In Metochi of the Holy Sepulcher in Plaka the Holy Light – Transported throughout the country by special flights – 2024-05-05 13:22:12

After the short ceremony at “Eleftherios Venizelos”, the Holy Light was transferred to Metohi of the Holy Sepulcher, in Plaka.

For his transfer, a Greek delegation went to Jerusalem today, led by the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, George Kotsiras, in order to attend the ceremony of the Touching of the Holy Light, in the Paniero Church of the Resurrection and to receive the Holy Light from the Patriarch of Jerusalem, Theophilos III. with whom he had a meeting. The Patriarchal Exarch in Greece Archimandrite Raphael and the Metropolitan of Ioannina Maximos for the Church of Greece participated in the mission.

At the same time, he will travel for another year from Athens to 16 regions of Greece, so that he can be in the churches in time for the Resurrection Mass.

Specifically, the flights of AEGEAN and Olympic Air that will carry the Holy Light and the departure and arrival times are as follows:

Athens – Thessaloniki A3 126 Arrival 20:40
Athens – Ioannina A3 166 Arrival 21:15
Athens – Corfu A3 286 Arrival 20:20
Athens – Alexandroupoli A3 146 Arrival 21:05
Athens – Chania A3 344 Departure Arrival 23:25
Athens – Samos OA 3004 (special flight) Arrival 20:30
Samos – Lemnos OA 3005 (special flight) Arrival 21:45
Athens – Larissa OA 3000 (special flight) Arrival 20:20
Larissa – Kefalonia OA 3001 (special flight) Arrival 21:25

The torch relay of the Holy Light in various parts of Greece will also take place with SKY Express aircraft as follows:

Athens – Heraklion (GQ216): Arrival 21:45
Athens – Rhodes (GQ284): Arrival 21:20
Athens – Mykonos (GQ234): Arrival 21:20
Athens – Mytilini (GQ304): Arrival 21:20
Athens – Santorini (GQ356): Arrival 21:15
Athens – Chios (GQ244): Arrival 21:25
Athens – Kythira (GQ440): Arrival 21:50

The Deputy Foreign Minister Giorgos Kotsiras was in Jerusalem, in order to receive the Holy Light, which was touched, under draconian security measures, in the Church of the Resurrection by the Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos III.

The security measures were draconian, the presence of the Israeli police and the army was heavy in the narrow streets of the old city of Jerusalem.

In fact, the Greek mission for a few meters that separates the Patriarchate from the Church of the Resurrection, passed through four controls, from four different points.

The head of the Greek delegation is the Minister of Foreign Affairs Giorgos Kotsiras and the Exarch of the Holy Sepulcher Archimandrite Gabriel, the Metropolitan of Ioannina Maximos, who represents the Church of Greece, are participating.