The Ecumenical Patriarchate is working to bring people and peoples together, and more so the neighbouring peoples, and welcomes every effort in this direction, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, who officiated at the Divine Liturgy on Whit Monday, June 17, at the celebrated Holy Trinity Church of the Stavrodromi Community, stated.
The Hierarchs Alexios of Atlanta, Stefanos of Kallioupolis and Madytos, Elpidophoros of America and Maximos of Ioannina, the Consul of Greece in Constantinople, Danai Vassilaki, as well as members of sports teenagers and children’s groups were summoned.
Addressing the young and smaller athletes, His All Holiness noted that friendly relations between the two neighbouring and allied peoples are also promoted through these friendly matches.
“As an Ecumenical Patriarchate, we welcome such initiatives that build bridges instead of raising walls that separate peoples and the people.”
At another point in his speech, the Patriarch referred to the Church of the Holy Trinity and, more generally, to the temples in various cities of the East.
“When we enter into these Churches of Constantinople, we feel our responsibility, to keep up all the charitable institutions, headed by our churches, to preserve them in the decency with which our fathers have built and delivered them to us.”
Addressing the new Archbishop of America, Elpidophoros, whose enthronement will take place this coming Saturday, at the Cathedral of Holy Trinity in New York, the Ecumenical Patriarch assured him that “the prayers and love of all of us from your hometown, Constantinople, accompany you in this great beginning, which is a new page in the history of our Ecumenical Patriarchate and more specifically in the life of the Holy Archdiocese of America.”
He also expressed the certainty that all three newly elected Archbishops, of Australia, America and Thyateira and Great Britain will work to strengthen their flock and the ties with the Ecumenical Patriarchate, and will promote the cooperation and the brotherly relations with the other Christian Churches and Professions.
Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew thanked Metropolitan Germanos of Tranoupolis, Head of the Stavrodromi Community, for the work he has been doing for many years in Pera.
