LAST UPDATE: 19:50
Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew was received this afternoon at the Archdiocese of Athens by Archbishop Ieronymos of Athens and All Greece.
The Patriarch expressed his joy at being in Greece, emphasizing: “I am happy to be here to see the Archbishop, in the hospitable Archdiocese, and I am grateful to Mr. Mitsotakis for the invitation to participate in the “Our Ocean Conference”. He noted that he was given the opportunity to convey the message of environmental protection. He also wished everyone a blessed Lent and a happy and peaceful Easter.
The Archbishop greeted the Patriarch and said: “I am happy to have you with us because of your activities and the great issues that concern you. It is good that we meet more often and exchange views”.
The Patriarch is visiting Athens at the invitation of the Greek government to attend and deliver the keynote address at the 9th International Conference “Our Ocean” which will take place tomorrow at the “Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center”.
Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew arrived in Athens early Monday afternoon for a four-day official visit.
At Eleftherios Venizelos Airport, Deputy Foreign Minister George Kotsiras welcomed the Ecumenical Patriarch on behalf of the Greek government, and they had a brief conversation at the airport’s official reception hall.
Tomorrow, Tuesday, he will deliver the keynote address at the 9th International Conference “Our Ocean” upon the invitation of the Greek Government. The conference will take place at the prestigious “Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center.”
Later today, at 6 p.m., the Ecumenical Patriarch will pay a visit to Archbishop Ieronymos of Athens and All Greece. On Wednesday, at noon, he will attend the University of Athens’ award ceremony where Mr. Vlasios Feidas will be honored with the title of Honorary Professor. In the afternoon of the same day, he will address the Literary Association “Parnassus,” of which he holds the esteemed position of Honorary President.
On Thursday, at noon, at the Church of Saint Nicholas of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Kolonaki, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew will preside over the ordination of Nicholas Pateras as Archon Offikialios of the Great Church of Christ. Following this significant event, he will return to Constantinople in the afternoon.
As reported by orthodoxtimes.com, a lunch will be hosted by Mr. Pateras at his office building on Vasilissis Sofias Street, following the welcoming ceremony. The event will be attended by Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, Archbishop Ieronymos of Athens, US Ambassador to Athens Mr. Tsounis, ambassadors from various countries, businessmen, former governor of Mount Athos Mr. Ath. Martinos, and the Pateras family.
Originally scheduled for Tuesday afternoon, the Patriarch’s visit to the Municipality and the Metropolis of Peristeri faced a change due to adjustments in the “Our Ocean” conference program. Although the Patriarchate proposed a visit on Tuesday morning, the Municipality and the Metropolis expressed their inability to accommodate the change on such short notice (2-3 days).
Accompanying the Patriarch on this journey are esteemed members of his entourage, including Metropolitan Theodoritos of Laodicea, Bishop Methodios of Knossos, Grand Ecclesiarch Aetios, Director of the Private Patriarchal Office, and Grand Archdeacon Alexander, along with Nikolaos-Georgios Papachristou, Director of the Press and Communication Office of the Ecumenical Patriarch, and Panagiotis Grafiadelis, Patriarchal official.
In the absence of the Patriarch, Metropolitan Emmanuel of Chalcedon has been appointed Commissioner. He joined the Patriarch at the airport for his departure, accompanied by Grand Protosyncellos Gregorios.
Translated by: Konstantinos Menyktas / Ioanna Georgakopoulou
