Students and graduates of catechetical groups from Phocis visit the Ecumenical Patriarchate

“Forever, my love for you and my blessing…”, was the wish given by His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew to a group of students and graduates of the catechetical groups of Efpalios and Eratini of the Holy Metropolis of Phocis, after the photo they took with His All-Holiness at his own invitation.

With the wishes and blessings of their Shepherd, Metropolitan Theoktistos, with the financial support of the Metropolis of Phocis, the Metropolitan Church of the Annunciation of the Theotokos, as well as various Holy Churches of Dorida, as well as their friends from Canada, a group of 20 students and graduates of the catechetical groups of Efpalios and Eratini, began their journey to the City of cities, Constantinople.

Accompanying them on this unforgettable journey were the head of the Youth Office of the Holy Monastery of Phocis and catechist of the Efpalios group, Archimandrite Augustine Syrros, and Archimandrite Nektarios I. Moulatsiotis, catechist of the Eratini group.

In short, the trip to Constantinople was different from the usual. Like local tourists, with specific days at their disposal, the young people from Phocis, using buses, airplanes, trams, public transportation and of course walking, visited Hagia Sophia, passed through the grand bazaar of Kapalıçarşı, Taksim Square, took a cruise on the Bosphorus, visited the Patriarchate, the Holy Monastery of Blachernae, the Great Patriarchal School of the Nation, and returned home with a huge collection of photographs, rich experiences, and the legacy of His All-Holiness’s prayer: “May you all have my blessing and my love forever.”