The Sacred Girdle of the Virgin Mary, which is located on Mount Athos, in the Holy Monastery of Vatopedi, is transferred to the Diocese of Constantia and Famagusta.
The Agia Zoni tis Panagia will be located for the worship and blessing of the faithful in Metropolitan Church of Agios Georgios Paralimni by 5 until February 11, 2024.
The Sacred Girdle will be presented to Cyprus by the Pan-Theologian Professor of the Holy Great Monastery of Vatopedi, Archimandrite Ephraim, following the invitation of His Eminence Metropolitan Vassiliou of Constantia and Famagusta.
After efforts of the Holy Metropolis of Constantia and Famagusta
The visit of Agia Zoni to the province of Famagusta will take place in Cyprus after 34 years thanks to the efforts of the Holy Metropolis of Constantia and Famagusta. In fact, last November, an official delegation of the Holy Metropolis of Constantia, led by Archimandrite Augustinos Kkaras, the Mayor of Paralimni Theodoros Pyrillis and Tassos Spyrou, Andreas Flokkas, Roi Herodotou, Tassos Aristotelous and Anastasis Pyrillis, visited I.M.M. Vatopediou for the arrangement of the details regarding the official visit of Agia Zoni tis Theotokou to the Holy Metropolis of Constantia from February 5 to 11, 2024.
The delegation met with the Monastery's Professor Elder Ephraim, who expressed his joy for the blessing of the arrival of the Holy Zone in Cyprus after 34 years.
Reception of the head of state
Agia Zoni will arrive in Cyprus from Mount Athos, at the old airport of Larnaca, on Monday, February 5 2024, and it will be reception of with honors of the head of state. At 12 noon, the official reception of Agia Zoni will take place in Paralimni, temporary seat of the Diocese of Constantia and Famagusta. The reception point will be the area in front of the old SPE of Paralimni. Then, in a procession, it will be taken to the Metropolitan Church of Agios Georgios Paralimni, where it will remain for worship until Sunday, February 11.
In the context of the black anniversary commemoration of 50 years since the Turkish invasion
The arrival of the Holy Belt of the Theotokos in the semi-occupied Metropolis and our homeland also marks the beginning of the actions carried out this year by the Metropolis of Constantia and Famagusta, in the context of the anniversary commemoration of the completion 50 years since the Turkish invasion. Placing all our hope in the Virgin Mary and Mother of God and asking the Virgin to protect us under her protection, we turn our gaze towards the occupied Famagusta. We look at our city, which was adorned with important temples (medieval and newer) dedicated to Agia Zoni, testimony of her honor in Cyprus since ancient times. The church of Agia Zoni within the city of Varosia from 1974 until today remains inaccessible, abandoned, stripped of its relics, idle. Support and unshakable wall of our salvation is the Most Holy Theotokos, whose intercession we all ask, worshiping her Holy Belt.
Η graceful Belt of the Virgin Mary in the Holy Great Monastery of Vatopedi on Mount Athos
The graceful Zoni tis Panagia, located in the Holy Great Monastery of Vatopedi on Mount Athos, is the only relic that survives from her earthly life. The Blessed Virgin rose three days after she fell asleep and was taken up in a body into the heavens. During her ascension she gave the Apostle Thomas her Belt. The Apostles then, after opening the tomb "uh evron the body" of the Virgin. Thus the Holy Belt is evidence of the resurrection and ascension of the Virgin with her body to the heavens, that is, of her so-called transmigration.
The Holy Belt was traditionally made by the Virgin Mary herself with camel hair. Initially it was kept in Jerusalem and then in Constantinople, where in the 12th century under Manuel I Comnenus (1143-1180) an official celebration of August 31 was established. Empress Zoe, wife of Leo VI the Wise, out of gratitude for her miraculous healing, embroidered the Belt with gold thread, as it remains today, but divided into three pieces. The emperor John V Kantakouzinos (1347-1355), who had a special love for the Vatopedi Monastery, as evidenced by many relevant testimonies, donated it to it. Since then, the Sacred Belt has been kept in the Holy Monastery of Vatopedi, in a silver case of newer construction which bears the image of the Monastery.
Countless miracles
Innumerable are the miracles, which are done to this day with the Holy Belt. Its value is inestimable, because it is associated with the Virgin Mary. Agia Zoni has the special grace of curing the infertility of women and cancer patients with a ribbon which has been previously blessed on her and then the sterile women and the sick are girded around her.
The complete program
Metropolitan Church of Agios Georgios
Monday 5 February 2024
- 10:30 am Arrival and official reception at the old airport of Larnaca
- 12:00 p.m. Arrival and official reception in Paralimni (site of the old SPE of Paralimni)
Daily, FEBRUARY 5 – 10
- 06:30 – 13:00 / 15:30 – 24:30 Adoration
- 06:30 – 08:00 Orthros – Divine Liturgy
- 16:30 – 18:00 Vespers – Prayer
- 21:00 – 24:30 Vigilance
Saturday, February 10 2024
- 06:30 – 10:00 Orthros – High Priestly Divine Liturgy
- 16:30 Vespers – Prayer
- 18:00 Litanization of Agia Zoni in the main streets of Paralimni
Sunday, 11 February 2024
- 06:30 – 10:00 Orthros – High Priestly Sermon / Sermon by Professor I. M. Vatopediou Elder Ephraim
- 12:00 Departure from Agia Zoni
On Wednesday, February 7, 6:30-7.30:XNUMX p.m., at the Xenion Amphitheater, in Paralimni, there will be a speech by Professor I. M. Vatopediou Elder Ephraim, entitled "Agia Zoni. Mount Athos – Famagusta. The Virgin Mary, protector of the nation."
During the pilgrimage of the Agia Zoni, an exhibition of relics and photos entitled "Agia Zoni Varosion. 50 years later."
Famagusta.News