2011-03-13
In order to commemorate the Sunday of Orthodoxy, The Antiochian Orthodox parish of St. Demetrius in the town of Colgne in Germany, welcomed on Sunday 13th March 2011, the Orthodox Churches present in the country.
The Orthodox bishops representing the Greek Ecumenical Patriarchate and the Churches of Romanian, Serbia and of Bulgaria, as well as a considerable number of priests, came together at St. Demetrius’ parish which is part of the European diocese of the Antiochian Patriarchate, around the Holy Table of the Lord during a Divine Liturgy which brought together a large number of the faithful, coming from various German cities and from parishes belonging to all the Orthodox jurisdictions.
The celebration was characterised equally by the presence pf representatives of the Catholic Church and the other Christian churches of Germany and of a number of political figues, notably, the consuls of Greece, Romania and of Turkey, The Mayor of the city of Cologne, as well as Party representatives and from the local administrative authorities.
At the end of the Liturgy, a procession with the holy icons took place, at the end of which Metroplitan John (Yazigi) gave a speech in which he greeted his brother Orthodox bishops whilst stressing the beauty and importance this meeting as an illustration of the unity of the Orthodox Church and as a living witness to society and the whole world. Likewise, he greeted all the participant present, reaffirming the peace that the Church extols and expressing his wish that that peace would spread out to the whole world, a world which is battered by the waves of various tensions and disturbances. Metropolitan John finished his talk in addressing to all his wishes for health and holiness, as well as his thanks to the German government for its concern and help which it afforded to the Orthodox communities and parishes spread around the whole German territory.
Each of the Orthodox bishops took it in turns to express their thanks to Metroplitan John for his welcome during this unique gathering. Likewise, the Mayor of Cologne addressed the participants with a speech in which she expressed her joy and her satisfaction at the presence of the Antiochian Orthodox family in this region, considering that it constituted an example of coexistence among all the inhabitants of the region.
Afterwards, all the participants shared a fellowship meal prepared by the parish council for the occasion of this blessed meeting.
