Homily at the Procession with the Epitaphios on Great Friday 2026 (Metropolitan Hierotheos of Nafpaktos)

Homily at the Procession with the Epitaphios 

(Delivered on April 10, 2026)

By Metropolitan Hierotheos of Nafpaktos and Agiou Vlasiou

At the outset, I wish you all many years, with health, strength, and inspiration in your work.

Great Friday, for the Orthodox Church — and for Nafpaktos — is not a day of sorrow and grief, but a day of triumph; for Christ, by His death on the Cross, destroyed every kind of death —psychological and spiritual — and showed us the way to transcend the problems of our life, that is, how to move from the level of the senses and emotions to the inner, spiritual, theological level. It is a path of ascent toward our own resurrection.

During the days of Christ’s Passion in Jerusalem, as we have seen, three realities prevailed: the human, the religious that became demonic, and the theological.

The human element appeared in Pilate, Herod, and others who were concerned with power and personal interests and were indifferent to the death of an innocent man.

The religious element, which was transformed into something demonic, appeared in the Scribes and the Pharisees, the religious leaders of the Jews, and in Judas, into whom Satan entered in order to betray Christ.

The theological element appeared most clearly in Christ, who faced everything with silence and with word, with patience and a God-like stance, and who conquered unjust authority and demonic energy by His divinity.

Prayer for the Cessation of the War in Ukraine

By Metropolitan Chrysostomos of Mani

Lord our God, the All-Wise, the Almighty, and the Most Merciful, we beseech You and implore You, we who are sinful and unworthy servants of Yours: listen to the voice of our supplication at this hour and cease the raging war in the fields, villages, towns, and cities of Ukraine. Look down from heaven, O Lord, and behold the pain and sorrow of Your creatures, the tears in their eyes, the turmoil of their souls, as well as this death among them.

You know that iniquities and sins have overwhelmed our heads; therefore, be gracious, grant hope and strength. Enlighten the minds and direct those in authority to know themselves and do Your holy will, for "blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God." Send angels from Your holy dwelling place as guardians over all who have fled to a foreign land from the conflict, and grant them patience and consolation.