THE HOLY WEEK IN THE HOLY CHURCHES OF THESSALONIKI
Thessaloniki is revealed daily through the small and large fragments of its eventful history, treasuring its rich heritage as part of a continuous process of renewal, embracing the past while transforming it into a creative present. One such significant effort, in collaboration with the city’s creative entities and under the auspices of the Holy Metropolis of Thessaloniki, is the initiative to revive the “Week of Worship,” which was reintroduced in our city last year.
SCHEDULED EVENTS
FRIDAY, APRIL 4 | 7:00 PM | Holy Church of Saint Therapon
Service of the Akathist Hymn
Presided by His All-Holiness Metropolitan Philotheos Psauon of Thessaloniki
Georgios Patronas, Protopsaltis (Lead Chanter)
Ioannis Tziastas, Lambadarios (Second Chanter)
Performances by:
The Chanters’ Choir of the Holy Church of Saint Therapon & students of the course Introduction to Byzantine Music
Eu Neanides Women’s Vocal Ensemble and female students of the course Introduction to Byzantine Music
SATURDAY, APRIL 5 | 7:30 PM | Holy Church of Panagia Acheiropoietos
Part I
Anthology of Religious Hymns
Youth Choir of the Holy Metropolis of Thessaloniki
Musical Direction: Heracles Panagopoulos
Part II
“Asmasin os Anthesin”
Psaltic selections for the Divine Passion
Women’s Byzantine Choir Agia Anysia of the Greek Union for Music Education
Chanting of ecclesiastical hymns in Greek, Latin, Arabic, Slavic, Romanian, Aramaic, Georgian, and German.
Musical Direction: Maria Alexandrou, Professor at the Department of Music Studies, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
SUNDAY, APRIL 6 | 7:00 PM | Holy Church of Saint Demetrius
Service of the Repentant Vespers for the Fifth Sunday of Lent
Performances by Byzantine Choirs (scales):
Historic Society of Hieropsaltes of Thessaloniki “Saint John of Damascus”
Association of Hieropsaltes of Pieria “Saint Dionysios of Olympus
MONDAY, APRIL 7 | 7:30 PM | Holy Church of God’s Wisdom
“Theotokos Virgin, Rejoice, O Full of Grace”
Contributors:
Sokratis Sinopoulos: Organ improvisations
Chanters: Ioannis Liakos, Christos Chalkias, Fr. Cherubim Tsinoglou, Georgios Patronas
Vocal Ensemble Chorostasia | Department of Music Science and Art
Women’s Choir Eu Neanides | Laboratory of Poetics, University of Macedonia
Orchestra O.K.E.M. (Orchestra of Secular Greek Music)
Byzantine Choir Evdromountes | Research Team Evdromountes, University of Macedonia
Artistic Direction: Georgios A. Patronas
TUESDAY, APRIL 8 | 6:30 PM |Agioritiki Estia
“The scene of the unseen”
Opening of a photography exhibition by Polish photographer Tomasz Mościcki, featuring Mount Athos. Includes material from the preparation and celebration of Athonite Easter.
TUESDAY, APRIL 8 | 7:30 PM | Holy Church of Panagouda
“The Sorrowful Spring of Poets”
Divine and Human Passions in Modern Greek Poetry
Recitation of poems on divine and human suffering by actors and living poets, accompanied by cello and violin.
Poems by: Christianopoulos, Themelis, Pentzikis, Vafopoulos, Aslanoglou, Karouzos, Vrettakos, Elytis, Palamas, Ritsos, and others.
In collaboration with the State Theatre of Northern Greece
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 9 | 8:00 PM| Rotonda
Part I
“CRUCIFIXUS: 6 Fragments for the Darkness of Passions and the Hope of Light”
Women’s Vocal Ensemble VOCI CONTRA TEMPO
Choral and Artistic Direction: Sofia Gioltsasi
Part II
Requiem by Simos Papanas
The work draws on the historical tradition of the Requiem genre, using traditional Latin texts with subtle rearrangements to explore human-centered emotions (agony, fear, grief, anger) surrounding mortality. A child’s voice symbolizes innocence confronting existential questions.
Movements:
Requiem aeternam – Kyrie, Dies irae, Tuba mirum, Sanctus, Benedictus, Agnus Dei, Libera me
Performers:
Thessaloniki Municipal Symphony Orchestra
Conductor: Charis Iliadis, Principal Musician
Mixed Choir Kyrios & Methodios
Choral Direction: Maria-Emma Meligopoulou, Assistant Professor, Department of Music Science and Art
Soloists: Vasilis Kavayas (tenor), Chrysa Malamani (soprano), Christoforos Stampoglis (bass)
THURSDAY, APRIL 10 | 7:00 PM | Catholic Church οf Thessaloniki
“Wade in the Water”
Concert by the Nakas Gospel Choir
THURSDAY, APRIL 10 | 8:00 PM | Holy Church of Panagia Acheiropoietos
Chanting of Ecclesiastical Hymns
Byzantine Choirs of Priests and Chanters from the Holy Metropolis of Thessaloniki
FRIDAY, APRIL 11 | 7:30 PM | Holy Church of God’s Wisdom
“Ear mikro, ear vathi, ear sintetrimeno”
A dialogue between poet Nikos Karouzos and the mixed/children’s choir “Fones” of the Holy Church of Agia Varvara, Thessaloniki
Soloists: Andreas Karakotas, Manolis Chadjimanolis
Piano: Konstantinos Diminakis
Direction: Chrysostomos Stamoulis
Narrator: Chara Zaravela
Children’s Choir Instruction: Iosifina Katoglidou
Mixed Choir Instruction: Chrysostomos Stamoulis & Despoina Koltsida
SATURDAY, APRIL 12 | 7:30 PM | Holy Church of Panagia Acheiropoietos
Spanish Vocal Ensemble “Schola Antiqua”
Dialogues with God: Medieval Latin Repertoires
Musical Direction: Juan Carlos Asensio Palacios
The internationally acclaimed, award-winning ensemble Schola Antiqua (Madrid) specializes in medieval Western ecclesiastical monody and polyphony. For the closing concert of this year’s Holy Week, they will perform Ambrosian, Old Roman, Beneventan, Visigothic, Gregorian chants, and early polyphony.
