By Metropolitan Titus (Matthaiakis)
of Paramythia, Filiates and Giromeri
The Sunday of the Prodigal dawned, 28th February in the year 1932. This was the day he liturgized for the final time upon the earthly sacrificial altar. After the Divine Liturgy he lost consciousness. During his illness he remained in the home of his pious son John in Gargaretta at 39 Drakou Street, where he delivered his holy soul on 2 March 1932, the day on which he celebrated the anniversary of his ordination as a presbyter. He had made the sign of the Honorable Cross and said: "I have completed the road! Glory to You O God! May divine grace bless you all!" With these words he departed this world.
In the morning they brought his sacred relic to the Church of Saint John on Vouliagmeni Street, where he was venerated by the people for three days. This event was unprecedented and the crowds were countless. Thousands of people fled to the Attica Basin to bid farewell to the modern Saint. His funeral was presided over by Archbishop Chrysostomos Papadopoulos (+ 1938), who also delivered the funeral oration. His assistant priest Nicholas Lambropoulos also spoke. A funeral oration was also delivered at his grave by one of his spiritual children, who was a student of Theology at that time, Constantine Matthaiakis, who later became Metropolitan Titus of Paramythia, Filiates and Giromeri (+ 1991).
