On Tuesday, December 31, 2024, New Year’s Eve, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew presided over the Great Vespers, joined by Elder Metropolitan Emmanuel of Chalcedon, Elder Metropolitan Apostolos of Derkoi, Elder Metropolitan Dimitrios of the Princes’ Islands, and Metropolitans Eirinaios of Philadelphia, Meliton of Myriophytos and Peristasis, Chrysostomos of Myra, Stephanos of Kallioupolis and Madytos, Athenagoras of Kydonia, Job of Pisidia, Maximos of Selyvria, Amphilochios of Adrianoupolis, Andreas of Saranta Ekklisies, Ioakeim of Bursa, and Theodoros of Seleucia.
Bishops Adrianos of Alikarnassos, Cassianos of Aravissos, Ambrosios of Evdokia, Benjamin of Tralleis, and Paisios of Xanthoupolis were also in attendance, along with Consul Athanasia Iliakis, representing the Consul General of Greece in Constantinople, and Maksim Vdovychenko, Consul of Ukraine. The prayer service was further graced by the presence of many faithful believers.
Subsequently, the Ecumenical Patriarch graciously received the well-wishes of the Hierarchs, as well as the greetings from the members, clergy, and laity of the Patriarchal Court, along with other staff of the Patriarchate, in the Patriarchal Office.
At the festive luncheon held at the Patriarchal Trapeza, attended by the Hierarchs of the Throne, the golden coin from the Vassilopita was found in the portion of Metropolitan Theoliptos of Iconium.
Subsequently, the Ecumenical Patriarch blessed the traditional Vasilopita and distributed it to the clergy and faithful present, including attendees from Constantinople and abroad.
Following this, students from the Patriarchal Great School of the Nation joyfully presented New Year’s carols, upholding a cherished tradition of the Greek Diaspora.
Photos: Nikos Papachristou
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