On Saturday, July 5, 2025, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis was warmly received at the Holy Monastery of Xenophontos, marking the conclusion of his visit to Mount Athos.
Accompanied by Deputy Minister of National Economy and Finance Nikos Papathanasis, the Civil Governor of Mount Athos Alkiviadis Stefanis, his son Konstantinos, and several associates, the Prime Minister arrived by boat from Simonopetra Monastery. He was welcomed by the Abbot of Xenophontos, Archimandrite Alexios, and fellow monks at the monastery’s port.
They proceeded to the katholikon (main church), where Metropolitan Apostolos of Miletos, representing Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, formally received the Prime Minister according to ecclesiastical protocol.
In his address, the Abbot emphasized Mount Athos as the “cradle of Orthodoxy” and a spiritual beacon rooted in the Greek homeland, the first country to receive the Gospel from the Apostles Paul and Andrew.
The Abbot expressed gratitude for Mount Athos being under the spiritual jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarchate and praised Patriarch Bartholomew’s wise leadership in global affairs. He concluded by wishing the Prime Minister strength and divine guidance in his responsibilities.
Metropolitan Apostolos conveyed the blessings of the Patriarch and called for state support for the multifaceted mission of the Church and the Athonite community.
In his response, Mitsotakis thanked the Xenophontos brotherhood for their warm welcome and reaffirmed both his personal commitment and that of the Greek state to supporting Mount Athos, stating, “You gave me strength to continue on my difficult path.”
The visit concluded with a tour of the katholikon, honored the holy relics, a reception in the synodikon (common hall), and the exchange of commemorative gifts. The Prime Minister then departed Mount Athos following a farewell meal and a visit to the monastery’s old katholikon.
