Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew Arrives in Athens - revised

At noon on 19 May 2023,His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew arrived in Athens,Greece on a Vista Jet private flight.His formal visit began with a meeting at the Archdiocese of Athens with His Beatitude Archbishop Ieronymos II of Athens and All Greece.The accession document for the Church of St.Nicholas in the Workhouse was signed at that time.The church is located next to the British Embassy in Athens.It is an old Byzantine-style church.It had belonged to the Merciful Society of Athens-Nursing Home-Workhouse.Instrumental in the transfer to the Ecumenical Patriarchate were Mayor of Athens Konstantinos Bakoyannis and Archbishop Ieronymos II.The newly transferred temple is now a metochion church,or ecclesiastical embassy,on the territory of another autocephalous church,the Church of Greece.Athens already had metochia for the Patriarchate of Alexandria and All Africa;the Patriarchate of Jerusalem and All Palestine;and St.Katherine's Monastery of Mt.Sinai,Egypt.There is already a Representative Office of the Ecuumenical Patriarchate in Athens,which is directed by His Eminence Metropolitan Theodoritos of Laodicea.* On Saturday at noon,Patriarch Bartholomew will receive a new award from the Municipality of Athens,the Evkleis Athinaios,or Illustrious Athenian,which is an acknowledgement of a person's achievement in high ethical standards and Greek culture.This ceremony will take place at the Olympia Music Theatre Maria Callas.On Sunday morning,His All-Holiness will preside at the Divine Liturgy for the feast of Sts.Constantine and Helen at St.Nicholas in the Workhouse.Afterwards,he will depart for the Phanar,or Lantern,the Patriarchal compound in Istanbul,Turkey.* Patriarch Bartholomew's entourage includes Elder Metropolitan Emmanuel of Chalcedon;Metropolitan Theodoritos;Metropolitan Kyrillos of Ieropytna and Sitia;Grand Ecclesiarch Aetios,director of the Private Patriarchal Office;Nikolaos-Georgios Papachristou,director of the Press and Communication Office of the Ecumenical Patriarchate;and Theomistocles Karonikolas,Patriarchal Officer.* A workhouse was basically a residence for the poor (poorhouse) during the Victorian era.In England it had an abusive prison atmosphere with child labor,of which the writer Charles Dickens was critical.

Panorthodox Synod : POPE FRANCIS MEETS WITH HIS BEATITUDE HIERONYMOS II

Panorthodox Synod : POPE FRANCIS MEETS WITH HIS BEATITUDE HIERONYMOS II:   Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity On Saturday 4 December, on the first day of his visit to Greece, Pope Francis meet with...

Bulletin:In Dramatic Session,Church of Greece Reaches Decision on Ukraine

The Synod of the Hierarchy of the Church of Greece has recognised the autocephaly,or independence,of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine.After discussing the matter on Saturday morning,in light of the fact that His Beatitude Archbishop Ieronymos II of Athens and All Greece formally recommended the course of recognition,and that several study groups of the Standing Synod also found it to be a canonical act,the assembled bishops approved of His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew's granting of independence to the new Church.*
Several bishops complained about Russian pressure on them to reject the autocephaly.In the end,however,they stood by the Ecumenical Patriarchate and became the first of the 14 autocephalous Orthodox Churches to do so,thus paving the way for others to follow suit.*
The recognition will be spiritually enacted in the form of a Divine Liturgy in Thessaloniki,Greece on 19 October 2019,concelebrated by Archbishop Ieronymos and His Beatitude Metropolitan Epifaniy of Kiyiv and All Ukraine.*
In a telephone call,Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew thanked Archbishop Ieronymos for his support.*
The Church of Greece also recognised the independence of the nation of Ukraine in the extraordinary session of the Synod of the Hierarchy.

