Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew addressed in his speech on Wednesday afternoon, August 14, during a special ceremony at Saint Theodore of Imvros, urging the Imvrian youth to embrace and keep “as treasure the patriarchal traditions”.
Addressing the Imvrian youth, the Ecumenical Patriarch pointed out the following:
“Please think and visit Imvros, open the homes of your ancestors, support the operation of our schools, which has created new hope and prospects for a better future for Imvros. Also, participate in the work of our Associations and Unions”.
Earlier, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew had officiated in the Vesper of the Feast of the Dormition of the Mother of God in his village.
Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew referred to Virgin Mary and the special honor that the faithful give her, “because we believe and regard her as the Mother of God, the Mother of the Church, the Mother of the world, the Mother of each of us. That’s why we look forward to her grace especially during the difficult times of our lives”.
At the end of his speech, Bartholomew also referred to the devastating fires that erupted in Greece and Turkey in the last hours.
“I would like to express our regret, of course, for the great fires that have broken out in Evia, mainly, but also in other parts of Greece, and here in Turkey, in Proikonisos, in Eski Sehir, and wish that God would save us all from the fires”.