In a brilliant atmosphere, the Sunday of the Samaritan Woman was celebrated at the Center of Orthodoxy, coinciding with the Ecumenical Patriarchate’s Synaxis of all the Holy Archbishops and Patriarchs of Constantinople. Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew presided over the Divine Liturgy, co-celebrated by Elder Emmanuel of Chalcedon, Eirinaios of Myriophyton and Peristasis, Theoleptos of Iconium, Andreas of Forty Churches, Ioakeim of Bursa, and Theodoros of Seleucia. Metropolitan Irenaeus of Florina, Prespa, and Eordea delivered the sermon.
Following the Dismissal, the Ecumenical Patriarch awarded the Offikion of Archon Protekdikos of the Holy Great Church of Christ to Ioannis Retsos, a distinguished lawyer, economist, and businessman from Athens. Addressing the new Archon, Patriarch Bartholomew praised his success in tourism and hotel businesses and emphasized the importance of combining economic progress with social responsibility, ethical principles, and environmental respect.
The Patriarch highlighted that economic challenges cannot be resolved solely through technocratic solutions and that a viable development model must integrate fairness, solidarity, and environmental integrity. He reaffirmed the Ecumenical Patriarchate’s commitment to these principles and its role in bearing witness to the values of the Orthodox faith. The Patriarch cited Apostle Paul’s Letter to the Romans, reminding everyone that faith in God enables us to be “more than conquerors” (Romans 8:37).
Present at the ceremony were Metropolitans Chrysostomos of Myra, Barnabas of Neapolis and Stavroupolis, and Kyrillos of Imbros and Tenedos, as well as the President of the Board of Directors of the Brotherhood of Offikialia “Panagia Pammakaristos,” Archon Exarch Athanasios Martinos. Also in attendance were Archons of Offikialia, Ambassador Konstantinos Koutras, Consul General of Greece in Constantinople, Maxim Vdovichenko, Consul of Ukraine, Spyridon Flogaitis, Professor of Public Law at the Law School of Athens and former Minister, along with relatives and friends of the new Archon, local believers, and pilgrims from abroad.
After the Divine Liturgy, the Ecumenical Patriarch delivered a speech at the reception in the Throne Room, warmly welcoming the President of the Board of Directors and the members of the Brotherhood present in the historic cathedral of the Great Church, “the spiritual cradle of Orthodoxy, from which we serve the people of God, here and here the Lord.”
Earlier, Archon Athanasios Martinos spoke about the first joint Conference of Archons from around the world and their 4th International Conference in Athens, highlighting the collective commitment to supporting the Ecumenical Patriarchate and defending its rights.
At noon, the Ecumenical Patriarch attended a luncheon hosted in his honor by the President and the members of the Brotherhood of Offikalia “Panagia Pammakaristos” at a central hotel in Constantinople.
In the afternoon, the Patriarch attended the official graduation event for the students of the Diaspora Lyceums of Constantinople and Imbros. He extended his congratulatory wishes and paternal advice to the graduates as they embark on a new chapter in their lives and presented them with souvenirs.
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Photos: Nikos Papachristou / Translated by: Konstantinos Menyktas
