On Sunday, January 4, 2026, the traditional cutting of the vasilopita of the Holy Metropolis of Kalymnos took place at the Girls’ Shelter, officiated by His Eminence Paisios, Metropolitan of Leros, Kalymnos and Astypalaia
The event was attended by the entire clergy of the island, the Eparch of Kalymnos Manolis Mousellis, the Administrator of Kalymnos Hospital Pantelis Kogas, as well as a representative of the Hellenic Armed Forces.
In his address, His Eminence noted that many of the faithful have increasingly distanced themselves from the teachings of Jesus Christ, while also highlighting the alarming rise in divorces in contemporary society. He further referred to a recent incident of verbal abuse he received from a parishioner of Saint Stephen’s Church, calling on believers to follow Christ’s fundamental exhortation of love toward one’s neighbor.
The vasilopita stood out for its impressive appearance, elegant decoration, and craftsmanship, as it was handmade by the Evangelismos Monastery of Patmos. The Metropolitan also made a point of cutting a piece of the vasilopita in honor of the Minister of Education Sophia Zacharaki, in recognition of her approval of one deacon’s post and one priest’s post for the Metropolis.
Finally, it is worth noting that the Metropolis’ calendar for 2026 is dedicated to the archaeological, early Christian, and Byzantine monuments of Vathy, Kalymnos. The calendar also includes a message from His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, on the occasion of the 1,700th anniversary of the First Ecumenical Council of Nicaea in Bithynia (325 AD), in which he addresses the faithful with an appeal for Christian unity.
