The Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew arrived today, Wednesday, May 7, 2025, in Athens for a five-day visit.
During this visit, on the upcoming Sunday, he will preside over the Divine Liturgy to be celebrated at the Church of Saint Nicholas of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Kolonaki. Archbishop Ieronymos of Athens and All Greece will join him in prayer on the occasion of the 150th anniversary of the church’s construction by the Athens Philanthropic Society.
This evening, at 7:00 p.m., the Ecumenical Patriarch will attend the ceremony for the conferral of an honorary doctorate upon Archbishop Makarios of Australia by the Departments of Theology and of Social Theology and Religious Studies of the School of Theology of the University of Athens.
On Thursday morning, the Ecumenical Patriarch will meet with the Prime Minister of Greece, Mr. Kyriakos Mitsotakis, at the Maximos Mansion. In the afternoon, he will visit the “Museum of Contemporary Art” of the Basil & Elise Goulandris Foundation, where an event will be held in his honor.
On Friday morning, the Ambassador of the Republic of Turkey, Mr. Çağatay Erciyes, will host a breakfast in honor of the Ecumenical Patriarch at the Ambassador’s residence. Subsequently, the Patriarch will perform memorial services (Trisagia) at the graves of the late Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, Aristidis Panotis, Theologian, and Alexandros Alexandris, Ambassador (retired). He will also offer a Trisagion for the fallen Constantinopolitans of World War II at the monument dedicated to them in Palaio Faliro.
The Patriarchal delegation includes Metropolitans Elder Emmanuel of Chalcedon and Joachim of Bursa, the Grand Ecclesiarch Aetios, Director of the Private Patriarchal Office, the Grand Archdeacon Alexandros, Patriarchal Deacon Fotios Poulopoulos, Professor Konstantinos Delikostantis, Director of the First Patriarchal Office, Mr. Nikolaos-Georgios Papachristou, Director of the Press and Communications Office of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, and Mr. Marios Tarinas, a Patriarchal staff member.
During the Patriarch’s absence, Metropolitan Maximos of Sylivria has been appointed as his commissioner, and he, along with the Grand Protosyncellus Grigorios, saw the Patriarch off at the City’s airport.
Translated by Ioanna Georgakopoulou
