This is an honorary distinction awarded to prominent personalities – The award by Kostas Bakoyannis in the presence of Archbishop Hieronymos
The highest honor of the City of Athens “Ecclesiastes of Athens” awarded today Saturday to the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, the mayor of Athens, Kostas Bakoyannis, in the presence of the most blessed archbishop of Athens and All Greece, Hieronymos, in a touching ceremony that took place at noon in the packed Olympia Municipal Music Theater “Maria Callas”.
This is an honorary distinction that is awarded for the first time and which, according to the relevant recent decision of the municipal council of the city, is given to prominent personalities for their excellent morals, their rich and lasting contribution to the defense of human rights and the principles of freedom, as well as and for their contribution to the timeless promotion of universal and Greek culture.
In his speech, the mayor of Athens, Costas Bakoyannis, after praising the difficult daily struggle of the Ecumenical Patriarch to fulfill his ecumenical mission under any external conditions, emphasized: “Today we are all here together, all united. Beyond and above ideologies and parties. Representing all aspects of our national life. […] United, clergy and people, in the shadow of the Ecumenical Patriarchate. Hand in hand hugging his torso. The trunk of a tall and proud tree with deep roots, which are lost in history and touch the core of our being. Of a tree that stands upright, does not bend or break in the storms of the ages. We pay our due tribute, as a sign of respect and love to our Ecumenical Patriarch with whom we are bound by strong, long-lasting, indomitable and indestructible ties. At the same time, we are sending a clear message in every direction: that we are ready to defend the bright Lighthouse of Orthodoxy, but also of the genus with all our strength”.
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Mr. Bakoyiannis also referred to the historical dimensions that today acquires for the Municipality of Athens, on the occasion of the concession of Holy Church of St. Nikolaou to the Ecumenical Patriarchate. “Today, before His Holiness, and with the blessings of His Beatitude, the concession of the Holy Temple to the Ecumenical Patriarchate, here in the capital, is symbolically sealed for the first time in History. The Patriarchate acquired its home, its headquarters, a few minutes from here. The church of Agios Nikolaos in Vasilissis Sofia – property of the Benevolent Society of Athens – is now officially the base of the Patriarchate in Athens. It is a supreme honor for the Municipality of Athens, for the merciful Society of Athens Nursing Home-Poor Home, but also for me personally, that we contributed to the settlement of a pending situation of almost 200 years”, emphasized Mr. Bakoyannis.
For his part, the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, in his speech, thanked the mayor of Athens and the municipal council of the city for the honorary distinction “Eucleis Athenian” and referred with warm words to the work of the current municipal authority, under Kostas Bakoyannis.
“Throughout your tenure, Mr. Mayor, you have worked willingly and effectively for the residents of the capital, with a vision for culture, with social sensitivity, with special concern for those in need. For their feeding, housing and medical care. Your interest was also great for children and young people, the creation of nurseries, the upgrading of sports and recreation areas and the construction of new ones. You showed great sensitivity for the environment, for the creation of green spaces and tree planting, for the restoration and utilization of the National Garden and in general for the participation of the Municipality of Athens in international environmental programs. A man of open horizons, you cultivated relations of friendship and cooperation with municipalities abroad, such as with the Metropolitan Municipality of Constantinople and its predecessor. Proof is today’s modest ceremony. You had a significant contribution to the concession of the Holy Church of Ag. Nikolaou Poorhouse of the Merciful Society in the Ecumenical Patriarchate. We are especially grateful to you for this. With these feelings, we thank you once again for awarding our mediocrity the title of “Eucleous Athenian”.
His Beatitude Archbishop of Athens and All Greece Hieronymos also addressed the event, who congratulated the mayor of Athens and the municipality on the awarding of the honor to the Ecumenical Patriarch and spoke with warm words about the work of Mr. Bartholomew. “Today’s ceremony, during which you, Your Holiness, are awarded the honorary distinction “Eucleis Athenian” clearly marks your relationship with our Motherland and especially with the city of Athens. You are humble, Your Holiness, and not lucky. Worthy priest of the Archbishopric of Constantinople – New Rome and Ecumenical Patriarch, the first of the Orthodox Church. You bear the responsibility of the continuous encounter with History. Burden ecclesiastical and ecclesiological, theological and pastoral, social as well, with pan-human dimensions and references. The modern world is deeply divided and at the same time unconsciously held together by the vision and the need for unity. All these make up the spiritual dimensions of life, both real and compelling. They also mark the field of your action. Action fruitful, praiseworthy, with inspiration, with a penetrating look, with love for man and the world. […] So the praise and the title of Eucleos Athenian is fair and this choice of the honorable mayor Mr. Kostas Bakoyannis and the Municipal Council gives today’s meeting a strong spiritual element, with all the possible meanings. He primarily honors Athens and our homeland and all of us. We are grateful to you.”
The mayor of Athens offered the most blessed archbishop on behalf of the Municipality of Athens an authentic engraving by F. Williams engraverwhich depicts the cathedral of Athens.
The event was attended by representatives of the Church, among others, the former President of the Hellenic Republic, Prokopis Pavlopoulos, the Deputy Prime Minister, Panagiotis Pikrammenos, ministers, members of parliament, the regional governor of Attica, Giorgos Patoulis, ambassadors, representatives of the judiciary, representatives of the Armed Forces and Security Forces, deans and professors.
The event was accompanied by the Choir of the Municipality of Athens with church hymns.
Tomorrow, May 21, on the feast of the Saints theosophists and co-apostles Constantine and Helen, the Ecumenical Patriarch will preside over the divine service at the Holy Church of Agios Nikolaos, which is now the Church of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, on Vasilissis Sofia Avenue.
Source: Skai
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