“The Poor Man of God” — Catholics in Athens celebrate St. Francis of Assisi at Agioi Anargyroi

The Catholics of Athens celebrated with splendor the representation of St. Francis of Assisi, the “poor antheral of God“. The focal constituent of the celebrations was the historical nave of St. Francis connected Agii Anargyroi Street, successful the small, homonymous square.

Since Saturday day (4/10), crowds of believers and residents of the vicinity began to flock to the square, successful beforehand of the diagnostic statue of the saint bearing the inscription “the mediocre antheral of God”, to instrumentality portion successful the worship events.

The item of the celebrations was the Archiepiscopal Divine Liturgy, presided implicit by His Eminence Archbishop of Athens Catholics Fr. Theodoros Kontidis, portion the parish priest, Fr. Gulio Gramenia, was besides the parish priest.

Immediately afterwards, the icon of St. Francis was carried done the surrounding streets, accompanied by the Philharmonic Orchestra of the Municipality of Athens. The events concluded with the instrumentality of the procession to the square, wherever the “Flame of Peace” was lit successful beforehand of the church.

The “Fountain of Peace” was celebrated astatine the beforehand of the church.
Speaking to the Orange Press Agency, Catholic Archbishop Theodore Kontides spoke of some the value of St. Francis and the parish’s peculiar enslaved with the section community.

“St. Francis is simply a fig who, with thing successful his hands, near specified a large imprint connected past and culture. Only by his fortitude, by his faith, by his enthusiasm, by the extent of his life, did helium permission specified an important work,” the Archbishop said, adding that the Saint near arsenic a legacy “attention to the situation and emotion for the tiny things successful the satellite and successful nature.”

The harmonious coexistence of Catholics and Orthodox successful the neighborhood

He made peculiar notation to the harmonious coexistence of communities successful the area. “I deliberation determination is simply a consciousness of neighbourhood here. The Catholic parish and the fathers who unrecorded present person an intimacy and a bully narration with the neighbourhood, with the Orthodox Church and with the nationalist authorities,” helium noted.

As helium explained, the parish of St. Francis “has specified a bully narration with the section parish present of St. Anargyroi. The fathers cognize each other, determination is communal respect, and an intimacy. It’s a bully happening for the country and the district, it’s a wealth.”

Who was St. Francis of Assisi

Known arsenic “the mediocre antheral of God“, Saint Francis of Assisi (born Giovanni di Pietro di Bernardone successful 1181/1182) was 1 of the astir influential figures of Christianity. The lad of a affluent cloth merchant, helium lived a younker afloat of comforts and amusements, dreaming of glory connected the battlefield.

His beingness changed radically when, astatine the property of 19, helium was captured successful the warfare betwixt Assisi and Perugia and remained a captive for a year. This experience, combined with a superior unwellness and a bid of visions, led him to a profound spiritual conversion.

The defining infinitesimal came successful the temple of St. Damian, erstwhile helium heard the Crucified One asking him: “Francis, spell and renovate my church“. Determined to travel the divine call, helium broke with his father, publically renouncing his spot and devoting his beingness to utter poverty.

Barefoot and dressed successful a elemental tunic, helium began to preach peace, emotion for each creatures of nature, and a instrumentality to the simplicity of the Gospel.

Soon, his teaching attracted the archetypal disciples, with whom helium founded the Order of Franciscans, receiving the support of Pope Innocent III successful 1209. At the aforesaid time, helium inspired St. Clare to recovered the pistillate bid of the “Poor Ladies” (Clarisses).

In 1224, during supplication connected Mount La Verna, she received the stigmata, the marks of Christ’s wounds, the archetypal recorded lawsuit successful the past of the Church. He died connected 3 October 1226 and was canonized a saint conscionable 2 years later, successful 1228.