Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and Archbishop Ieronymos of Athens and All Greece visited the Church of Wisdom of God at the AEK-OPAP Arena on Friday afternoon, November 22, 2024.
Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew began an official visit to Athens at the invitation of Metropolitan Gabriel of Nea Ionia, Philadelphia, Heraklion, and Chalkidona. The visit was to attend the celebrations marking the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the local Church.
During their visit, the Ecumenical Patriarch and the Archbishop were given a tour of the Museum of Refugee Hellenism, the AEK Museum, and the stadium facilities.
The event was attended by Metropolitan Gabriel of Nea Ionia, hierarchs from the Church of Greece and the Ecumenical Patriarchate, politicians, AEK Athens F.C. owner Marios Iliopoulos, former owner Dimitris Melissanidis, clergy, and laity.
Accompanying the Archbishop were the Protosyncellus of the Archdiocese, Archimandrite Varnavas Theocharis, and Protopresbyter Emmanuel Papamikroulis, Secretary of the Synodal Committee on Inter-Orthodox and Inter-Christian Relations.
Prior to the visit at the AEK-OPAP Arena, the Ecumenical Patriarch participated in the naming ceremony of Patriarch’s Square and unveiled a commemorative plaque in Nea Philadelphia. He also visited the Holy Trinity Church of Nea Philadelphia and consecrated the new church dedicated to the Archangel Michael in memory of the late Michael Katsouris.
Photos: Christos Bonis
