St. Menas Procession Marks Return of Historic Icon to Crete

HERAKLION, GREECE — Hundreds of faithful took part in the annual procession honoring St. Menas, patron saint and protector of Heraklion, on November 11, as celebrations culminated with the carrying of the saint’s icon and holy relic through the city streets.

Abp. Eugenius of Crete led the procession following a hierarchical Divine Liturgy at the small Church of St. Menas. The main Metropolitan Church of St. Menas remains closed for services because of ongoing renovation work, but the smaller church welcomed hundreds of worshippers for the feast.

This year’s celebration also marked the return of a historic icon that had been away from Crete for 86 years. Abp. Eugenius presented the icon to the faithful after recovering it from a military camp in Nafplio earlier this year.

The icon had been donated by then-Metropolitan Timotheos Veneris of Crete to soldiers of the 5th Cretan Division as they departed for the front. Following the collapse of the front, soldiers took the icon with them, and it eventually came to be kept at the Nafplio camp. The Archbishop secured its return after making a request to the army commander.

The procession and the return of the treasured icon added special significance to this year’s celebration of the city’s patron saint.

Previously, the UOJ reported that thousands gathered for the translation of the relics of St. George of Neapolis in Greece.