On the evening of Saturday, November 2, 2024, the Pontian Association of Stockholm “Efxinos Pontos” celebrated the 40th anniversary of its foundation.
Metropolitan Cleopas of Sweden and All Scandinavia, was present at the invitation of the Association, accompanied by Archimandrite Bartholomew Iatridis, priest of St. George’s Cathedral in Stockholm.
The traditional event was hosted by Alexandra Pascalidou and was attended by 650 people. A total of 90 children of all ages performed traditional dances.
The President of the Association Elias Manoilidis, welcomed the guests and invited the Metropolitan to present an award on behalf of the Association to the internationally renowned lyra player, Dr. Matthaios Tsahouridis, an ethnomusicologist.
After the speech of the Ambassador of Greece in Stockholm, Ekaterini Foundoulaki, Metropolitan Cleopas took the stage. He congratulated Manoilidis and his Council for the impeccable organization of the event and spoke with emotion about Pontian Hellenism, stating that “every Greek is essentially also a Pontian”. He referred to the children of the Association as “the dignitaries of the evening and of the Greek Diaspora, representing its present, its future and its vision”.
Finally, he presented Manoilidis with his recently published study on the late Hieromonk Father Eusebios Vittis, entitled The Missionary Ministry of Archimandrite Eusebios Vittis in Scandinavia 1965-1980, published by the Apostolic Ministry of the Church of Greece.
Translated by Ioanna Georgakopoulou
