On Sunday, October 20, 2024, the feast of the holy memory of our venerable Father Gerasimos of Cephalonia, the historic church bearing his name in the parish of Lausanne, part of the Holy Metropolis of Switzerland, celebrated its patronal feast.
The Divine Liturgy was celebrated on Sunday morning, presided over by Metropolitan Maximos of Switzerland, with the assistance of the Economos of the Ecumenical Throne, Fr. Alexandros Iosifidis, and Archdeacon Gabriel Baratashvili. In his homily, the Metropolitan briefly expounded on the Gospel reading of the day, spoke about the honored saint and protector of the parish, and offered paternal congratulations to the gathered faithful on the occasion of the feast and celebration of their parish. Before leaving for Geneva, the Metropolitan held an informative meeting with the faithful members of the Georgian community of Lausanne, during which they expressed their gratitude for the care given to them by the Holy Metropolis and its parishes, and addressed issues related to worship and pastoral care.
The Church of St. Gerasimos in Lausanne, Switzerland, owes its existence to the generous contribution of the shipowner Gerasimos Vergotis, a native of Cephalonia, who purchased land to build an Orthodox Church dedicated to St. Gerasimos. He died in 1921 and the construction of the church was carried out by his wife and children.
Translated by Ioanna Georgakopoulou
