Archbishop Ieronymos of Athens and All Greece received a warm welcome at the Holy Cross Church in Damascus, Syria, on Tuesday afternoon, as part of his official visit to the Patriarchate of Antioch.
Earlier, the Archbishop was welcomed at the international airport of Beirut by Patriarch John X of Antioch, along with hierarchs of the Patriarchate.
The Patriarch of Antioch thanked the Archbishop of Athens for the love and help that the Greek delegation had brought with it after the devastating earthquake that hit Turkey and Syria last month.
On his part, Archbishop Ieronymos said that the government, the people, the families, and all Greeks contributed to the gathering of this aid to the people of Syria. He also conveyed the love and wishes of the Holy Synod to the Patriarch for the difficulties they face due to the earthquake, while he promised that the Church of Greece and Antioch will remain united and will cooperate.
Also in the afternoon, along with Patriarch John, Archbishop Ieronymos presided over the Great Compline at the Holy Cross Church in Damascus.
In his address to the Archbishop, the Patriarch of Antioch thanked him for his presence there as well as for the efforts to send help and to distribute it to the families affected by the earthquake, while he referred with love and respect “to our brothers in Greece.”
On his part, Archbishop Ieronymos referred to the great ordeal that the Syrian people are going through because of the earthquake and the loss of human lives, which made the Greeks express their support by sending aid.
