“We are all struggling to keep our brilliant churches and institutions open and to pass them on to future generations,” Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew said in his speech after the Grand Vespers on Thursday, December 5, at the Church of Saint Nicholas in Ypsomatheia.
The Ecumenical Patriarch reflected emotionally, “how many Greek generations have come to this Church to pray and receive the blessing. We thank them for what they did for the survival of the Diaspora, we pray for the repose of their souls, and we promise them that we will keep them all our brilliant and Greek churches and institutions open until we pass them on to the next generations, to the younger ones who will follow us.”
The Ecumenical Patriarch congratulated the Supervisor of the Diocese of Hypsomatheia, Metropolitan Maximos of Selyvria, and the President of the Committee for Church of Saint Nicholas, Archon Antonis Parizianos, for their daily struggle to support its communities and foundations. The Ecumenical Patriarch wished everyone that Saint Nicholas would protect and give them courage.