The Grand Festive Vespers in remembrance of the preaching of the Apostle of the Paul Nations to the Athenians was held early Sunday night on the Sacred Rock of the Supreme Court.

The evening was attended by Synodal Metropolitans, a spokesman for the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the Patriarchate of Jerusalem, while the government was represented by the Minister of Education and Religions Sofia Zacharakis. The “present” was given by the Mayor of Athens Haris Doukas, as well as other MPs, Security Corps representatives, bodies and more. The Vespers ends on June 29 as it is the day on which the Church commemorates the Apostles Peter and Paul.

The festivities began with a procession that began with the church of St. Demetrius of Loubardiaris on Filopappou Hill. The procession took place under the sounds of the band of the Municipality of Athens and was followed by a large number of faithful, as the Sacred Rock of the Supreme Court -where the Vespers was performed. During the procession there was a liturgy of the image of the Apostle Paul, which they worshiped.

The story of Paul’s speech on the Supreme Court

Apostle Paul’s famous speech on the Supreme Court is a focal point in the spread of Christianity, as recorded in detail in the Acts of the Apostles. The historical context finds Paul in Athens, a city famous for its rich philosophical heritage and its intense religiousness.

There are different interpretations of the exact character of Paul’s presence in the Supreme Court. Some scholars believe that it was a formal trial, which eventually dismissed his case as insignificant because of his reference to the resurrection of the dead. On the contrary, another view argues that there was no trial, but Paul was led there to heard by an audience thirsty for philosophical discussions. A third approach combines the two previous ones, arguing that Paul was presented to the Supreme Court’s body for a hearing, so that the lords would evaluate whether his sermon had spiritual dangers for Athenian citizens.

In his speech, Paul showed remarkable rhetorical flexibility, adapting his message to the Athenian public. Unlike his usual practice of referring to the Old Testament when he spoke to Jews, he used elements of familiar and respected Greeks here. A typical example is his reference to the altar of “Unknown God”, which he argued that he came to disclose. He emphasized that God, as a creator of the world, is not limited to temples and does not need human services, while the construction of idols is inappropriate. This idea, as Paul noted, is in line with the words of the Stoic poet Aratos. Concluding his speech, he said that God would judge the world through a man who raised the dead, a reference that caused a derogatory reactions to some listeners. However, Paul’s speech resulted in: Two listeners, Judge Dionysius the Areopagite and Damaris were persuaded and embraced Christianity.

Today, this historical speech is honored with a bronze plate carrying its text, placed next to the carved stairs leading to the imposing Supreme Court.