The President of the Hellenic Republic, Prokopis Pavlopoulos, the Greek Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, the Mayor of Athens, Kostas Bakoyannis, and the Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa, Theodore, were present at the Agiasmos service today at noon, at the start of construction works of the Onassis National Transplant Center.
“There are some highlights of the life of societies. Peaks arise when outstanding technical and scientific achievements go hand in hand and serve humanity and its needs,” Archbishop Ieronymos of Athens and all Greece said in his address. In particular, he noted that “the Onassis Foundation together with the State and the National Transplant Organization will provide our society with the Onassis National Transplant Center, which will further enhance the level of research, medical services and therapies in our home country. Excellent services, especially in the field of Pediatrics.”
The Patriarch of Alexandria, who thanked and congratulated the Foundation for its innovative actions and contribution, performed the Agiasmos service.
The Primate of the Greek Church added that “many years have passed since the first organ transplant in humans. A beautiful rugged road that has carved brightly and honoured the 20th century. Today, transplants have been established as a way of treatment and are improving daily. For some diseases they are the only therapeutic practice. Our country has been following the developments and thanks to the Onassis Foundation we have had the state-of-the-art Onassis Cardiac Surgery Center since 1992, which has treated thousands of people. I congratulate those who have worked for this achievement and I wish our Lord Jesus Christ richly bless the course of the Center’s construction.”
Metropolitan George of Guinea, representative of the Ecumenical Patriarch in Athens, politicians, academics and representatives of the Onassis Foundation were also present.
