His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew arrived at London’s Heathrow Airport on the evening of Monday, 14 September, where he was welcomed by the local Shepherd, His Eminence Archbishop Nikitas of Thyateira and Great Britain, in the presence of the Ambassador of Greece, Mr Ioannis Tsaousis.
Earlier that same day, His All-Holiness departed from his See for Great Britain.
During his week-long stay in the United Kingdom, His All-Holiness will have a private meeting with HM King Charles III of the United Kingdom at Balmoral Castle in Scotland.
On Tuesday, 15 September, His All-Holiness will preside at the Divine Liturgy to be celebrated at the Cathedral of the Divine Wisdom (Saint Sophia) in Bayswater, London, on the day on which the local Shepherd, His Eminence Archbishop Nikitas of Thyateira and Great Britain, celebrates his name day.
During his visit, His All-Holiness will be awarded an Honorary Doctorate by the University of Chichester and will deliver an address at the University of Oxford. He will also visit the Holy Patriarchal and Stavropegial Monastery of Saint John the Baptist in Essex, where he will preside at the Divine Liturgy on Sunday, 20 September.
The Patriarchal Entourage comprises Their Eminences Elder Metropolitan Dimitrios of the Princes’ Islands; Metropolitan Maximos of Selyvria; and Metropolitan Ioakeim of Lambi, Syvritos and Sfakia; the Grand Ecclesiarch Aetios, Director of the Private Patriarchal Office; Patriarchal Deacon Evlogios Tsatsas, Codicographer of the Holy and Sacred Synod; Mr Nikolaos-Georgios Papachristou, Director of the Patriarchal Press and Communications Office; and Mr Panagiotis Grafiadelis, an employee of the Patriarchate.
His Eminence Elder Metropolitan Emmanuel of Chalcedon, was appointed Patriarchal Commissioner during the absence of His All-Holiness. He also saw the Patriarch off at the airport in Constantinople, together with the Grand Archdeacon Alexandros.