LAST UPDATE: 19:15
By Emilios Polygenis
The Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew arrived a while ago at the Holy Archdiocese of Athens.
The Ecumenical Patriarch was received at the entrance of the Archbishop’s Palace by Protosyncellus Bishop Symeon of Thespies.
Then the Ecumenical Patriarch was warmly welcomed by Archbishop Ieronymos of Athens and All Greece.
A meeting of the two Primates followed, where the Archbishop informed the Patriarch about the Center of Gerontology in Dilesi, while referring to Saint Porphyrios, who lived in that area.
“Saint Porphyrios had often stressed that a center of high standards should be built in that area. The time has come for this center to be built and tomorrow we will celebrate its inauguration,” said the Archbishop.
Also, the Primate of the Church of Greece stressed that “we must put pettiness aside, and we are obliged to overcome any difficulties and do our job according to the will of the Church.”
Earlier, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Markos Bolaris welcomed the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew at Eleftherios Venizelos airport “with feelings of joy and honour,” as he said.
“On behalf of Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and the Greek Government, we received with feelings of honour and joy, in the name of all the Greek people, the head of the Greek Orthodox Church, the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople. We wish him a good stay in Greece, which he is visiting on the occasion of the inauguration of the Gerontology Center in Dilesi, built by the Archdiocese of Athens,” Markos Bolaris commented.
On Thursday, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew will inaugurate the “Agios Porphyrios” Center for Gerontology and Welfare Support of the Holy Archdiocese of Athens in the presence of President of the Hellenic Republic Prokopis Pavlopoulos.
The Center is one of the most important works of love in the history of the Archdiocese of Athens and was created after many years of diligent care of Archbishop Ieronymos of Athens and All Greece.
