Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew is set to be named an honorary citizen of Kilkis on Saturday, September 21. The ceremony will be held at the Kilkis Conference Centre to commemorate his visit for the centennial celebration of the elevation of the Diocese of Polyani to the Metropolis of Polyani and Kilkis, following a unanimous decision by the City Council.
The initiative to bestow honorary citizenship upon him was proposed by Mayor Dimitris Kyriakides of Kilkis. Last November, Mayor Kyriakides, accompanied by Metropolitan Bartholomew of Polyani and Kilkis, traveled to the Phanar to officially invite the Ecumenical Patriarch.
In his address to the municipal council, the mayor of Kilkis emphasized the significance of the invitation, stating, “The invitation to the Metropolis of Kilkis, which is under the jurisdiction of the Patriarchal Throne, is extended in honor of the centennial anniversary of our diocese. This milestone event holds great importance and will further strengthen the bonds between the spiritual seat of the Ecumenical Throne and the Holy Metropolis of Polyani and Kilkis.”
The mayor also expressed the importance of the Ecumenical Patriarch’s visit to the Municipality of Kilkis, highlighting Bartholomew’s esteemed position as a global spiritual leader. He noted, “Bartholomew, in addition to his revered religious leadership, embodies a powerful spiritual presence with international influence. The city of Kilkis, primarily founded as a refuge for displaced individuals, will now serve as a site for historical and national pilgrimage for His Holiness.”