. It’s sobering to think those 317 people were killed on the exact same date in 1943, and here we are still gathering in the same square every year. I hope the younger kids in the village keep showing up; that’s how it stays real.

Dominika Horváthová

To, čo povedal vladyka o tom, že „pamiatka mučeníctva sa stáva cestou pokoja“, mi utkvelo v hlave. Je to silné, lebo tie isté 317 obetí zabili presne v ten deň v auguste 1943 a my tu stále stojíme na námestí. Mám otázku – chodia tam aj deti z dediny pravidelne, alebo je to skôr pre starších?

Petra Kováčová

Áno, tá veta o pamiatke mučeníctva ako ceste pokoja ma tiež zaujala, je v tom veľa pravdy. V Kommene podľa toho, čo som čítala, chodia školáci z dediny na pietnu akciu raz do roka s učiteľmi, ale nie je to pravidelná návšteva každý týždeň. Ty si tam bola osobne?

Lukáš Šimko

Áno, tá veta o múčeníctve ako ceste pokoja ma oslovila tiež, lebo bez pamäti sa ľahko zabúda, čo viedlo k tým hrôzam. Ja som v Kommene bola dvakrát, raz s manželom na dovolenke v Epiruse, a videla som, ako tam tie deti z miestnej školy nosia kvietky k pamätníku – nie je to síce každý týždeň, ale aspoň raz za rok to robia s rešpektom. Ty si o tom čítala v nejakej knihe, alebo to bolo v novinách?

Matej Kováč

Áno, tá veta o múčeníctve ako ceste pokoja ma oslovila tiež. Ja som o tom čítala v starej knihe o gréckom odboji, ktorú mi požičal manžel z cirkevnej knižnice. Ty si tam bol dvakrát, tak mi povedz, ako to tam vyzerá teraz – stále je ten pamätník taký čistý a upravený?

Zuzana Nováková