Continuing an annual tradition, on St Nicholas Day, Sunday December 6, 2015, Orthodox pilgrims from Alanya and Antalya traveled to Myra (in Antalya Prefecture). These pilgrims and other supporters participated in the Divine Liturgy, which was celebrated in the ancient Basilica of St Nicholas in Myra.
The Metropolitan of Myra, His Eminence Chrysostomos, presided over the Eucharistic celebration. Among those attending were Great Sinkell Ambrose Horosidis; Archpriest Georgy Blatras, Fr. Spyridon Chekouras with a group of pilgrims from Luxembourg and high-ranking priests from Constantinople and Isparta; the president of the Society of Friends of St, Nicholas, Dr Panayiotis Koliomihalis; as well as pilgrims from Greece and Russian pilgrims from Antalya and Alanya. The Consul General of Greece in Ιzmir- Turkey also attended the service, together with his wife.
On the occasion of the feast of St Nicholas in the region, Metropolitan Bishop of Myra, Chrysostomos organized a five-day pilgrimage, from 3 to 7 December. On Friday 4 December the group visited Patara, the birthplace of St Nicholas. On Saturday morning, 5 December, they celebrated the Divine Liturgy in the chapel of the episcopate in honor of St John Chrysostom. Then, that afternoon, the Great Vespers was celebrated in the Basilica of St Nicholas. The very moving pilgrimage concluded in the morning of 6 December with the Divine Liturgy in the Basilica of St Nicholas, after which the Metropolitan of Myra invited all the clergy and pilgrims to share a festal meal.