On Monday, November 3, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew departed for Lourdes, France, at the invitation of the Roman Catholic Hierarchy of the country. On Tuesday, he will deliver an address at their General Assembly.
During his stay, the Ecumenical Patriarch will also meet with the heads of all Christian Churches and Confessions in France, as well as representatives of non-Christian religions, with the aim of strengthening interfaith friendships and promoting peace and reconciliation within local communities.
Accompanying Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew on this journey are Metropolitan Emmanuel of Chalcedon, Chairman of the Synodal Committee on Inter-Christian and Interreligious Dialogues; Grand Ecclesiarch Aetios, Director of the Patriarchal Private Office; and the Patriarchal Deacon Photios Poulopoulos. In Lourdes, Metropolitan Dimitrios of France will join the Patriarchal entourage.
Metropolitan Apostolos of Derkoi has been appointed Patriarchal Commissioner during the Patriarch’s absence.
The Ecumenical Patriarch is scheduled to return, on Friday, November 7, and on the following day, he will preside at the feast of the Holy Archangels in the Church of the Taxiarchs at Megalo Revma.
