Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew continues pastoral visit to northern Greece
The Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, His All-Holiness Bartholomew I, continued his pastoral visit to northern Greece on Thursday, where he attended an international conference organized by the faculty of theology of the Aristotle University in Thessaloniki, and on the occasion of the 30-year anniversary of his enthronement as the Primate of the Mother Church.
Earlier, amid a solemn and sorrowful atmosphere, the Ecumenical Patriarch performed a Trisagion prayer service before the gravesite of reposed Metropolitan of Drama Pavlos, at the holy monastery of the Ascension of the Savior in the village of Taxiarches, in Drama prefecture. The late Metropolitan passed away earlier this month after suffering a sudden heart attack.
His All Holiness also visited the the Greek affiliate of the YMCA in Thessaloniki in order attend an event in his honor.
Afterwards, Ecumenical Patriarch and his entourage of Patriarchal Metropolitans and hierarchs arrived at the Metropolis of Thessaloniki, where they were welcomed by the resident Metropolitan of Thessaloniki, His Eminence Anthimos.
A day earlier, His All Holiness met with the new US ambassador to Greece, George J. Tsunis, who was accompanied by the US Consul General in Thessaloniki, Elisabeth Lee.
In a later post on his official Twitter account, the US ambassador noted, among others, that “… The United States is committed to our strong friendship with the Orthodox Church. We stand with Greece in support of religious freedom.”
Source: orthodoxianewsagency.gr
More Photos:
