In the early hours of Friday, September 26, the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew arrived in Thessaloniki with his entourage to participate in and deliver the opening address of the 2nd International Scientific Conference organized by the Holy Synod of the Church of Greece on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the publication of the journal Theologia.
At Macedonia Airport, the Ecumenical Patriarch was welcomed by Metropolitan Nikodimos of Kassandreia, as well as by the Metropolitans Panteleimon of Bryoulon, Varnavas of Neapolis and Stavroupolis, Filotheos of Thessaloniki, and the Bishops Eirinaios of Rigiou and Nikiforos of Amorium.
Also present at the airport for the reception were the Chief of the Hellenic Army General Staff, Lieutenant General Mr. Georgios Kostidis; the Commander of the 3rd Army Corps, Lieutenant General Mr. Athanasios Garinis; the General Inspector of Police of Northern Greece, Lieutenant General Mr. Georgios Papadopoulos; the General Inspector of the Fire Service of Northern Greece, Lieutenant General Mr. Theodoros Kosmidis; the Deputy Commander of the Hellenic Police Academy, Captain (Navy) Mr. Prokopios Charitos; the Director of Studies at the Police Academy, Brigadier General (I) Mr. Panagiotis Mytaris; the Central Port Authority Chief of Thessaloniki, Captain (Coast Guard) Mr. Vasileios Athanasopoulos; the Commander of the 113th Combat Wing, Wing Commander (I) Mr. Dimitrios Xaidos; Ms. Aikaterini Tsapikidou from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Thessaloniki Office; Mr. Symeon Paschalidis, Director of the Patristic Studies Foundation; Mr. Alexandros Katsiaras, Editor-in-Chief of the journal Theologia and Advisor for Communication, Information, and Education of the Publishing Department of the Hellenic Orthodox Church; and clergy from the holy Metropolises of Thessaloniki.
After expressing his gratitude for the warm reception, the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew conveyed his great joy at participating in the 2nd International Scientific Conference and subsequently proceeded to his place of accommodation in Thessaloniki.
Translated by Ioanna Georgakopoulou
