Jul
5
HCHC Senior Trip 2011 – Kavallas Artoclasia
After Mt. Athos, we loaded onto the bus and headed off for Turkey. We stopped twice, once in a small city at a fairly decent hotel, and once in a very small town at a very nice hotel by the beach. At the first city, Kavallas, we arrived on the feast day of Sts. Peter and Paul. Because this city was the first place where St. Paul entered Europe, and because he is the patron and protector of the city, the city goes all out to celebrate his feast day with an artoclasia and a stational procession from the chruch of St. Paul to the city cathedral. There were at least four bishops and over a dozen priests and deacons. My camera battery died at the start of the procession, but I borrowed a couple of point and shoots and got some more shots of the procession moving and the end. It was a brilliant night and one of the high points of the trip.
After that, we went to a hotel by the beach with a pool. We went for a swim in the pool and had a relaxing evening. The next morning, we were up early for the bus ride to Turkey.
Priests gather before the service.
The Church of St. Paul
A girl in traditional Greek dress.
The vesting of the bishop.
Honor guard waiting outside the church.
A huge crowd waited for the procession outside.
The procession begins.
The one in the middle seemed to be the highest ranking ecclesiarch, but I don't know his title.
