The President of the Republic Katerina Sakellaropoulou and the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew were jointly declared Honorary Citizens of Andravida-Kyllini

Here is Mrs. Sakellaropoulou’s objection:

“Mr Mayor,

I am happy to be in “the most brilliant country in the plain of the Moreos”, as the Chronicle of the Moreos calls Andravida, the capital of the principality of Achaia at the time of the Crusades, which was, together with its port, Glarenza, near today’s Kyllini, for centuries, a bustling center of economic and cultural activity. In a place with superimposed layers of history, conquests, liberation struggles, already mentioned by Homer.

But it is mainly medieval Greece that breathes life here, with all its charm, and inspires us with awe with its scattered remains, such as the Temple of Hagia Sophia in the heart of your city. It is its untouchable past that gives the area an echo of legend. One feels here “that the shiver of life becomes the dust of time”, as your fellow poet Giorgos Gotis wrote. We tour the excellent museum housed in Chlemoutsi Castle and it is like reliving the fascinating fairy tale that unfolded in the Andravida region, a tale of Byzantine lords, Frankish knights and Venetian nobles, before the Ottoman invasion. As the archaeological research proved, Latins and Orthodox coexisted harmoniously, developing solid residential centers, under the protection, always, of its unique fortress. Built in a strategic position, dominating the plain of Ilia and overlooking the Ionian Sea, an excellent example of fortress architecture, Chlemoutsi ensured the defense of the area for centuries. It will become a stronghold of Constantine Palaiologos, in the last glimpses of Byzantine glory, and later it will be occupied by the Ottomans, it will pass into the hands of the Venetians and it will be reconquered by the Turks. Strong until the Revolution of 1821, it will be partially demolished by Ibrahim in 1826 so that the Greeks cannot use it. Because there are many warriors of our ethnic liberation struggle who started from the small and decadent Andravida during the years of Turkish rule, making it one of the main revolutionary centers of Morea. It is enough to remember the most important chieftain of Kampos, Constantis Papadimitropoulos, who went down in history as Captain Andravidiotis, and the sacrifices of its people until the liberation of the region from the Turks. Following the example of those brave fighters, the 117th Fighter Wing at Andravidas Air Force Base guards the skies of our homeland. With self-sacrifice and commitment, as they were defended by Commander Efstathios Tsitlakidis and Deputy Commander Marios-Michail Turoutsikas, who lost their lives in the line of duty last winter. We remember them with gratitude, along with all our heroes.

Mr Mayor,

Blessed is your place. Not only thanks to its historical depth, but also thanks to its natural beauty, its thermal baths, its rivers, its Natura areas, its endless beaches and a sea once crystal clear, which, unfortunately, today suffers from pollution. That is why I was informed with satisfaction that the Municipality is planning an important construction and sewage treatment project in the area of ​​Varda, which I hope will be completed soon. The preservation of the priceless environment of each region, at a time when the climate crisis is a threat to our country, the Mediterranean and the entire planet, must be a priority for all of us, as a collective effort to reverse its effects.

Mr. Mayor, it is a great honor for me that you include me among your citizens. And even together with the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, a brilliant personality who has won the respect not only of our compatriots, but of the whole world. A religious leader of international scope and influence, who for decades has been actively dealing with the problems of our time envisioning a sustainable environment and future, based on the universal values ​​of Orthodoxy and ecology”.