On the Sunday of the Blind Man, 9 June 2024, with the blessing and encouragement of His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, His Eminence Metropolitan Stefanos of Tallinn and All Estonia presided over the Divine Liturgy at the Patriarchal Church of Saint George in the Phanar.

Following the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, the Ecumenical Patriarch conferred the Offikion of Archon Eutaxias of the Holy Great Church of Christ upon Mr. Simeon Diamantidis, a businessman from Constantinople and Propontida, who is the Chairman of the Board of the Greek Exporters Association and hails from Nea Michaniona, Thessaloniki.

In his homily, the Ecumenical Patriarch highlighted that the history of the Archons of the Throne is marked by numerous achievements and contributions. He expressed his pride in the Mother Church for recognising Archons as willing and capable partners and collaborators.

Addressing the new Archon, he praised his contribution to the preservation of the historic icon of Panagia Faneromeni of Nea Michaniona, the sister icon of our Lady Faneromeni of Kyzikini, which is kept in the Patriarchal Church.

“We are particularly moved by the fact that he is honoured today as a child of the Bosphorus and the Propontis, who has not forgotten his origins, honours his roots, and preserves the sense of the values of Hellenism. A human being is not only a “citizen of the world,” but also a “citizen of heaven,” a being of divine origin and eternal destiny. We do not live “on bread alone.” When individuals close themselves off to others and focus solely on earthly bliss, their existence shrinks, their creative powers dry up, and the horizon of their lives narrows. Faith in God fundamentally supports individuals, facilitating the management of both the challenges of life and borderline situations.”

Also present for the Divine Liturgy were Hierarchs, such as His Eminence Archbishop Sotirios of Canada, His Eminence Metropolitan Chrysostomos of Myra, His Eminence Metropolitan Theodoritos of Laodicea, Metropolitan Tikhon of the Orthodox Church of America, His Eminence Archbishop Evgenios of Crete, His Eminence Metropolitan Ambrosios of Korea, His Eminence Metropolitan Nathanael of Kos and Nisyros, His Eminence Metropolitan Ioustinos of Nea Krini and Kalamaria, His Eminence Metropolitan Chrysostomos of Symi, His Eminence Metropolitan Prodromos of Rethymno and Avlopotamos, His Eminence Metropolitan Theodoros of Seleucia, His Grace Bishop Andrianos of Halicarnassus, Lutheran Archbishop Urmas Viilma of Tallin, who is also President of the Estonian Council of Churches, clergymen, Archons of the Great Church of Christ, Consul of Ukraine Maxim Vdovichenko, relatives of the new Archon, believers from Constantinople and pilgrims from abroad.

Photos: Nikos Papachristou / Ecumenical Patriarchate