Photos: Paraskevi Spyropoulou, Dimitrios Petroyannis

With joy, reverence, honor, and the participation of the Holy Clergy and the devout Faithful, on the afternoon of Sunday, January 11, 2026, the City of Chalkida, specifically the Parish of Evangelistria Kanithou, welcomed the Holy Relics of the glorious New Martyrs Raphael, Nicholas, and Irene from Mytilene.

Leading the reception was our Most Reverend Shepherd, Metropolitan of Chalkida Mr. Chrysostomos, who immediately afterwards presided over the Festive Hierarchical Vespers, during which he appointed as Readers the Parish’s Lampadarios Mr. Stylianos Karavas and Mr. Georgios Kounis.

On the morning of Monday, January 12, 2026, with filial respect toward their spiritual Father and Bishop, the Most Reverend Metropolitan of Chalkida Mr. Chrysostomos, the local Church of Chalkida honored, in the same Parish Church, the twenty-fourth (24th) anniversary of his enthronement in the historic See of the Holy Metropolis of Chalkida.

Joining in the joy of the local Church were the Most Reverend Bishops of Skopelos Mr. Nikodimos and Skiathos Mr. Ioannis – Chief Secretary of the Holy Synod of the Church of Greece, while the Most Holy Metropolitan of Phanar Mr. Agathangelos – General Director of the Apostolic Diakonia of the Church of Greece, also attended.

In the morning, the Matins were celebrated, presided over by the Holy Metropolitan of Chalkida, followed by a Hierarchical Concelebration with the participation of the aforementioned Hierarchs and many Priests from our Local Church and other Holy Metropolises.

During the Divine Liturgy, the presiding Most Reverend Metropolitan of Chalkida also performed the Sacrament of ordaining Deacon Christos Ramantanakis to the Priesthood.

In his sermon, based on the passage read from the Epistle to the Hebrews of the Apostle Paul (Heb. 11:17-31), the Most Reverend highlighted to the new Priest that the Faith, nurtured from childhood within the environment of a large priestly family from which he came, and through the care of his spiritual Fathers, as well as during his devoted service to others, especially the Most Reverend Bishop of Skopelos Mr. Nikodimos, will serve as his secure defense against the adverse winds of atheism and heresies. Faith will also strengthen him in obedience, as it did Moses (Heb. 11:23-29).

The conscience of the Church community residing in Chalkida gave its essential “vote” for the new Priest Fr. Christos, loudly proclaiming “Axios!” during his ordination.

Then, Archimandrite Stefanos Karamouzis – Head of the Parish of the Holy Twelve Apostles in Nea Artaki, delivered a speech outlining in depth the twenty-four-year Hierarchical service of the Most Reverend Mr. Chrysostomos.

Before the dismissal of the Divine Liturgy, the Most Reverend Bishop of Skiathos conveyed the blessings of His Beatitude the Archbishop of Athens and All Greece Mr. Ieronymos to the Most Reverend Mr. Chrysostomos for his illustrious Hierarchical service.

The Holy Metropolitan of Chalkida responded, thanking the Archbishop through the Most Reverend Chief Secretary, and the three Holy Hierarchs of Phanar Mr. Agathangelos, Skopelos Mr. Nikodimos, and Skiathos Mr. Ioannis, for the joy of their presence, the Priests who abundantly attended and participated in the joy of Fr. Christos’ ordination, and addressing with emotion the Holy Clergy and devout Faithful of the Holy Metropolis of Chalkida, he noted that after God, he is indebted to them for their love and prayers on his behalf.

We remind that the Holy Relics of the New Martyrs Raphael, Nicholas, and Irene will remain in the Church of Evangelistria until January 25, during which daily Divine Services, Vigils, Sermons, spiritual talks, etc., will be held, which will also be broadcast by the Radio Station of the Holy Metropolis (97.7).