“I have the honor, the joy and the blessing to represent Greece, the Greek people and the Greek government on this great day of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew. A figure of the Church, the first among equals in the Orthodox Church, who marked during his Patriarchal ministry the Throne. He paved the way, organized ecclesiastical issues and events, such as the Holy and Great Synod in Crete three years ago, which was a landmark in ecclesiastical history. We are most grateful for that”.
This was the statement to ANA-MPA by Deputy Foreign Minister Markos Bolaris at the Ecumenical Patriarchate, where he represented the Greek government in the nominal celebration of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, during the Sacred Service this morning at the Most Sacred Patriarchal Church of St. George.
Mr. Bolaris stressed the following: “We unite our voice with the world, to congratulate and say that we are proud of the initiatives (of the Ecumenical Patriarch) to protect the environment, to address climate change and it’s adverse effects”.
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs also pointed out the initiatives of the Ecumenical Patriarch to address modern forms of slavery: i.e. trafficking.
“An initiative for which the Patriarch is working in Europe as well as in Africa and America. An initiative that has more and more imitators and collaborators. We wish him all the best – longevity, and stay healthy, creative and fruitful, as he has done so far”, he added.
Mr. Bolaris, in his private meeting with the Primate of Orthodoxy, offered the latter a lekythos from an Athenian pottery that uses the ancient method.
