Episcopal Vesper for the celebration of Saint Basil in the Holy Metropolis of Corfu
On Sunday evening, December 31st, 2017 his Eminence, the Bishop of Corfu, Paxoi and Diapontian Islands, Mr. Nektarios did the Episcopal Vesper in the celebrating Church of Saint Basil in Corfu Town. The preaching was made by the Archimandrite, Father Ioustinos Konstantas, Chancellor of the Holy Metropolis of Corfu.
He mentioned that the Son and Word of God as human, accepted to be circumcised. He followed the rules of Judaism. Christ sanctified Humans. Moreover, Father Ioustinos underlined the fact that our Church characterised Saint Basil, Bishop of Caesarea as Great, because he spent his whole life for God and people. He combined the knowledge of the world’s education with the wisdom of God, aiming to show the Triadic God to people and not to make himself popular, to help the ones in need, the poor and the orphans. For this reason, he created the Basiliad, where many people in need found relief. Saint Basil was mostly interested for the salvation of people’s souls.
In his closing, Father Ioustinos wished that Saint Basil will pray for all of us, in order to live with God’s Grace through our spiritual struggles. In the end of the Vesper, the Bishop of Corfu pointed out that we as Christians are invited, as Saint Paul mentions, to follow the circumcision of Christ as far as our heart is concerned. We need to abandon the coldness of our hears, the meanness and the sins. We are encouraged to be spiritually circumcised by removing every single obstacle that makes our union with Lord difficult. Moreover, his Eminence used as a basis the Holy chanter and mentioned that Saint Basil is like the bee that collects nectar from the flowers.
Christ gave him many gifts. He had the calmness of Moses, the zeal of the prophet Elias, the confession of Saint Paul and the theology of the Evangelist John. He had all these gifts to glorify and thank the Triadic God. In his closing, Mr. Nektarios encouraged the loyal Christians to imitate Saint Basil’s life by making our Lord, Jesus Christ the centre of it.
