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June 3, 2022

The Consecration of the First Icon of Saint Gregory, Bishop of Derkoi


During Great Vespers at the Old Church of the Apostle Andrew in Patras, on Saturday 27 November 2021, for the feast of All Saints of Achaea (which falls on the Sunday before the feast of Saint Andrew, on November 30th), the first icon of the newly-canonized Saint Gregory, Bishop of Derkoi, was consecrated (it was anointed with holy myrrh and a special prayer was read over it).

This great man of the Church and of Greece, was born in Zoumbata, Patras, was elected Metropolitan of Lacedaemonia in succession of the Holy Ethnohieromartyr Ananias, then was placed by the Ecumenical Patriarchate as Metropolitan of Vidin (Metropolitan of Bulgaria)). He was hanged by the Turks on June 3, 1821, after having previously suffered various tortures and martyrdoms in the horrible prisons where he had been thrown with other Hierarchs. He offered many and great services for Orthodoxy and the Nation and was an advisor to the Patriarchs, mainly of the Holy Ethnohieromartyr Gregory V.

Currently a church is being built in his honor where he was born, and a Divine Office is being composed by Monk Athanasios of Simonopetra. His memory is celebrated on June 3rd.