The Civil Administrator of Mount Athos, Alkiviadis Stefanis, has extended an official invitation to U.S. President Donald Trump to visit the Holy Mountain, as he revealed during an interview on Parapolitika 90.1 radio.
“I told the U.S. Deputy Secretary of State to convey Mount Athos’ official invitation to President Trump. His eyes widened, but he seemed delighted and said, ‘Of course, I will do it,’” Stefanis said.
Referring to President Trump’s relationship with Orthodoxy, the Mount Athos Civil Administrator stressed: “Considering the relationship President Trump has developed with Orthodoxy, whether through the visit of His All-Holiness our Patriarch, his support for the reopening of the Halki Theological School which he raised directly with President Erdoğan, or his meetings with Archbishop Elpidophoros of America, I believe he understands the significance of Mount Athos. In the context of current geopolitical realities, I expect that when he visits Greece, he will also visit the Holy Mountain, recognizing its spiritual and cultural importance.”
Commenting on the recent visit of U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Michael Rigas to Mount Athos, Stefanis added:
“He is a young man with a vision for the United States. I was very pleased to see his deep love for Mount Athos, for Greece, and for faith. He is a devout person; it was his third visit to the Holy Mountain, though his first in this official capacity. He possesses a profound understanding of the issues concerning Mount Athos, and his perspective is not only that of a believer but also of a statesman who recognizes the Holy Mountain’s role within the framework of religious diplomacy and that particularly impressed me.”
Translated by: Konstantinos Menyktas
