The Turkish Minister of Culture and Tourism, Mehmet Ersoy, paid a visit to the headquarters of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in the Phanar, today, Saturday, January 30, 2021.
The minister, who was accompanied by the General Director Of Foundations, Burhan Ersoy, and his associates, were welcomed by Grand Protosyncellus Andreas and Chief Secretary of the Holy Synod, Archim. Joachim, along with the clergymen.
Afterwards, Grand Protosyncellus Andreas accompanied the minister and his associates to the Eugenides Palace, where he was welcomed by Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, who expressed his joy the minister’s visit.
The Chief Secretary of the Holy Synod, Archim. Joachim, and the Grand Hartophylax, Panteleimon Vigas, the President of Stavrodromion Community and Mega Revma Community, Georgios Papaliaris, and the President of Mesachoron Community, Stratos Doltsiniaids, members of the Greek diaspora, the Architect and Head of the Techincal Office of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, Dr. Apostolos Poridis, also attended the meeting.
At the center of their discussion, which lasted about an hour, were issues related to the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the Greek Diaspora, including the reopening of the Halki seminary, the restoration of several buildings such as the Prinkipo Greek Orthodox Orphanage, the occupied assets that belong to the Greek diaspora, the churches in Triglia, Moudania and other areas of Central Asia, the demographic shrinkage of the Greek diaspora and the facilitations deemed necessary to ensure its strengthening, as well as the holding of elections in the minority foundations for the renewal of the mandate of the committees.
Following the meeting, the minister and his associates visited the Patriarchal Cathedral, where Deacon Paisios, director of the private office of Ecumenical Patriarch, briefed them on its history and the relics kept in it.