The President of the Republic Katerina Sakellaropoulou visited Mikro Derio, Megalo Derio in the prefecture of Evros and Thrylorio in the prefecture of Rodopi on the morning of the second day of her four-day tour in Thrace.
The first stop was Mikro Derio, where in the village square she was welcomed by the mayor of Soufli Panagiotis Kalakikos and residents. Ms. Sakellaropoulou talked to them and asked to know information about the area and the life of the residents. The mayor offered her souvenirs and then went to the church of Agios Georgios and attended the procession of the Apostasy in which the metropolitan of Didymoteicho, Orestiada and Soufli Damaskinos officiated.
At the end of the Sequence, the Metropolitan expressed his satisfaction for the presence of the President in the village, saying that he shows his support for the area and offered her an image of the Resurrection of the Lord made with a candle.
Mr. Damaskinos referred to a Ukrainian priest who came as a refugee with his five children to Soufli “until the wrath of God passes”, who was present in the church and asked the faithful to pray for Ukraine.
In Megalo Derio, Ms. Sakellaropoulou was received by the local authorities and residents and walked to the village. Outside the mosque, she met the attendant of the Mufti of Didymoteicho, Osman Hamza, and representatives of the Vakufi Committee, who offered her a handmade Greek flag.
The Mufti’s observer said that Christians and Muslims live together peacefully in the region and are a global model. He informed Ms. Sakellaropoulou that Muslims are currently celebrating Ramadan and wished her Easter.
Outside the Eucharistic Alevi House (Cem Evit) he met the principal of the minority school, Mumin Pirelli, the president of the Cultural and Educational Association, Ibrahim Haire, and women from the village.
The Eucharistic House of Alevis of Megalo Derios, is in Greece the first, apart from Teke, a place of prayer for the religious community of Alevis.
“We are very happy, grateful for the country we live in,” said the principal of the minority school for Greece, referring to the creation of the Eucharistic House, to which members of the Alevi religious community can now pray.
“Everyone has the right to pray wherever they are. “Religion unites”, the President of the Republic pointed out.
The president of the Cultural and Educational Association offered Mrs. Sakellaropoulou a handmade embroidery.
Next stop was the Legend of Rodopi, a village where Pontian refugees have settled.
There she was welcomed by the mayor of Komotini Giannis Garanis, the deputies of ND Evripidis Stylianidis, of SYRIZA-PS Takis Haritou, the president of the Community George Apostolidis and the president of the Cultural Association Chryssa Mavridou.
The President of the Republic went to the church of Agios Konstantinos and Eleni where she was welcomed by the Metropolitan of Komotini Panteleimon, worshiped the Epitaph and saw the iconostasis and icons that the refugees brought with them and placed in the church in 1928 during its construction.
Then Ms. Sakellaropoulou was guided to an outdoor photography exhibition in the central square of the village, with images from the arrival of refugees.
The inhabitants offered the President of the Republic a Pontian lyre and exchanged wishes for Easter.
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