Athens, the capital city of Greece, was empty on Thursday, August 15 as hundreds of thousands of Greek Orthodox people flocked to their villages or islands to celebrate the Dormition of the Theotokos (Virgin Mary) feast day.
![Panepistimiou Avenue [InTimeNews]](/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/athens-empty-domition-of-the-theotokos-1024x576.webp)
Greece’s Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis celebrated the national holiday in his hometown of Chania, Crete.
Attending a morning church service with his family, Mitsotakis stated, “Today, we celebrate the Dormition, a major feast of Orthodoxy that strengthens us to face our difficulties.”
Mitsotakis also thanked state officials and volunteers for their recent efforts battling fires in Attica and assured affected citizens of prompt assistance. He urged for unity and reflection, stating, “Let this day be a moment of introspection and recognition that we move forward through unity and not division.”
Elsewhere, Greece’s President Katerina Sakellaropoulou was on the island of Lesvos to celebrate the feast day, whilst Greece’s Defence Minister Nikos Dendias was on Tinos island.
The day also marked the anniversary of the day an Italian submarine torpedoed the Greek cruiser ‘Elli’ as she rode at anchor, leading to its sinking on August 15, 1940 and the death of 9 nine seamen.
As every year, Dendias attended a memorial service for the victims of ‘Elli’s’ torpedoing, and the liturgy for the feast of the Virgin Mary.
Source: AMNA.gr and Ekathimerini.
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