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| At the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with Mr. D. Avramopoulos, Minister, and Fr. N. Alexandris |
His Eminence
Metropolitan Sotirios visited the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople and
Greece
from February 7 to 18, 2013.
His All
Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew requested that the Ukrainian Orthodox
Hierarchs of Canada and members of their Church join him for a meeting with the
Inter-Church Relations Commission, chaired by Metropolitan John of
Pergamon. He also invited Metropolitan
Sotirios to attend the meeting as his Exarchate in Canada. The meeting deliberations were very
constructive and the outcomes from them positive.
During the
two-day meeting, from Friday to Saturday, the soccer team
"Anagennisis" from Arta visited the Ecumenical Patriarchate, as did a
group of high school students on a pilgrimage from Greece; both attended the
Vespers Service and were greeted by His All-Holiness, who spoke to them with
paternal love. His All-Holiness also
asked Metropolitan Sotirios to speak to them which he did.
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| At Maximos Mansion with the Prime Minister of Greece, Mr. A. Samaras |
In Athens,
Metropolitan Sotirios visited His Beatitude, the Archbishop of Athens and All
Greece, Ieronymos II; the President of the Hellenic Republic, Mr. K. Papoulias;
the Prime Minister of Greece, Mr. A. Samaras; the Minister of Foreign Affairs,
Mr. D. Avramopoulos; the Deputy Foreign Minister, Mr. K. Tsiaras; the President
of PASOK, Mr. E. Venizelos; the President of KPS, Mr. F. Kouvelis; the President
of the Greek Parliament Inter-Party Committee for Greeks Abroad, Mr. A.
Georgiadis; and the Ambassador of Canada to Greece, Mr. R. Peck. Everyone
received His Eminence with great joy and discussed various issues with him; the
focus was especially on the aid of the Greek Orthodox Christians of Canada to Greece and also
about investments of Greek-Canadian entrepreneurs and that of Canadian
companies.
Metropolitan
Sotirios conveyed to everyone the love, respect and admiration of the Greek
Orthodox Christians of Canada for setting politics aside and putting the
interest of the nation above all.
 |
| With the President of PASOK, Mr. E. Venizelos |
Metropolitan
Sotirios expresses his thanks and gratitude to all because they received him
with honour and joy, helping to make great progress on various issues.
Metropolitan Sotirios also wishes to thank the Ambassador of Greece to Canada,
Mr. E. Anghelopoulos; the Consul General of Greece in Toronto, Mr. D.
Azemopoulos; Ambassador Manesi, from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
Directorate of Churches; and Mrs. Voziou who took great care to ensure the
visits of the Metropolitan were done according to protocol.
From the Office of the Holy
Metropolis
(February
21, 2013)
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| With the Ambassador of Canada to Greece, Mr. R. Peck |
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| With Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, the Ukrainian Bishops and their delegation, and the Inter-Church Relations Commission |
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|
The President of the Hellenic Republic,
Mr. K. Papoulias, received Metropolitan Sotirios at the Presidential Mansion.
|
