Commemoration of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist at the Centre of the Patriarchal Exarchate of Lithuania

On June 24, the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist was commemorated at the Centre of the Exarchate in Lithuania, in the Chapel of the Holy Apostle Andrew. The service was celebrated with the chorostasia of His Excellency Bishop Panaretos of Tamisos, Exarch of the Ecumenical Patriarch in Lithuania.

The chanters of the Vilnius Holy Trinity and Annunciation parishes sang during the service. The prayers were offered in Lithuanian, Greek, Ukrainian, Belarusian, and Church Slavonic, reflecting the multilingual life of the community of the Exarchate in Lithuania.

In his homily, Bishop Panaretos emphasized the special place of Saint John the Baptist in the life of the Church. He recalled that John the Baptist is an example for all monastics – a witness of repentance, humility, and complete dedication to God. The Bishop also noted that the Orthodox Church liturgically commemorates only three nativities: that of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Mother of God, and Saint John the Baptist. This testifies to his unique calling in the history of salvation.

Through the prayers of Saint John the Baptist, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us.