Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew meets with the Prime Minister of Greece
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On Wednesday, 11 October 2023, His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew met with the Prime Minister of Greece, Mr. Kyriakos Mitsotakis at the Maximos Mansion, the official seat of the Prime Minister of Greece.
At the beginning of their meeting, the Greek Prime Minister thanked His All-Holiness for the solidarity he expressed to the victims of the recent natural disasters in Greece. “Thank you again for the messages of support and love in the very difficult last month with the natural disasters,” said the Prime Minister, pointing out that the Ecumenical Patriarch was one of the first to speak about the consequences of the climate crisis.
During the meeting, developments in the Middle East were discussed. Prime Minister Mitsotakis expressed his concern, among other things, about the Christian presence in the Holy Land and informed the Ecumenical Patriarch that the Greek government has come into contact with the Israeli side to protect the Monastery of Saint Porphyrios in Gaza from air strikes by the Israeli Armed Forces.
In addition, His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew informed the Prime Minister about the issues of the Ecumenical Patriarchate. For his part, Mr. Kyriakos Mitsotakis expressed his support for the social and charitable work of the Patriarchate.
The meeting was attended, on behalf of the government, by the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Alexandra Papadopoulou and the Director of the Diplomatic Office of the Prime Minister, Ambassador Anna-Maria Boura. His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew was accompanied by His Eminence Elder Metropolitan Emmanuel of Chalcedon.