Evangelistria celebrates 100 years of refugee heritage with concert

The centenary celebrations for the refugee parish of Evangelistria in Nea Ionia, Magnesia, concluded on Tuesday, September 29, with a major commemorative concert titled ‘The Presence of Memory’. The event marked 100 years of the parish and 30 years of the Estoudiantina of Nea Ionia Magnesia orchestra.

Organized through a collaboration between the Municipality of Volos and the Holy Metropolis of Demetrias and Almou, the concert featured musical performances centered on Greek traditions, specifically focusing on Smyrna and the history of the Asia Minor catastrophe. Performers included the Estoudiantina orchestra, directed by Andreas Katsigiannis, along with singers Dimitris Basis, Christina Maxouri, and Christos Kaliontzidis, as well as the choir of the Volos Municipal Conservatory.

Metropolitan Ignatios of Demetrias attended the event, where he honored the refugee ancestors who established the original Evangelistria. He expressed gratitude to the Municipality of Volos and the organizers, including Archimandrite Amfilochios Milto, for preserving the community's heritage.