The Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew’s visit to the Holy Metropolis of Monemvasia and Sparta concluded with his departure from the Kalamata State Airport “Captain Vassilis Konstantakopoulos”.
After receiving an honorary doctorate from the Single-Department School of Human Movement and Quality of Life Sciences of the University of the Peloponnese, the Ecumenical Patriarch and his entourage departed from Sparta to Kalamata Airport. From there they boarded a special flight back to Constantinople. Accompanying the Ecumenical Patriarch to Kalamata were Metropolitan Eustathios of Monemvasia and Sparta, as well as a group of clergy and laity led by the Bishop Theophilos of Lakedaimonia. Also present were the Metropolitans Theoktistos of Phocis, and Chrysostomos of Mani, the Mayor of Sparta, Michail Vakalopoulos, the Deputy Regional Governor of Laconia, Theodoros Veroutis, and the Deputy Regional Governor for Spatial Planning and Property Management of the Peloponnese Region, Spyros Tzinieris.
At Kalamata Airport, the Ecumenical Patriarch was greeted by Metropolitan Chrysostomos of Messinia, the clergy of the Holy Metropolis of Messinia, the Mayor of Kalamata, Athanasios Vasilopoulos, the Mayor of Messini, Georgios Athanasopoulos, the Deputy Regional Governor of Messinia, Efstathios Anastasopoulos, as well as the Deputy Mayors and numerous members of the Kalamata Municipal Council.
The Ecumenical Patriarch expressed his admiration for the humble yet moving farewell ceremony held in his honor, stating: “I came to Sparta at the invitation of the Metropolitan of Monemvasia and Sparta, my brother Eustathios, whom we in the Ecumenical Patriarchate hold in deep love and esteem”. He also referred to his meeting the previous Monday with the Prime Minister of Greece, Kyriakos Mitsotakis. He expressed his gratitude to Metropolitan Chrysostomos of Messinia, saying: “To all of you, led by my brother, the Most Reverend Metropolitan of Messinia, a precious brother, the distinguished hierarch and university professor, and to all the local dignitaries and clergy gathered here to bid us farewell, I express my warmest thanks, gratitude, and love. I leave you with my Patriarchal Blessing and wish you a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays”.
Metropolitan Chrysostomos of Messinia stated, “It is an honor for all of us here in Messinia that His All-Holiness the Ecumenical Patriarch departs from here after the successful visit he made to the Holy Metropolis of Monemvasia and Sparta”. He also emphasized that “once again, the international status of our airport is confirmed when such distinguished personalities arrive and depart from here”. He concluded with the hope: “May we soon have the opportunity to meet him again, either here in our homeland or at the Ecumenical Patriarchate”.
Translated by Ioanna Georgakopoulou
