Completion of the Ecumenical Patriarch’s Visit to Thessaloniki
On Tuesday, 3 February, His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew departed by air for Constantinople, following the completion of his five-day visit to Thessaloniki.
At the airport, His All-Holiness was accompanied by His Eminence Metropolitan Philotheos of Thessaloniki. There he was bid farewell by the Shepherd of the region, His Eminence Metropolitan Nikodimos of Kassandra, together with numerous Hierarchs, representatives of the Hellenic Government, of the political, local government, and military authorities, the President and Board of Directors of the Philoptochos Brotherhood of Men of Thessaloniki, and other dignitaries.
On the previous day, Monday, 2 February, on the feast of the Presentation of the Lord, His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew presided at the Divine Liturgy at the namesake historic Holy Church of the Holy Metropolis of Thessaloniki.
The Shepherd of the flock, His Eminence Metropolitan Philotheos of Thessaloniki, who was present in prayer together with other Hierarchs, addressed His All-Holiness with warm words. In his response, the Ecumenical Patriarch made special reference to the completion of three years since the repose of the ever-memorable Hierarch of the Throne and eminent theologian, Metropolitan John of Pergamon. Immediately thereafter, he celebrated a Trisagion for the repose of the soul of the blessed Hierarch.
Subsequently, His All-Holiness made a pilgrimage visit to the parish churches of Panagia Evangelistria at the Evangelistria Cemeteries and of Apostle Paul in the same-name Municipal District of the city, as well as to the Estate of the Philoptochos Brotherhood of Men of Thessaloniki, where he inaugurated a mosaic of the Apostle Paul in the courtyard of the namesake historic church. He then proceeded to the Parish Church of Saint Paraskevi of the Stavroupolis Cemeteries, where he was warmly received by the Shepherd of the flock, His Eminence Metropolitan Barnabas of Neapolis and Stavroupolis, together with a multitude of the faithful.
His All-Holiness celebrated a Trisagion for the repose of the soul of his predecessor, Patriarch Joachim III the Magnificent, who, as Metropolitan of Thessaloniki, had cared for the construction and iconographic decoration of the holy church.
His Eminence Metropolitan Barnabas welcomed the Patriarch of the Nation with filial words of respect and devotion, offering him a portrait of the ever-memorable Patriarch Joachim III.
In the evening, the Ecumenical Patriarch attended and addressed the official event of the Philoptochos Brotherhood of Men of Thessaloniki for the presentation of its Anniversary Two-Volume Publication, dedicated to the history and multifaceted contribution of the Brotherhood to the city and the people of Thessaloniki. Within the framework of the event, a concert by the Thessaloniki State Orchestra was presented, with the participation of choirs, under the direction of the Most Learned President of the Philoptochos, Mr Georgios K. Konstantinidis, Conductor and Lawyer.
Photographs: Nikos Papachristou
(Departure photo: Demosthenis Tsavdaridis)
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