Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, after cancelling his flight back to Constantinople for technical reasons, remained an additional day (on Thursday, May 12) in the capital of Saudi Arabia.
According to the announcement of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, on this day the Ecumenical Patriarch had the opportunity, along with other participants of their meeting, to visit the ancient city of Diriyah and to tour the old palaces of the kings there, which were carefully repaired with the cooperation of UNESCO, and to attend a relevant program “Sound and Light”.
After His participation in the official dinner at the same venues, He visited and blessed the Greek restaurant “Meraki”, accompanied by the Ambassador of Greece, Mr. Alexios Konstantopoulos and the Attaché of the Embassy of Turkey in Riyadh, Mr. Gönenç Ağacıkoğlu.
From there, they travelled to King Khalid International Airport, where Ecumenical Patriarch was honored by the officials led by Dr Mohammed bin Abdul Karim Al-Issa, Secretary of the World Muslim League, and returned to the City of Orthos next Friday, accompanied by Fr. Kallinikos, as the other members of his escort departed in other directions due to their obligations.
The Patriarch was received at the airport by his Commissioner, Metropolitan of Geron Derkon Apostolos, and Great Chancellor Theodoros.