The Greek Orthodox community of St. Demetrios in Upper Darby gathered this week for a deeply moving liturgy marking the final evening of preparation for the Feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos.
Father Nectarios led the service, held on the eve of one of Orthodoxy’s most sacred days. Known in Greek as the Κοίμησις της Θεοτόκου (Koímēsis), or more familiarly Kimisis, the feast commemorates the falling asleep of the Virgin Mary.
Following the liturgy, the congregation joined in a solemn procession. The epitafio—a beautifully adorned icon symbolizing the bier of the Theotokos—was carried out of the church and down Powell Lane, surrounded by parishioners holding candles, chanting hymns, and walking in quiet reverence.
It was a night filled with both sorrow and peace, echoing the deep tradition that binds generations of Orthodox faithful across the world—and here, in Upper Darby, continues to live on with devotion.