During his official visit to the Holy Metropolis of Lefkada and Ithaca, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew traveled to Ithaca on June 26, 2024, aboard a Hellenic Coast Guard vessel.
Upon arrival, he was greeted by Vice Admiral Georgios Alexandrakis and the crew of the vessel. At the port of Vathy, Ithaca, he received a warm welcome from Regional Governor Ioannis Trepeklis, Mayor Dionysios Stanitsas, Metropolitan Dimitrios of Kefalonia, clergy, government officials, and residents.
The Mayor officially welcomed the Patriarch to Ithaca, where he was declared an honorary citizen at the Municipal Cultural Center.
In his acceptance speech, the Patriarch expressed his gratitude and pledged to pray for the island and its people. He also invited them to visit Constantinople and the Phanar in the future.
Later, the Patriarch visited the Church of Saint Raphael of Ithaca and enjoyed a lunch hosted by the Mayor. Before leaving for Lefkada, he met with Minister Christos Stylianidis.
That evening, he attended a dinner hosted by the Regional Governor. The day before, he visited the Church of the Pantocrator in Lefkada and paid his respects at the tomb of poet Aristotelis Valaoritis.
At the “Angelos Sikelianos” Museum, he was greeted with traditional songs from Lefkada.
After a short tour of the Museum, which was once the residence of Sikelianos, the Patriarch and his distinguished entourage left for the Open Theater of Lefkada. There, they attended an event honoring Aristotelis Valaoritis.
Photo: Nikos Papachristou / Translated by Ioanna Georgakopoulou
