Christmas Events in Corfu

On Monday afternoon, December 24, 2018 the Panegyrical Archieratical Vesper was made, at the Holy Church of Saint Spyridon, with his Eminence, the Bishop of Corfu, Paxoi and Diapontian Islands, Mr. Nektarios.
The preaching was made by Protopresbyter, father Ioannis Vlassis, priest of the Holy Church of Holy Trinity in Garitsa.
Father Ioannis, having thanked his Eminence, mentioned that humans were created according to God’s eternal plan as His image.
They receive all the elements-gifts to be complete and be like God. Reason of this creation is to become in His glory. God’s love is the result of the creation of humans. This love made him a reasonable person and above of all creations. He take divine gifts: reason, self-control, conscience and ability to judge in order to fulfill his goals. But the mischievous devil, in the form of a snake, deceives the foreheads, so that they are outside of Paradise and lose their relationship and society with their Creator. But God does not let his creature be destroyed. The Lord promises that the snake’s head will be crushed. The promise of this Church calls it “Protevangelion (first Gospel)”. This faith was preserved in the peoples and tribes of the earth for redemption and restoration. Thus, we see the prophecy of the coming of the Lord into the world, from the Old Testament, from ancient Greek philosophers, Latin writers, and even from wise men of China and India. All the world known before Christ, struggling and waiting for the great miracle of his many centuries of slavery, from the bonds of sin and death. And the light rose, the pre-eternal saving prophecy, into the humble cave of Bethlehem. According to the apostle Paul’s word, God asks us to live Christ in a continuous society in the life of our Holy Church, in the Mystery of the Holy Communion.
On the other hand, in our world the forces of darkness struggle and struggle to break down everything Christian. Our Orthodox homeland is at risk from these opposing forces, alter its character and become a country without faith, without traditions, without principles and values. Unprecedented laws come into the life of the Orthodox Greeks who are troublesome to change, divide.
In his closing, father Ioannis wished the newly-born God-Human to strengthen us and give us direction, while especially blessing the ones in power of our country.
In his short speech at the end of the Vesper, Mr. Nektarios underlined that ven entire nations are defeated in the greatness and love of the Triune God. Those people who, either ignorantly or deliberately fight our Church, know that they are blatant. In the end, the Incarnate Love, Jesus Christ, not revengefully, but simply because lies and evil are ruined in the face of truth and love.
Lastly, the Bishop of Corfu, wished to everyone happy and blessed Christmas, the newly-born Christ to light our world which moves forward without a spiritual compass in the darkness.
Then, his Eminence listened to the Christmas Carols at the Bishopric, by the Corfu’s Choir, the Philarmonic Band of Corfu, the Philarmonic Band Kapodistrias and the Philarmonic Band Mantzaros. At the end, his Eminence gave them his blessings.