By John Sanidopoulos
The gold medal of the Panagia Soumela went to Ilias Iliadis, the Bronze medalist for Judo of the 2012 Olympics in London, by Patriarch Theodoros II of Alexandria.
The Greek champion was at the holy shrine of Panagia Soumela in Vermio, with his father Niko, and followed the Divine Liturgy in honor of the Dormition of the Theotokos.
Iliadis was very moved by this recognition, and said that "what I got was worthy of Greece and God", while the people said over and over "axios, axios" (worthy, worthy)!