The Ecumenical Patriarch’s spring visit to Imbros

The Greeks of Imbros gave a warm welcome to their compatriot, His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, who began his customary spring visit to his birthplace on Tuesday, 28 May 2024.

The Patriarch was greeted at the port of the island by His Eminence Metropolitan Kyrillos of Imbros and Tenedos, His Eminence Metropolitan Kyrillos of Moschonisia, the clergy of the Metropolis and many faithful of all ages.

From the port, the Patriarch went directly to the Metropolitan Church of Panagia, where he offered his prayers. Metropolitan Kyrillos of Imbros greeted him, and the Patriarch responded emotionally, expressing his joy for the visit to his birthplace: “It is a double joy, together with the joy of Easter and the joy of return. For decades now, every May, without fail, I leave my duties for a few days and visit the island to enjoy the spring with my compatriots. And when it is also Easter time, my joy is doubled, as it is this year”.

“We are blessed to sing ‘Christ is Risen’ together in the Metropolitan Church of our birthplace, where I was ordained a deacon sixty-three years ago,” the Patriarch noted emotionally, concluding with an exhortation: “Let us continue on the path of life with love and charity, in the resurrected light and resurrected joy of our Lord.”

The Ecumenical Patriarch then departed for his village of Agioi Theodoroi, where he was greeted with joy and traditional music.