“Archbishop Eirinaios of Crete underwent a tracheostomy and gastrostomy yesterday, on Friday,” Bishop Prodromos of Knossos told the newspaper Nea Kriti.
But he is likely to be transferred out of the Intensive Care Unit of the University Hospital of Heraklion toady and be treated at the Department of Neurology, he added.
Archbishop Eirinaios seems to have reacted well to the treatment. He regained consciousness, but he was unable to speak. The fact that he is conscious is an encouraging factor and is certainly an indication that the Archbishop is on his way to recovery.
The Archbishop has been hospitalised in the ICU of the University Hospital of Heraklion since last Sunday. After so many days, he is certainly in a much better condition. According to reports that came to light last week, Archbishop Eirinaios regained consciousness but he was unable to speak. However, this was an encouraging factor that showed that the Archbishop was on his way to recovery.
The Bishop of Knossos, Prodromos Xenakis, also expressed his gratitude to all the Church figures and laypeople who hurried to be informed about the health of the Archbishop.
“The Ecumenical Patriarch sent a moving letter about our Archbishop and his health problems. Among those who called and expressed their support was Archbishop Anastasios of Tirana and all of Albania. In addition, the chief secretary of the Jerusalem Patriarchate, Archbishop Aristarchus of Constantine, called and expressed the love and support on behalf of the Patriarch of Jerusalem,” he said.
“The chief secretary of the Church of Greece, Mr Filotheos, also called and expressed the support of the Archbishop of Athens and all of Greece as well as of many metropolitans and priests from all over Greece and abroad,” he concluded.