Archbishop of Athens Calls Extraordinary Session to Discuss Ukraine

His Beatitude Archbishop Ieronymos II of Athens and All Greece has summoned an extraordinary session of the Synod of the Hierarchy, that is,all of the Church of Greece's bishops, to consider the matter of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine's autocephaly on 12 October 2019.This is being added to the Synod's regular fall session from​ 9-11 October that is discussing such matters as the demographic crisis in Greece and electing new Metropolitans.*
The Standing Synod,a committee of bishops that meets between plenary sessions,has already acknowledged the Ecumenical Patriarch's right to grant autocephaly,and the Archbishop of Athens' right to handle the Ukraine issue as he sees fit.Archbshop Ieronymos then chose to submit the matter  to the Synod of the Hierarchy.*

Bulletin:Church of Greece Moves Toward Recognition of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine

In a crucial first step,the Holy Standing Synod of the Church of Greece has recognised that Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew's granting of autocephaly,or independence,to the new Orthodox Church of Ukraine,was canonical.His Beatitude Archbishop Ieronymos II of Athens and All Greece will now raise the issue for consideration by the full Holy Synod at its October session.*
The official statement of the Standing Synod reads as follows:
Following the proposal by the Synodic Committees on Dogmatic and Legislative Issues  and Inter-Orthodox and Inter-Christian Relations,the Holy Standing Synod recognises the Ecumenical Patriarch's canonical right to issue the status of autocephaly as well as the privilege of the Primate of the Church of Greece to further deal with the recognition of the Church of Ukraine. *
The Holy Standing Synod is a preparatory body for the full Holy Synod.*
In a related development,a leading theologian of the Church of Greece,His Eminence Metropolitan Chrysostomos of Messinia,has recently expressed his approval of the granting of autocephaly to the OCU.*

Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew to Visit Greece and the USA - Update:visit moved till later in the year

His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople has accepted invitations to visit Greece and the USA.On 17 April 2019,His Grace Bishop Thespies,Protesynkellos (Chief Secretary) of the Archdiocese of Athens was received by His All-Holiness Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople.The bishop brought an invitation from His Beatitude Archbishop Ieronymos II of Athens and All Greece to visit Athens and preside at the opening of the St.Porphyrios Centre for Gerontology and Welfare Support in Dilesi,Thessalia Sterea Ellada on 23 May.The event will also be attended by President of Greece Prokopios Pavlopoulos.
Patriarch Bartholomew accepted the invitation and conveyed his warmest paschal greetings to Archbishop Ieronymos.*
Earlier,it was reported by The National Herald that US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo invited His All-Holiness to visit the United States in July and address a Conference on the Natural Environment.Patriarch Bartholomew is acknowledged by the international community as a leading voice for the conservation of nature.It has been decided,however,that the Patriarchal visit will be made in the autumn instead,after new Archbishop Elpidophoros has had time to settle into his new ministry.
While in the US,His All-Holiness,to the delight of Greek Americans and other philhellenes,will also make his first archpastoral visit to the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America in ten years.The Archdiocese is an eparchy of the Ecumenical Patriarchate and some of its metropolitans serve on the Holy and Sacred Synod of the Patriarchate.

