PRESS RELEASE – A Night at Meteora… in the Heart of Athens

ByParthenios

A World Premiere of the Complete Works of PARTHENIOS (†1807)

Thursday May 7 2026, 7pm
St. Panteleimon Church, 113 Acharnon Str. Athens, GREECE

Athens. The Holy Monastery of Great Meteoron and the artistic ensemble Romeiko Ensemble announce a top musical and spiritual event: the world’s first presentation and performance of the unpublished work of Parthenios (†1807), Abbot of Great Meteoron. The event-mystagogy will take place on Thursday, May 7, 2026, at 7:00 p.m., at the Holy Church of Saint Panteleimon on Acharnon Street, offering the public a rare opportunity to experience the Meteorite chanting tradition in the heart of the capital.
The Event.
Meteora, the geological and spiritual wonder of global importance, is “transported” to Athens for one night. Through the liturgical events of the monks, the human voices of the Romeiko ensemble combined with the rhythmic pulse of the talanton and kopanos and the sounds of resonating bowls and bells, will abolish the boundaries of time, transforming the spectators into a “transitory” midnight experience.
The Historical Discovery.
At the center of the story is the figure of Parthenios of Paleochori, Trikala in Greece, a forgotten giant of church music. His rich compositional work remained “silent” in the codex Met329, written in a musical language incomprehensible after 1814.
Following the initiative of the Abbot of the Great Meteoron Monastery, Archimandrite Nephon, the distinguished musicologist Dr. Ioannis Arvanitis completed the titanic task of transcribing the Complete Works of Parthenios into the modern Chant writing. The professional Ensemble Romeiko, under the direction of Dr. Yorgos Bilalis, brings this material to life after two centuries, highlighting eight hours of acoustic treasure (Psalms and Hymns).
It is a living memory in artistic reconstruction, which invites modern people to share the spirit and greatness of the Byzantine tradition.

Event Information
Date: Thursday, May 7, 2026
Time: 19:00
Location: Church of Saint Panteleimon (Acharnon Str), Athens
Admission: Free
Contact: Yorgos Bilalis (Artistic Director)
Email: info@parthenios.org
www.parthenios.org