The Church of Saint Procopios in Tirana celebrated the feast of its saint, Procopios, the protector of Tirana. On this occasion clergy and faithful gathered to celebrate the saint’s feast. The celebration began at 19:00 of the Sunday, July 7, with Great Vespers. This service was led by the Bishop of Bylis, His Grace Asti. The sermon was delivered to the believers by Father Justini. He focused on the life of this martyr of our Church. Later, during the night, the doors of the church stood open and the believers prayed together in the vigil organized for this case. The vigil was led by Bishop of Amantia, His Grace Nathaniel. In the early hours of Monday morning, in the Church of Saint Procopios the services of Morning prayer, the Divine Liturgy and the litany and procession around the church were led by the Bishop of Kruja, His Grace Anthony.At the end of the Divine Liturgy, the sermon was delivered by Father Kozma Sovjani, who briefly told the life of the saint and suggested that everyone should keep pure their life in Christ. Like Saint Procopios, all the saints of the Orthodox Church have been clothed in Christ and are now in the highest heaven, with our Lord, Jesus Christ. Father Kozmas among other things said: “Christ gave to His disciples power to break down the power of the enemy. There is just one enemy of the people and enemy of God, the Devil. He fights us and tries to cast us into sin, in order to lose our way and to lose our soul. Christ gives us power since He is God He owns everything that is in this world, every element of nature, every being, every creature; all things take life from Him. Christ gives encourage and faith to his disciples and to the Church, to break down the power of the enemy. This is our strength.”
His Grace Anthony invited all the believers to participate in the litany around the church of Saint Procopios with the icon of the saint, where the clergy and faithful chanted the troparios of the saint and who spoke about his life, a martyr of our Orthodox Church and in the same time the Protector of the city of Tirana.
Luljeta Pjetri
