Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis met this morning with the Ecumenical Patriarch Mr. Bartholomew, in the Maximos Palace.

At the start of the meeting, the Ecumenical Patriarch told Kyriakos Mitsotakis “we thank you because, knowing that you have a Council of Ministers today, you found some time to see us and talk to each other”, with the Prime Minister replying: “as you saw, we set the priorities correctly. First you, then the Council of Ministers.”

The dialogue:

Kyriakos Mitsotakis: How happy I am to welcome you once again, Your Grace, to the Maximos Palace.

Ecumenical Patriarch: Me too, Mr. Prime Minister.

Kyriakos Mitsotakis: You had an extremely successful visit, as always. You know how much we love you, how much all the Greek people love you and your presence in our homeland, in these difficult and troubled times, always gives us strength. You are a source of inspiration, wisdom and clear thinking, something we need today more than ever.

Ecumenical Patriarch: Thank you for your kind words, Your Eminence. I bring the love and blessing of the Mother Church to you personally and to all the pious Greek people.

This time we have come to announce the opening of the work of the Theological Conference, which began last night, and this afternoon we will continue to Sparta, at the invitation of Saint Sparta.

In the meantime, I visited here two Metropolies of the basin, the Metropolis of Nea Ionia and Peristeri, thanks to the fraternal invitation of the brother Metropolitans. We had a great time, I contacted the crew of the two Metropolises, I visited the facilities of AEK, at the invitation of Mr. Melissanidis, and we leave Athens full of impressions and love.

His Beatitude and I met and talked and we thank you because, knowing that you have a Council of Ministers today, you found some time to see us and talk to each other.

Kyriakos Mitsotakis: As you saw, we set the priorities correctly. First you, then the Cabinet.

Ecumenical Patriarch: Your Grace.