“We safeguard tirelessly the sacred and holy things of the Nation, with unwavering trust in the providence of God”
In the presence of hundreds of citizens who filled the Pallas Theater in Athens, the event in honour of the His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew took place on the afternoon of Thursday, 7 May, under the title “Timelessness and Universality: the Patriarchate of Constantinople in the Modern World.”
The event, organised by the volunteer group “Romaios Praxeis,” was held under the auspices of the Hellenic Parliament, with the cooperation of the municipalities of Alimos and Palaio Faliro.
The event took place within the framework of the double anniversary, namely the completion of 35 years since the election of His All-Holiness to the Ecumenical Throne and 65 years since his ordination to the diaconate and the beginning of his priestly ministry.
During the ceremony, two short films were shown about the churches that at times served as the seat of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, as well as about the historic visits of His All-Holiness to ruined churches, where sacred services were celebrated after decades of silence.
In his address, the Ecumenical Patriarch emphasised that “at the venerable Centre of Orthodoxy, as also in Imbros and Tenedos, we safeguard tirelessly what we have received from our Fathers, the sacred and holy things of the Nation, courageously, steadfastly, with unwavering trust in the providence of God.” He noted that “despite the demographic contraction of Hellenism, our beautiful traditions are cultivated, our schools function as spaces of person-centred education, of the transmission of values, knowledge, and ethos. Our churches have their doors open, renewed and full of divine glory; the charitable institutions, associations, and societies of the City of Constantine remain alive and creative. Unceasing is the care of our Patriarchate for the Christian heritage in Asia Minor and Eastern Thrace. The life and hopes of Hellenism daily overturn the power of numbers and measurements.”
In the conclusion of his address, His All-Holiness extended a moving invitation to those present: “We await you in the City of Constantine and at the Phanar. We are certain that your visit will transform you into pilgrims. In Constantinople of 20 million inhabitants, the imprint of our ancestors remains indelible. Hellenism is visible and tangible not only as a past, but also as a concrete present that radiates to the world the experience and wisdom of centuries. You will discover wonderful truths, or rather, truths will be revealed to you, unprecedented, vital, and life-giving.”
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