At midday on Tuesday, 10 October 2023, the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew arrived in Athens, Greece, being invited by the Church of Greece, for the opening of the International Conference for the celebration of the 100 years of the “Theologia” journal.
In the afternoon of the same day, the Ecumenical Patriarch received US Ambassador to Greece George Tsunis, with whom he discussed current issues in the presence of Elder Metropolitan Emmanuel of Chalcedon and Metropolitan Grand Ecclesiarch Aetios, Director of the Patriarchal Office.
In the evening, the Ecumenical Patriarch attended a dinner hosted in honor of himself and Archbishop Ieronymos of Athens and All Greece, by the President and the members of the Board of Directors of the Brotherhood of Offikalia of the Ecumenical Throne “Panagia Pammakaristos”. Hierarchs of the Ecumenical Patriarchate and other Autocephalous Orthodox Churches, who are in Athens for the above Conference, also attended the dinner.
Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew visited the Nursing Home of Athens on Wednesday October 11.
The Ecumenical Patriarch visited the foundation to see the work and to talk with the people there. The Mayor of Athens, Kostas Bakoyannis, members of the Greek Government and Parliament welcomed him.
Then, the Ecumenical Patriarch headed to the Church of Saint Nicholas of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, where he ordained Georgios Prokopios, wealthy shipowner, as Archon Protomaistor of the Chuch of Constantinople.
Hierarchs, clergy, monks, nuns, and the President of the Brotherhood of Offikalia of the Ecumenical Throne “Panagia Pammakaristos”, Athanasios Martinos, were also present.
In his speech, the Ecumenical Patriarch underlined the important role of the Archons of Offikialia in supporting the mission and work of the Great Church of Christ.
In the afternoon, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from the Department of Conservation of Antiquities and Works of Art of the School of Applied Arts and Culture of the University of West Attica.
The ceremony was held at the premises of the Association of Athenians in Plaka.
Eleftherios Skiadas, the President of the Association of Athens, said in his speech: “A bright day has dawned in the Association of Athens, as we have the pleasure of collaborating with the University of West Attica. It is a special day in its 126-year course, because we are given the opportunity to welcome the most important figure of Orthodoxy, the Ecumenical Patriarch.”
In addition, the Ecumenical Patriarch met with the Greek Minister of Education, Religious Affairs and Sports, Kyriakos Pierrakakis. Elder Metropolitan Emmanuel of Chalcedon and Grand Ecclesiarch Aetios, Director of the Private Patriarchal Office also attended the meeting.
Afterwards, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew met with Archbishop Ieronymos of Athens and All Greece yesterday, October 11, 2023, at the Archdiocese of Athens.
At the end of their meeting, the Ecumenical Patriarch and the Archbishop of Athens headed to the Cathedral of Athens, where the opening of the International Scientific Conference for the 100th anniversary of the Journal “Theology” was held.
Photos: Nikos Papachristou
