The faithful of the Parish of the Dormition of the Theotokos in Jeonju, with the participation of the Metropolitan of Korea Fr. Ambrosios, assisted by Presbyter Fr. Hillarion Jeong, and Deacon Yohan Park celebrated the feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos, according to the ecclesiastical order.
On the day before the feast, many believers and the clergy worked for the cleaning of the church, the decoration of the icons, the preparation of the Artoklasia and the Prosphoron for the Divine Liturgy.
During the Service of Vespers, the Metropolitan delivered a sermon and said that, what the Virgin Mary asks of us on her feast day are two things: First, to listen to the word of Her Son and to apply it in our lives, so that we may not only be listeners, but also doers: “those who hear the word of God and keep it” (Lk. 11:28). He also admonished parents to teach their children the word of God, and how to apply it in their everyday life.
On the following day, the Service of Orthros (Matins) of the Feast as well as the Divine Liturgy were celebrated. Before the Dismissal, the Procession of the Holy Icon of the Virgin Mary took place, at the end of which a prayer of thanks was offered for the liberation of Korea from the Japanese yoke in 1945 and for the establishment of the Republic of Korea (15/8/1948). The word Gwangbok means “restoration of light”.
This was followed by a common meal of Love, during which the Metropolitan referred to the protection of the Virgin Mary as the “Mother of the whole world”, and invited the faithful to resort to Her Intercessions during all their difficulties. Finally, he asked everyone to pray so that soon we may celebrate the feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos in Her new Church, which is currently being constructed.