On Thursday, 27 July 2023, a Poly-Hierarchical Divine Liturgy took place at the Holy Church of Saint Panteleimon, in Kuzguncuk, and was presided over by His Eminence Metropolitan Panteleimon of Vryoula, who celebrated his patronal feast day, and was joined in concelebration by His Eminence Metropolitan Job of Pisidia and His Grace Bishop Smaragdos of Daphnousia, as well as by the Protosyncellus of the Metropolis of Chalcedon, Archimandrite Evgenios Karatzas, Protopresbyter Konstantinos Kayiadelen, Deacon Fr. Vosporios, Undersecretary of the Holy and Sacred Synod, Deacon Fr. Asterios Bardakci. The Church of Saint Panteleimon is located on the shores of the Bosphorus on the Asian side of Constantinople.
Also present for the feast day were His Eminence Elder Metropolitan Emmanuel of Chalcedon and His Grace Bishop Sevastianos of Zela, who were praying from the Holy Altar.
At the end of the Divine Liturgy the Artoklasia took place where the breads, which were offered by the Board of Trustees of the Community, were blessed for the health and longevity of the faithful, who flocked to receive the grace of the Saint from all over the City.
The hymns of the feast day were melodiously rendered by Mr. Stamatios Kissas, chanter and ‘Archon Protomaistor’ of the Holy Great Church of Christ.
After the dismissal of the Divine Liturgy, His Eminence Metropolitan Panteleimon of Vryoula thanked the local Shepherd for the hospitality in his district, and also His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, while His Eminence Elder Metropolitan Emmanuel of Chalcedon, at the end, welcomed the distinguished guests and after thanking them for accepting the invitation and for the honour, he wished His Eminence Metropolitan Panteleimon of Vryoula, who was celebrating his patronal feast day, to have many years and that our Holy God would strengthen him in the ministry that the Mother Church has entrusted to him, while also granting him a Hierarchical Engolpion as a gift. After this, Elder Metropolitan Emmanuel thanked the President and the Members of the Board of Trustees of the Church of Saint Panteleimon in Kuzguncuk and wished that the grace of the Holy Great Martyr and Healer Panteleimon would be greatly with them especially for those who honour him by bearing his name.
In the well-kept and beautiful courtyard of the church, the Community offered a magnificent banquet to all those who honoured the celebration of the Holy Church with their presence.
