On Thursday, July 11, 2024, 22 Roman Catholic students-executives from the Vatican, including 12 clergymen and 10 candidates, visited the Holy Synod of the Church of Greece. This annual visit, initiated in 2005 by Metropolitan Agathangelos of the Phanar, is part of a cultural cooperation program between the Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church.
The students, who are hosted for a month at the Theological Boarding School of the Apostoliki Diakonia, receive daily instruction in the Greek language and participate in visits to various Holy Metropolises, temples, and museums. Their program aims to foster greater understanding and collaboration between the two traditions.
Upon arrival, the students were warmly welcomed in the Grand Synodal Hall by Archimandrite Fr. Ioannis Karamouzis, Chief Secretary of the Holy Synod. Fr. Ioannis delivered a welcoming speech, addressed questions regarding the Synodical system and the relationship between the Orthodox and Roman Catholic Churches, and presented each student with a souvenir as a token of blessing.
Following the reception, the students were given a tour of the premises, and a reception was held in their honor to conclude their visit.
