Ecumenical Patriarch visits Archbishop Ieronymos – “We walk together”

“We were, are and will always be united. We are walking together “was the statement of Archbishop Jerome after the end of the meeting with the Ecumenical Patriarch in the Holy Archdiocese of Athens, which also reveals the character of the meeting.

The Patriarch passed the door of the Archdiocese with his entourage at 18.00, during an official visit to Athens, following an official invitation from the Church of Greece, in order to be honored for the 30th anniversary of his ascension to the Patriarchal Throne.

The meeting of the Ecumenical Patriarch with the Archbishop lasted a total of one hour, while they talked privately for about 45 minutes about the pandemic, but also about issues related to the unity of the Orthodox world in the face of the challenges of the new era. A typical example is the recognition of the Autocephaly of Ukraine by the Greek Church, which involved the Patriarchate of Alexandria and the Church of Cyprus.

“I wish and ask God to require us to always walk in peace, mutual love and good cooperation for the good of our Churches, the good of Orthodoxy and the good of the Greek people”, stressed the Primate of Orthodoxy to the Primate of the Greek Church . “I know that I have your wishes and brotherly love, which is manifested in practice and now with your invitation and with your brotherly hospitality. “I thank you on behalf of the Mother Church,” he added.

He also expressed his joy at being in Athens and his gratitude to both the Archbishop and the Holy Synod for the invitation.

For his part, Archbishop Ieronymos conveyed the wishes of all members of the Permanent Holy Synod and the Hierarchy and said he was very happy for today’s visit. “We welcome you with a lot of love and we wish God to strengthen you, to give you strength, in the many difficulties, to always have the courage and strength to cope, as you have achieved so far,” said the Archbishop and added that ” my thoughts and prayers are with you. “

The present were, among others, the chief secretary of the Holy Synod of the Church of Greece, Bishop Philotheos of Oreon, the first counselor of the Archdiocese, Archimandrite Barnabas Theocharis, service directors of the Archdiocese and the Holy Synod and the entourage of the Patriarch.

Tomorrow morning, the Feast of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, a Patriarchal – Archbishopric – Synodal Divine Liturgy will be performed at the Cathedral of Athens, observing all the appropriate measures of protection against the coronavirus.