...και παρουσίαση της νέας στολής
St.
Panteleimon FC begins its new season at the Premier Division of the Middlesex
County Football League on Saturday 18th August 2018, playing away in
Rectory Meadows against PFC Victoria London, a very strong and very well
organised opponent.
The
official beginning of the new Football season 2018-2019 for the “Saints” had actually
taken place on Saturday 4th August, when Fr. Anastasios D. Salapatas
officiated at the blessing of the Team in St. Panteleimon and St. Paraskevi
Church in Harrow - NW London.
The
Blessing was attended by many Players of our Team, our Manager George
Frangeskou, the Chairman Savvas Andreou, Committee Members, Sponsors, some passionate
fans and others. The sports journalist George Michaelides attended the ceremony
and gracefully greeted our Players!
Fr.
Anastasios had written and read the following prayer for our Team:
“Heavenly
King, who through Your Holy Cross and the Glorious Resurrection smashed the
devil and having abolished the death gave life to us, You granted health and
strength to our body and healed our illnesses, and You have also provided those
we struggle the good fight and with honesty complete their way with the crown
of victory.
You,
our Lord, bless this Football Team, its Managers, its Committee, its Sponsors
and those who assist, and above all its Players to receive strength with the
force of Your power, in order to exercise their bodies and souls and worthily
achieve the prize of victory.
Make
our sports facilities an arena of noble competition and legitimate exercise,
and to all those who practise sports there, send Your blessing.
Thus,
we beseech You, make us worthy of Your calling and grant us health and
prosperity making us good imitators of our Patron Saint, Saint Panteleimon, the
Great Athlete and Healer, who fought the good fight and was glorified by You.
For
You are a merciful God Who loves mankind, and to You we send up Glory, to the
Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and to the
ages of ages. Amen”.
At
the end of the ceremony Fr. Anastasios greeted everyone with warm words,
emphasising the importance of our Faith (the Team’s motto is: Faith First) as
well as of the Greek Orthodox Community connections. The Manager George Frangeskou welcomed everyone and offered his good wishes and the sports journalist George Michaelides promised the support of the Parikiaki newspaper as well as of the Hellenic TV!
The
Players and all those attending came forward, kissed the Holy Cross and were
blessed with the Holy Water.
zuz vzv zuz vzv zuz
Right afterwards they all moved to St. Panteleimon
Community Centre, where there were refreshments offered to everyone.
Then
the new kit (new design in the “Saints” colours) was presented and the official
photographer of the Team Alexios Gennaris took pictures of the individual Players,
of the Committee and of everyone attending.
The
new kit was sponsored by Harry and Katerina Demopoulos, of Tower London! We are
really grateful to them for their kindness and generosity, as well as of their
commitment to our cause. The kit was produced in Thessaloniki by the Active Cap
Athletic Company, with whom we are establishing a new partnership! Really
exciting times!
zuz vzv
zuz vzv zuz
Later
on in the afternoon of the same day St. Panteleimon FC played a friendly game
away against South Kilburn FC. The result was 1-1 (scorer Nikos Salapatas). The
“Saints” had so many chances and had dominated the whole game. They hit the cross
bar twice and they even lost a penalty!
The
“Saints” are now really looking forward to a great and successful season ahead!
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