EU Commission Vice-President Margaritis Schinas on Monday visited the Holy and Great Monastery of Vatopedi, accompanied by Commission and Greek government officials.
Schinas was greeted at the monastery’s main gate, with a prayer service following in the Catholicos, of main cathedral of the monastery.
In his greeting, the Elder Archimandrite Ephraim, the Abbot of the Holy and Great Monastery of Vatopedi, expressed his joy over the EU Commissioner’s visit.
Additionally, the Elder Ephraim underlined that amid the very ominous occasion of a war between Orthodox countries, Mount Athos remains a beacon of Orthodoxy, illuminating the path towards peace and love.
On his part, Schinas, a native of the northern city of Thessaloniki, thanked the Elder for the warm welcome, before referring to the spiritual and cultural legacy of Mount Athos, the Holy Mountain.
Moreover, he emphasized that the Athonite Polity comprises a distinct segment of the European acquis.
