On the Aegean island of Imbros (Gökçeada), the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, Patriarch Daniel of Romania, and Patriarch Daniel of Bulgaria are currently present.
The Ecumenical Patriarch and the Patriarch of Bulgaria arrived by ferry on the afternoon of Tuesday, June 9, 2026, and were warmly welcomed. The Patriarch of Romania arrived on the afternoon of Wednesday, June 10, at the island’s airport, where the Ecumenical Patriarch cordially welcomed him.
Subsequently, at the Church of Saint George in the village of Agioi Theodoroi, the birthplace of the Ecumenical Patriarch, the Great Vespers for the feast day was celebrated. The service was presided over by the Ecumenical Patriarch, with the Primates of the Churches of Romania and Bulgaria concelebrating.
At the conclusion of Vespers, Metropolitan Kyrillos of Imbros and Tenedos warmly addressed the Imvrian Ecumenical Patriarch, welcoming the presence of the two visiting Primates and presenting them with commemorative gifts.
Patriarch Daniel of Bulgaria then addressed the Ecumenical Patriarch, expressing his fraternal greetings and best wishes on the occasion of his feast day. Among other things, he stated:
“Your All-Holiness,
Allow me to thank you from the depths of my heart for your fraternal invitation to gather here today on this blessed island together with our beloved brother, His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel of Romania, sharing in the joy of the local Church of Imbros and of your spiritual children.
Our presence here is not merely an expression of respect for your person. Above all, it bears witness to the unity of Orthodoxy, to the brotherly communion of the holy sister Churches of God, and to our common journey ‘in the bond of peace’ (Ephesians 4:3).
Tomorrow, gathered around the common Chalice of the Divine Eucharist, we shall glorify the Triune God as we celebrate the radiant memory of the Holy Apostles Bartholomew and Barnabas, while at the same time renewing the bonds of our communion in Christ and the common witness of our Churches in the contemporary world.
We fervently pray that the All-Good God, through the intercessions of His Most Holy Mother, your heavenly patron Saint Bartholomew the Apostle, the Apostle Barnabas, Saint Luke of Simferopol the Physician, and all the Saints, may grant you steadfast health of body and soul, unceasing joy and gladness in the Lord, enduring peace, enlightenment, and strength from on high, so that you may continue for many years your blessed ministry for the benefit of the Church of Constantinople and for the good of pan-Orthodox unity.”
In his response, the Ecumenical Patriarch expressed his joy that, for the first time since his enthronement on the Ecumenical Throne of Constantinople thirty-five years ago, he would celebrate his name day among his fellow islanders and compatriots, and also because of the presence of the Patriarchs of Romania and Bulgaria.
He said: “We glorify the God of our fathers for this blessed summer gathering on beloved Imbros, where we have come to celebrate our name day for the first time in our homeland.
The breeze of the Aegean has brought us all here. For me, it is nostalgia and love for my birthplace. For our distinguished guests, His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel of Romania and His Holiness Patriarch Daniel of Bulgaria, it is their brotherly love for Our Modesty and their gracious response to our heartfelt invitation, for which we are deeply grateful.
Our thanks also extend to the brother hierarchs and concelebrants present with us in prayer, and to all of you who honor our feast day with your presence on the commemoration of the Holy Apostles of Christ, Bartholomew and Barnabas.”
The Ecumenical Patriarch also expressed special thanks to Metropolitan Kyrillos for the considerable efforts he and his collaborators undertook in preparing and organizing the celebrations for the Patriarch’s feast day.
“Nor did he do so merely because the Patriarch is celebrating here for the first time in thirty-five years of his humble Patriarchy, but because our Bishop is a man full of love, hospitality, and care for young and old alike, and especially for the Imvrian Patriarch,” he added.
Addressing the two visiting Primates, the Ecumenical Patriarch said: “You have left your Thrones and your many demanding responsibilities as Primates and have come, for our sake, to this small island with its great history, where our common Christian faith has deep roots.
Its people are simple, devout, and hospitable. At one point, they suffered greatly, and their community diminished. Those who remain struggle to preserve their faith, traditions, customs, and way of life, and to prove themselves worthy of their blessed forebears.
Your presence is a unique encouragement and blessing for them and for our humble island, which will long remember that two revered Orthodox Primates, together with the local Patriarch Bartholomew, came here, celebrated with us, blessed us, and departed only after giving courage, honor, hope, optimism, strengthening the faith, and uplifting the morale of the island’s inhabitants.
