Corfu, Greece, August 12, 2024
Photo: orthodoxianewsagency.gr
Every August, the Orthodox faithful gather in Corfu to celebrate the great St. Spyridon of Tremithus, one of the most beloved saints not only of the Church in Greece, but of the entire Orthodox Church.
There are four annual processions with the relics of St. Spyridon. The first is on Palm Sunday, in remembrance of when St. Spyridon saved Corfu from a plague in 1630; the second is on Holy Saturday morning, in remembrance of when he saved Corfu from famine in 1550; the third is on the first Sunday of November, in remembrance of when he saved Corfu from the plague in 1673.
The fourth is on August 11, in remembrance of when he saved Corfu from the Turks in 1716.
Early in the morning, a Hierarchical Divine Liturgy was celebrated at the Church of St. Spyridon by His Eminence Metropolitan Nektarios of Corfu and His Eminence Metropolitan Philotheos of Thessaloniki, reports the Orthodoxia News Agency.
The hierarchs were later joined in the annual procession by two others: His Eminence Metropolitan Ephraim of Hydra and His Grace Bishop Dionysios of Kotieou, for the annual procession. A host of Orthodox faithful and local and regional government and military officials also participated.
As per tradition, two prayers were offered: one in front of the old fortress, where the siege and miracle took place, and the second in front of the Palace of Sts. Michael and George.
In his address, Met. Nektarios reminded that St. Spyridon saves the faithful in every storm, both at sea and on land. He asked the saint not to overlook the people’s supplication and their bitterness about the prevailing turmoil caused by spiritual confusion, where everything is judged by self-interest, the spirit of profit-seeking coming from the West, resulting in everything being at stake.
The Metropolitan wished the local officials to have enlightenment from God to serve the rights of the people, their morals, customs, and traditions. Finally, he urged everyone to kneel in supplication before the saint.
The services continued with the Hierarchical Vespers and All-Night Vigil last night, and the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy this morning.
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A 40-day confrontation with the Turkish army in the summer of 1716 wore down the strength of the local inhabitants. Hoping for Divine intercession, the helpless people gathered in the Church of St. Spyridon and tearfully lifted up prayers to the saint. Suddenly, on the night of August 10 there erupted a terrible storm on the sea. Preparing themselves for the decisive battle, the island inhabitants learned of the great miracle that occurred in the night: eyewitnesses said that St. Sypridon, with an innumerable host of angels and a flaming sword, banished the multitudinous Turkish army from the island.
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