Under the leadership of Metropolitan Bartholomew of Smyrna, the clergy and associates of the Metropolis of Smyrna visited the Ecumenical Patriarchate on September 6, 2021, and were warmly received by the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew in a private meeting in his office.
During the meeting, Metropolitan Bartholomew briefly presented the church work carried out in Smyrna concerning the organization and staffing of the Metropolis and the Greek Orthodox Community of Smyrna, and the shepherding of this multinational flock, composed of Greeks, Slav-speaking faithful, Georgians, Anglo-Saxons and other Orthodox.
He especially thanked the Ecumenical Patriarch for sending a Romanian-speaking, Ukrainian-speaking, Georgian-speaking and other clergymen from the Archdiocese of Constantinople to serve the faithful’s spiritual needs (especially the Mystery of Confession). The Metropolitan also asked for the Patriarch’s blessing for his five-year ministry as Metropolitan of Smyrna.
He then presented to the Ecumenical Patriarch the recently ordained deacon Andreas Romanovsky and Archimandrite Polykarpos Theophanis, who was seconded from the Metropolis of Nafpaktos and Agios Vlasios of the Church of Greece. The Ecumenical Patriarch blessed them and wished them a fruitful ministry in the Orthodox community and Metropolis of Smyrna.
The newly hired clergyman offered to the Metropolitan a fragment from the holy relic of St. Polycarp for the blessing of the members of the Orthodox Community of Smyrna.
For this reason, the Ecumenical Patriarch awarded to Protopresbyter Athanasios Katzigas, Hierarchical Head of the Orthodox Community of Smyrna, the offikion of Protopresbyter of the Ecumenical Throne, thereby expressing his joy at his ministry in the Metropolis.
The Ecumenical Patriarch also blessed the other associates of the Metropolis, Ellin Phyllidou, member of the Committee of the Orthodox Community, Antonios Ozkourkoutis, Secretary of the Metropolitan, and Pavlinan Romanovskaya, Secretary of the Metropolis. Georgios Theodoridis, President, and Theodoras Hatzoudi, Vice President and Public Relations Officer of the Orthodox Community, were absent for health reasons.
During their stay in Constantinople, the executives of the Metropolis of Smyrna visited the Community of the Holy Archangels of Mega Revma and were welcomed by Metropolitan Athinagoras of Kydonies and G. Papaliaris, President, and members of the Board of Community.