CONCORD – On Sunday, April 3, the 4th Sunday of Lent, His Eminence, Metropolitan Methodios visited the Parish of Holy Trinity in Concord, NH, celebrating the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy with the community’s presiding priest, Fr. Constantine Newman.

Many faithful parishioners worked hard to make His Eminence’s visit a memorable and special event. The church sparkled, the choir was in excellent voice together with the visiting chanters, and the altar servers were in top form.

At the end of the Liturgy, His Eminence spoke briefly but very powerfully about the sad state of our society, emphasizing the need for the members of the parish to be in communion with one another, which is a consequence of being in communion with our Lord in Holy Communion. He also spoke about the need to keep our children close to the Church to help them navigate the darkness of society. After the sermon, Metropolitan Methodios tonsured two altar servers, Jason Leonidas Condodemetraky and George Tsiopras, as Acolytes and Readers. He then bestowed the offikion of Protopresbyter to Fr. Constantine.

After Liturgy, everyone gathered in the Church Hall for Fellowship Hour, with many delicious offerings prepared by the ladies of the parish and some of the gentlemen as well. Chris Condodemetraky, one of the Parish Treasurers, presented the Metropolitan with the Parish’s donation towards Philoxenia House. Chris, who himself had stayed at Philoxenia House during medical treatments, spoke movingly about the importance of the ministry of the Metropolis. His Eminence added that presently there are some children from Ukraine staying there for medical treatment for severe burns. Afterwards Isabella and George Tsiopras, representing the children of the parish, offered His Eminence a beautiful bouquet of flowers.