A Leftist and A Man of Ancient Faith

Manolis Glezos,who just turned 96,is a longtime leftist politician,activist and World War II resistance fighter.He came to prominence when,on 30 May 1941,he and his friend Apostolos Santas lowered the Nazi flag which German troops had raised at the Acropolis alongside the Greek flag.He was arrested by the German occupation forces on 24 March 1942,imprisoned and tortured,and contracted tuberculosis in consequence.What is more,Italian occupation forces arrested him again on 21 April 1943,jailing him for an additional three months.*
Indeed,Mr.Glezos was arrested numerous times in the Cold War era that followed as well,given the anti-left sentiment of the authorities at that time.The Soviet Union put him on a postage stamp and gave him the Lenin Prize.He spent a total of 11 years and four months in prison,plus four years and six months in exile.
As a member of the Democratic Left Party,or EDA,he was elected to his first seat in the Hellenic Parliament while imprisoned.He went on to serve several more times under EDA,the Pan-Hellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK) and,most recently,the Coalition of the Radical Left (SYRIZA),which is currently in power.In 2014,he was elected to the European Parliament.*
Mr.Glezos has received a number of honourary degrees from the likes of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens,among others.Besides politics,he has worked in civil engineering,inventing a flood and erosion control system that utilises a series of small dams.*
In 2015,Mr.Glezos met with His Beatitude Archbishop Ieronymos II of Athens and All Greece.It was a surprising moment for the Archbishop when Mr. Glezos made an unusual request for a leftist politician:
When I die,you will take charge of me,and you will do an ecclesiastical funeral.You will not let other people get involved in this issue.*
Archbishop Ieronymos inscribed a book for him:
2 September 2015,the day of revelation to me...Because all that we said was a revelation to me.*
They also discussed the migration crisis,something which appalled Mr.Glezos,and he confided to Archbishop Ieronymos that he in fact loved and respected the faith of his fathers.*

Archbishop of Athens Serves Dormition Divine Liturgy

At the Megali Panagia church in Thebes,Greece,His Beatitude Archbishop Ieronymos II of Athens and All Greece presided at the Divine Liturgy of the Dormition of the Theotokos on 15 August 2017.Attending the service was President of Greece Prokopis Pavlopoulos.The church,now in its 150th anniversary year,is named for the Virgin Mary.*
In his sermon,Archbishop Ieronymos (Jerome) said that:
This people has existed as and will always be Orthodox.Not only today,but throughout time,they have been inspired to live in the Church,to venerate and seek the help of the Theotokos to overcome the difficulties in their lives.*
Archbishop Ieronymos is marking his fiftieth anniversary in the priesthood.*
Following the liturgy,His Eminence Metropolitan Georgios of Thebes honoured President Pavlopoulos with the highest award of the Metropolis,a cross medallion on a blue ribbon.*
Elsewhere in the Orthodox Christendom,Dormition liturgies and pilgrimages were also held,along with processions of beloved icons of Our Most Holy Lady the Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary.
Some of the autocephalous Orthodox Churches will observe the old calendar Dormition on 28 August.

Archbishop Ieronymos of Athens Concerned About Exploitation

Speaking in an interview with Greece's ERT television,His Beatitude Archbishop Ieronymos II of Athens and All Greece made a number of salient remarks:
I do not see today a Europe of solidarity;but I see more every day a Europe of exploitation.We should go back to the foundations of Europe,the departure point from where we started,with the same thoughts and the same purposes.*
The role of the Church is to speak with all people,and with those responsible for the state;because the Church is not a party,and thus cooperation is needed.As to Church property,without financial support for the Church,there cannot be the intellectual work required by our times.Indeed,the Church has filed a motion for its exploitation for the benefit of the people.The Church must be free and economically independent.*
Terrorism is one of the worst effects of war.However,we need to see the other side.Who are those who lead these people to become terrorists?*
We see refugees as people in need.Their destination has to be their homeland.However,in the future we must ask ourselves,lest the refugees become a part of the exploitation of man.

