On Saturday evening 26 April His Eminence officiated at the Vespers Service (which also included an Artoklasia in honour of Saint George) together with the Very Reverend Archimandrite Evlogios Santonellos (parish priest of George) and Reverend Fr. George Pittaras.
The service was held in the presence of Mr. Thomas Matsoukas, the Greek consulate of Greece in Cape Town,( who had travelled with His Eminence to East London for the celebrations), and Mr. Demetri Mutzouris, chairman of the Hellenic Community of East London and districts. The service was well attended and included many of the founder members of the Community.
In his address after the service His Eminence said that throughout his life Saint George, the Great Martyr, posed a good example for us as Orthodox Christians. Not only for his courage to confess his faith in Christ and as a result suffer innumerable tortures which eventually resulted in his being persecuted, but more especially because he forgave his persecutors, following the example of Jesus Christ.
He was a skilled soldier and a member of the personal guard attached to the Roman Emperor who chose to lose his status in front of everyone who admired him including the Emperor and to confess to being a Christian and die a martyr for Christ. His Eminence also said that many miracles documented and un documented have been attributed to the Saint.
After the service the junior choir (under the excellent directorship of Presvetera Despina) gave a beautiful choral performance and then everyone was invited to enjoy refreshments.
