A devout celebratory all-night vigil was held this week at the Mt. Athos monastery of Simonopetra, ahead of the feast day of St. Simon the Athonite, also known as the Myrrhobletes, Greek for the myrrh-bearer.
St. Simon, a 13th century miracle-working Orthodox monk, founded the monastery, Simonopetra, which means Simon’s rock, in 1267.
The Metropolitan of Sidirokastro, His Eminence Makarios, arrived on Thursday morning at the monastery at the head of a delegation of eminent hierarchs and reverend priests of the Metropolis, in order to officiate at the celebratory Divine Liturgy.
His Eminence was welcomed by the Elder Archimandrite Elisseos, the Abbot of the Simonopetra Monastery, along with elders of the Athonite brotherhood.
At an early morning Orthos service, the Holy Relic of Ieronymos Simonopetritis, who was recently canonized by the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, was displayed for veneration.
Foto: Rafail Georgiadis
