Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew arrived in Ioannina in the afternoon, where he was received by Rev. Metropolitan of Ioannina Mr. Maximus and will remain for 3 days in order to open the doors of the Holy Church of Agios Paisios.
During his four-day visit, His Holiness will visit Holy Monasteries and Foundations of I. Metropolis of Ioannina, he will have meetings with the regional governor of Epirus, Alexandros Kahrimanis, and the mayor of Ioannina, Moses Elisaf, and will be named an honorary citizen of Ioannina, as well as honorary professor of the Schools of the University of Ioannina.
The Holy Metropolis of Ioannina characterizes the visit of the Ecumenical Patriarch as historic, who will be accompanied by Archbishop Hieronymos for a large part of the visit.
The official program of the prelates of the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the Church of Greece will start tomorrow at 9:00 in the morning, in the Metropolitan Church of Agios Athanasios, where a Doxation will be held and will follow: Visit on 10:30 at the Ioannina City Hall, visit to 11:30 at the District Hall and at 13:00 visit to the Holy Monastery of Vellas where the cheese factory facilities will be consecrated – farm. At 18:30 the opening of the doors of the Holy Church of Agios Paisios and the solemn vespers will be held.
Την Πατριαρχική Συνοδεία αποτελούν οι Μητροπολίτες Μύρων κ. Chrysostom, Prousis Mr. Joachim and Lagada, Letis and Rentinis Mr. Plato, Archimandrite Gregory, chief secretary of the Holy and Sacred Synod, the deacon Bosporius, undersecretary of the Holy and Sacred Synod, Nikolaos-Georgios Papachristou, director of the Patriarchal Press and Communication Office and Petros Bazgarlo, secretary of the Patriarchate.