Archbishop Ieronymos II Meets With Trump Foreign Policy Adviser Papadopoulos

On 1 December 2016,His Beatitude Archbishop Ieronymos II of Athens and All Greece met with George Papadopoulos,one of of US President-elect Donald Trump's foreign policy advisors,on the sidelines of the annual conference of KEDE,an organisation of Greek mayors,the Archdiocese of Athens said.Also present at the conference was His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios of America,the Ecumenical Patriarchate's exarch in the US.*
During their 30 minute meeting,Archbishop Ieronymos (Jerome) told Mr.Papadopoulos about the efforts the Church of Greece,Archdiocese of Athens and the "Send" were making to aid those affected by the economic crisis in Greece.His Beatitude emphasised that the Greek people cannot stand any more austerity policies,which,if they persist,will cause tragic consequences for Greece.
On the subject of Turkey,Archbishop Ieronymos expressed his deep concern about the provocative rhetoric coming out of Ankara recently and how this can affect Greco-Turkish relations and Turkey's entrance into the European mainstream,such as the European Union.
His Beatitude also asked Mr.Papadopoulos to convey his best wishes to the President-elect,Donald J Trump.*
Mr.Papadopoulos is a 2009 graduate of DePaul University in Chicago.In 2010,he received a Master's degree from the University of London.He is presently director of the international energy center at the London Center of International Law Practice.Previously,Mr.Papadopoulos was an advisor to presidential candidate Ben Carson and a research fellow at the conservative think tank the Hudson Institute in Washington.
In the course of his career,he has met with the President of Cyprus and Prime Minister of the UAE.Mr.Papadopoulos has been concentrating on what he believes is the emerging strategic partnership of Israel,Greece and Cyprus,particularly with regard to Israeli energy assets such as the mammoth Leviathin natural gas field in the Eastern Mediterranean.
In January 2014,Mr.Papadopoulos wrote that Israel and Greece's robust military relations have redrawn the political map of the region.The US would be wise to shift its policies and resources towards improving relations at all levels with its stalwart allies in the region,Israel,Greece and Cyprus,to counter the newly emergent Russian fleet and malignant jihadist forces operating around Israel's borders.*
In his separate meeting with Archbishop Demetrios of America at the KEDE conference,Archbishop Ieronymos discussed issues concerning the Church,the Greek people and the developments in the US,according to the Archdiocese of Athens.

Pope Francis,Patriarch Bartholomew and Archbishop Ieronymos to Visit Lesbos Refugees

Being profoundly concerned by the plight of refugees and persecution of Christians in the Middle East,His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew reached out to a representative of His Holiness Pope Francis in February and by personal letter on 30 March,the Ecumenical Patriarchate announced.In the context of this interest and shared concern of Religious Leaders,and the urgent need to assume a common initiative and action,Pope Francis,Patriarch Bartholomew and His Beatitude Archbishop Ieronymos II of Athens and All Greece will visit the Greek island of Lesbos on 16 April to meet with and support the refugees there.Lesbos is presently coping with about 3500 refugees at a reception center.
This measure and initiative by the Religious Leaders will encourage and strengthen the thousands of suffering refugees,while inspiring the implementation of appropriate actions for the protection of afflicted Christian Communities,as well as the proper response to the critical refugee situation,the Chief Secretariat of the Holy and Sacred Synod said.

Preparatory Meeting for Pan-Orthodox Council Called (Revised and Updated)

His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew will chair a meeting of delegations from the 14 autocephalous Orthodox Churches at the Orthodox Centre of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Chambesy,Switzerland from 21-28 January.The meeting is to make final preparations for the Great and Holy Council of the Orthodox Church,which is scheduled to begin on Orthodox Pentecost Sunday,19 June 2016,at Haghia Irene,the ancient Church of St.Irene,in Constantinople (Istanbul).The rules of the Council must be finalised and any other remaining issues resolved.The meeting will evaluate and validate the texts to be proposed for approval at the Council.
Among those in attendance at Chambesy are Archbishop Demetrios of America;Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia;and Patriarch Daniel of Romania.Metropolitan Sawa of Poland and Patriarch John X of Antioch and All the East could not attend for health reasons;while Archbishop Ieronymos II of Athens and All Greece could not come for personal reasons.All Churches have sent authorised delegations,however.The primates will concelebrate the Sunday Divine Liturgy.
Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew is being advised by theologians Metropolitan John of Pergamon and Metropolitan Emmanuel of France.He proposed that the length of the Great and Holy Council be two weeks and that a range of people,including representatives of the Orthodox clergy and laity,as well as media and non-Orthodox ecumenical observers,be invited to the Council.*
The Council has been many decades in the making.It will seek to convey the Orthodox Church's message to the modern world at large,as well as work to normalise her internal affairs and guide her external relations with other Christian churches and other religions.