The Lefkadian Brotherhood honoured their island’s patroness, “Kyra Phaneromeni,” with a series of devout celebrations and gatherings in Coburg last Monday at the Church of the Presentation of Our Lord on Victoria Street. The event, attended by members and friends of the Brotherhood, featured a blessing of the bread for the health of Lefkadians, offered by the family of Chrysoula Kominatou.
After the church service, a light lunch was offered in the Brotherhood’s hall, where members and friends gathered to celebrate.
Kyra Phaneromeni,” who is believed to reside on a sunny peak of a pine-covered hill three kilometers is celebrated the Monday after Pentecost with Lefkadians around the world coming together in a hymn of gratitude.
Notably, the Vespers service at Agia Phaneromeni in Lefkada was presided over for the first time by Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, highlighting the significance of the occasion.
Despite past destructions, the church was rebuilt with architecture influenced by Zakynthian styles. It houses relics of saints and a piece of the Holy Cross, surrounded by a pristine courtyard, gardens, cells, a guesthouse, and a library containing handwritten books and heirlooms. The reception room features photos of clergy who lived in the monastery, and auxiliary spaces provide rest and refreshments for pilgrims.
Adjacent buildings function as an ecclesiastical museum for the preservation and restoration of heirlooms and the exhibition of the island’s religious tradition.
