A special liturgy was held in Istanbul’s Silivri district on Nov. 9 to commemorate Saint Nektarios, known among Orthodox Christians as the “Last Saint.”
Born in Silivri in 1846, Nektarios is a revered figure across the Orthodox world. The ceremony, organized by the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Istanbul, drew nearly 1,500 visitors from Greece and beyond.
During the service held along Silivri’s seaside, white doves were released into the sky as symbols of peace and fraternity.
Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I expressed gratitude to the people of Silivri, saying, “Every year on Nov. 9, we celebrate Saint Nektarios’ feast day. We could not have found a more beautiful place than Silivri, his birthplace. You, the people of Silivri, preserve and beautify this sacred site. We are deeply grateful on behalf of our Patriarchate.”
The program concluded with performances of Turkish and Greek folk dance groups, creating an atmosphere of unity, music and cultural exchange.
