Patronal Festival - July 2014

St. Panteleimon Day

On Saturday 27^th July our Community celebrated St. Panteleimon Day.

His Eminence Archbishop Gregorios of Thyateira & Great Britain had presided over the Archiepiscopal Divine Liturgy!

Many many people were gathered in our Church to honour our main Patron Saint Panteleimon, the Great Martyr and Healer.

The relics of St. Panteleimon were offered to the congregation for veneration.

At the end of the Holy Service the President of our Community Mr. Pantelis Demosthenous offered to His Eminence an honorary plaque, for his 25 years of Service as Archbishop in this daughter Church of the Ecumenical Patriarchate.

After the Church Service all people were invited to share in food and drink at our Community Hall.

St. Panteleimon Eve

On the Eve of Saint Panteleimon (26^th July) we always have in our Church a Great and Festal Vespers.

This year His Grace Bishop Chrysostomos of Kyanea had presided over it.

Many pilgrims, from our Community and from other places of London as well, had come in order to honour the Festival of this Great Martyr and Healer.

At Vespers we had the newly painted Patronal Icon of both our Patron Saints, Panteleimon & Paraskevi, at the centre of the Church.

Many loafs of bread were offered by the people and were blessed by His Grace.

Then we had the traditional procession around the Church, with the Patronal Icon leading the way.

After the Service our Community Committees had offered hospitality at our Community Hall for all pilgrims.

Annual Community Festival

It is customary in our Community to organise an open Community Festival, with BBQ, traditional foods, sweets, drinks and Greek music, on a Sunday in July, close to the Festive Days of our two Patron Saints, Panteleimon & Paraskevi.

That Festival was organised this year on 21st July, only a few days before the Feasts of our Saints.

In the morning we had a Church Service and then we moved to our Community premises and stayed there for a few hours, with many hundreds of both members and friends of our Community.

Church Committee members, as well as Ladies of our Ladies Sisterhood, had worked very hard in order to prepare all things needed for the Festival.

Parents and children of our Hellenic College were also there, having their own activities.

It was a nice and sunny day and the celebration went very well, with all people being joyful and happy. 

Our Patronal Festival