From Sunday, 5 July to Sunday, 12 July 2026, the Holy Church of Saint Stephen the Protomartyr and Archdeacon of Safra mpoleos in Nea Ionia will mark its centenary — 100 years since its foundation. A week-long programme of liturgical, spiritual, and cultural events will celebrate this milestone.
Key Events
Two highlights anchor the celebrations: a Triarchiepiscopal Divine Liturgy on Sunday, 12 July, presided over by His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America; and a major musical and dance gala on Saturday, 11 July, held at Saint Stephen of Safra mpoleos Square in collaboration with the Municipality of Nea Ionia.
On Sunday, 12 July 2026 at 7:00 a.m., the service of Orthros will begin, followed immediately by the Triarchiepiscopal Liturgy led by Archbishop Elpidophoros. His presence is a rare honour for the parish and a landmark moment in its modern history. The Archbishop will preside over the Thanksgiving Service at a historic refugee church that has just undergone full restoration and houses the largest and most significant relic fragment of Saint Stephen the Protomartyr — his incorrupt left foot.
This archiepiscopal visit carries deep symbolic weight: it bridges the memory of the Asia Minor refugees with today’s Greek Orthodox diaspora, affirming the unbroken continuity of Orthodox faith and historical remembrance.
A Church Rooted in Nea Safra mpoleos
The venerated Holy Church of Saint Stephen stands at the intersection of Agiou Georgiou and Theodorou Konstantopoulou streets — just metres from the Nea Ionia Town Hall and near the Nea Ionia ISAP station. It is the only parish church in Attica dedicated to Saint Stephen the Protomartyr and Archdeacon.
The parish’s origins trace back to the early years of settlement by Asia Minor refugees. In 1924, the community built its first wooden church — affectionately known as ‘the shack’ — which served worshippers until 1936. The current church was founded in 1926, constructed around 1945, and officially inaugurated on 4 June 1950 by Bishop Alexios of Evripos.
The refugees modelled it after the Holy Church of Saint Stephen in Theodoroupolis, Asia Minor — bringing not only architectural plans but also icons, sacred relics, traditions, and profound devotion to Saint Stephen. Around that first wooden church — and later the present building — the new neighbourhood of Safra mpoleos gradually took shape.
The church’s story is inseparable from the history of Nea Ionia itself and the resilience of those who rebuilt their lives after displacement.
The Incorrupt Left Foot of Saint Stephen the Protomartyr
The church’s most revered treasure — and its defining feature — is the incorrupt left foot of Saint Stephen the Protomartyr.