On October 1, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew paid a pilgrimage visit to the Church of St. Photios the Great in Thessaloniki, which he had founded in 1997. Welcomed by Metropolitan Philotheos and a large gathering of faithful, the Patriarch described the pilgrimage as the best conclusion to the “blessed days” of his stay in the city.
In his address, he praised Metropolitan Philotheos for his dynamism and rapid pastoral impact, recalled the historical ties between St. Photios and Halki, and renewed his hope for the reopening of the Theological School of Halki. He also emphasized unity, peace, and solidarity, stressing that the Ecumenical Patriarchate will always carry a message of love, reconciliation, and cooperation to the world.
Later that evening, the Patriarch attended a cultural concert at the Thessaloniki Concert Hall, part of the 2nd International Conference of Theology journal, featuring music from across the Balkans. On the morning of October 2, he departed with his entourage for Constantinople.