We are certain, Your Beatitudes, that among your memories you will also recount the gracious hospitality of the official authorities of our country, especially those of Imbros, as well as the courtesies and honors shown to your distinguished persons.
Your Beatitude Patriarch of Romania, Your Holiness Patriarch of Bulgaria,
We are happy to welcome you to our native village and to the church where we received the sacrament of Baptism, served as an altar boy under the late Fr. Asterios, received the monastic tonsure sixty-five years ago, and from which we often carried the blessing and loving care of the Mother Church to our beloved compatriots, sharing in their joys and sorrows.
Glory be to the Holy God for all things!
May your God-loving Patriarchates be long and honored. Amen.”
Among those present in prayer were Metropolitan Emmanuel of Chalcedon, Metropolitan Apostolos of Derkoi, Metropolitan Chrysostomos of Myra, Metropolitan Seraphim of Nevrokopi, Metropolitan Maximos of Selyvria, Metropolitan Philotheos of Thessaloniki, Bishops Adrianos of Halicarnassus and Kassianos of Arabissos, Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, Ambassador Konstantinos Koutras, Consul General of Greece in Constantinople, Deputy Minister of the Interior of Greece (Macedonia–Thrace Sector) Konstantinos Gkioulekas, and a large number of faithful.
Earlier that morning, after paying a courtesy visit to the island’s governor, the Ecumenical Patriarch guided the Patriarch of Bulgaria through the “Patriarch Bartholomew Museum,” which contains personal items, photographs, and memorabilia from his life and especially from his Patriarchal ministry.
They then proceeded to the headquarters of the village’s Cultural Association, where the Patriarch received greetings from clergy, local officials, representatives of various associations, teachers, professors, and students. A celebratory event organized by the Greek minority schools followed, during which certificates for English-language studies were awarded through a program offered by PeopleCert. The Chairman of the Board, Mr. Byron Nikolaidis, addressed the gathering.
In his remarks, the Ecumenical Patriarch reflected on the development of the Greek minority schools, stating: “Thirteen years have passed since the reopening of the Greek Minority Primary School and ten years since the establishment of the Gymnasium and Lyceum in Imbros.
It is truly remarkable that in recent years events have occurred on Imbros that, not long ago, would have seemed unimaginable. The reopening of our schools after fifty years of silence constitutes a genuine miracle.
Many struggled and labored for this achievement, yet ultimately its successful outcome was a gift from heaven, a blessing from God.
The same can be said of the golden age of education on Imbros from 1952 to 1964, which so greatly benefited our generation. We would not have experienced that ‘educational springtime of Imbros,’ as it has been called, without the contribution of the late Metropolitan Meliton of Imbros and Tenedos, our revered elder. Yet here too it was a divine gift, a true blessing for Imbros and Tenedos.”
The Patriarch continued: “We honor those who bore the responsibility and burden of education on Imbros during those years. We pay tribute to the pioneers of the modern revival of Greek minority education in our small homeland and pray for the progress of our students.
Your Patriarch dreams that graduates of our Lyceum will return to Imbros after completing their university studies, settle on the island, enjoy professional opportunities, establish families, and live under conditions of security and sustainability.”
He further added: “More broadly, the goal is to ensure the continued presence of the Greek community on Imbros, a presence that is visible and significant. Not merely visitors during the summer months, but permanent residents with jobs, families, equal citizenship, and tangible participation in the island’s development; a minority indeed, but not a disadvantaged one.
The operation of our schools has contributed to increasing the number of Greeks on Imbros and has inspired hope for the future. Yet this positive course must continue and be strengthened, with confidence in our own abilities.
Imbros has a future, provided that we ourselves believe in it and work for it.
For us, Imvrians, our beloved island is our whole world. This became evident during the harsh decades of suffering and the relentless ‘Program of Dissolution,’ when the spirit of our compatriots remained unbroken.
Those who stayed on the island during those difficult years preserved their homeland and way of life. Without them, nothing would remain in our villages to remind us of old Imbros.
Those who emigrated carried Imbros within them, its values, industriousness, and integrity, and excelled in many fields, always keeping alive the desire to return.
Worthy of great praise are also our associations, whose support for our compatriots and whose effective initiatives and interventions have helped safeguard our rights.”
Photos: Nikos Papachristou
