A night vigil and liturgy gathered dozens in the church “St. Georgi” in the Blagoevgrad village of Gabrovo. Hieromonk Justin Zografski arrived specially from Holy Mountain to perform the services.
“The holiday is ‘Renovation of the temple and laying of the relics of St. George the Victorious in the city of Lida’, the Orthodox world celebrates on November 3,” explained the founder of the temple, Borislav Khandzhiyski, who was also elected mayor of the village last week.
Since the feast fell on the Friday before All Souls’ Day, it was decided to move the vigil and the liturgy to Sunday. The heavy rain on Saturday evening meant that only about 50 people joined the vigil, but yesterday for the holy liturgy and the following Lent meal with beans and fish around the chapel, about 200 people gathered. A two-faced icon was consecrated, an exact copy of the original in Holy Mountain, with an image of St. George on one side and St. Arch. Michael on the other side.
“Our intention is to turn into a tradition the celebration of this holiday along with St. George’s Day, and from next year to hold a liturgy procession, as in the Zograf Monastery,” announced Borislav Khandzhiyski.
DIMITRINA ASENOVA
