Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew received Greece’s Deputy Minister for Development, Stavros Kalafatis, responsible for Research and Innovation, on Thursday, June 25, 2026, at the Phanar.
The delegation also included Dr. Evangelos Bekiaris, President of the Centre for Research and Technology Hellas (CERTH), along with their associates.
During the cordial meeting, the delegation presented plans for the establishment of the Institute for Ethics, Theology and Philosophy in Science and Technology (ITHOS), which will operate as a research institute of CERTH and be based at the Patriarchal Institute for Patristic Studies in Thessaloniki.
The new institute aims to serve as an international center for research and dialogue, fostering interdisciplinary cooperation among theologians, philosophers, scientists, engineers, and technology experts. Its work will focus on contemporary issues such as artificial intelligence, bioethics, digital governance, human identity, and the ethical challenges arising from scientific and technological progress.
Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew blessed the establishment of the institute and welcomed its operation within the Patriarchal Institute, emphasizing the importance of fostering a meaningful and lasting dialogue between Orthodox theology and tradition and modern science and emerging technologies, particularly at a time when the rapid development of artificial intelligence is at the forefront of global discussion.
Photos: Nikos Papachristou
