Our Local Church celebrated the grand Episcopal feast of Ascension, which was conducted in the magnificent Metropolitan Church of Volos.

On the Eve of the Feast, the Grand Vespers was conducted, His Eminence Metropolitan of Chalkida, Istiaia and Northern Sporades Chrysostomos officiating, with the participation of the Metropolitan of Kastoria Serafeim and of Demetrias Ignatius. Also, the Vespers was attended by the Head of the region of Thessaly Mr. Kostas Agorastos, the representative of the mayor Mr. Thanos Theodorou, the chiefs of the Police, Police Port Corps and Military Authorities of the city, with the faithful attendance being quite impressive.

His Eminence Metropolitan of Chalkida Mr. Chrysostomos, who preached the Divine Word, characterized the Feast as being "humble and grand, since it focuses on our Savior, Jesus Christ, but also a man's celebration, since in the person of Christ, the whole human nation was glorified. He also characterized the Ascension of our Lord as a "feast of peace and reconciliation between Heaven and Earth and between God and man, because there was a distance and elimination between them, not due to God's inhumanity and cruelty but because of man's impenitence and ingratitude...".

After the end of the Vespers there was a procession of the Icon of the Ascension of our Lord in the streets of the parish, accompanied by the town band.

On the day of the Feast, the Divine Liturgy was serviced, the Metropolitan of Kastoria Serafeim officiating, with the participation of the Metropolitan of Chalkida Chrysostomos and of Demetrias Ignatius, with a big attendance of the faithful.

His Eminence Serafim preached the Divine Word and analyzed the meaning of the Feast stressing that, after the Ascension, the Lord did not abandon us, but he is constantly with us on all the days of our life, but it is our task to restore God's love in the paradise.

At the end of the Divine Liturgy, our Prelate Ignatius ordained fr.Joel Podaropoulos an Archdeacon of our Local Church, stressing the Bishop's ethos, piety and dedication to our Church. Also, he thanked from the bottom of his heart the guest Prelates for accepting his invitation to participate in this feast and highlighted their ecclesiastical ethos, noting that they are excellent Pastors of the provinces trusted by our Church.