On Thursday afternoon, October 17, 2019, Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem received at the Patriarchate Reception Hall many pilgrims from the Holy Metropolis of Nea Ionia under the lead of Archimandrite Epiphanios and groups of pilgrims from Bulgaria and America.
In this meeting, the Patriarch spoke to the pilgrims about Jerusalem as a Holy City, which has been watered with the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ on the Cross, and about the sanctification of the pilgrims through veneration.
Present in this meeting with the group of the Metropolis of Nea Ionia was Metropolitan Makarios of Anea of the Ecumenical Patriarchate.
The Metropolitan of Anea was honoured by Patriarch Theophilos with he medal of the Grand Commander of the Order of Knights of the Holy Sepulchre, in recognition of his respect and support to the Patriarchate of Jerusalem, as well as in recognition of his long-term work as a Bishop’s Assisitant (of Lampsakos then) in the Ecumenical Patriarchate Centre of Sambesy, helping all who joined in the work of the preparation of the Holy and Great Synod of Orthodoxy, in love, simplicity, brotherhood, hospitality and genuine humility.
Emotional, the Metropolitan of Anea thanked the Patriarch for the honourary distinction, referring to his bond with older Hagiotaphite Fathers in his student life in Halki, who were, Metropolitan Kornelios of Petra, Metropolitan Palladios of Ptolemais, Metropolitan Basil of Caesarea and Archimandrite Sophronios.
Source: Patriarchate of Jerusalem