Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew arrived at Budapest International Airport at noon, where he was welcomed by Metropolitan Arsenios of Austria, Exarch of Hungary, accompanied by his auxiliary bishops, Paisios of Apamea and Maximos of Aristi. On behalf of the Hungarian government, the Ecumenical Patriarch was welcomed by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Anita Orbán. The Ambassadors of Greece and Cyprus, Spyridon Voulgaris and Omiros Mavromatis, respectively, were also present at the reception.
Immediately afterward, the Ecumenical Patriarch proceeded to the Ecumenical Patriarchate’s “Fanarion” Orthodox Center for Dialogue in central Budapest, where he venerated at the Church of the Three Hierarchs before touring the premises of the Center. Tomorrow, the Patriarch will preside over the official opening of the church and the Orthodox Center.
Accompanying Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew are Elder Metropolitan Emmanuel of Chalcedon; Metropolitan Serapion of Paramythia, Filiates and Giromeri; Grand Ecclesiarch Aetios, Director of the Private Patriarchal Office; Archimandrite Nathanael, Abbot of Iviron Monastery; Trittévon Deacon Epifanios; Nikolaos-Georgios Papachristou, Director of the Press and Communications Office of the Ecumenical Patriarchate; and Themistoklis Karanikolas, a member of the Patriarchal staff.
Photos: Ecumenical Patriarchate
