HONORARY RECEPTION FOR THE SCHOOL OF ZION GRADUATES BY THE CONSUL GENERAL OF GREECE IN JERUSALEM

On Thursday afternoon on the Feast of the Ascension, 28 May/ 10 June 2021, the Consul General of Greece in Jerusalem Mr Evangelos Vlioras, continuing his ongoing interest in the Patriarchal School of Holy Zion, hosted a reception in honour of the Zion School Graduates at the Greek General Consulate which is also his house estate.

The reception was attended by the full group of students, the Managing Director of the School, Archimandrite Mattheos, the School Teachers, the Consul General’s wife and son, the Consul Mrs Christina Zaharioudaki and the Consulate staff members. Invited were also, H.H.B. our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos III, the Chairman of the School Board, His Eminence Archbishop Isidoros of Hierapolis, His Eminence Archbishop Aristarchos of Constantina and Geronda Secretary-General and Archdeacon Mark.

The students chanted the Apolytikion of the feast of the Ascension and the Consul General delivered the following address:

“Your Beatitude,

Your Eminences,

Reverend Fathers,

Dear Colleagues,

Our dearest children,

It is a special honour and pleasure for my colleagues and for me personally, to welcome you today to the Consulate General of Greece in Jerusalem, on the occasion of the end of this school year at the Patriarchal School of Zion.

I think it is a common finding that this school year included many and varied challenges, both in health and in education. In these circumstances, the Patriarchal School of Holy Zion, with its students, teachers and staff, managed to continue its operation smoothly, contributing to the work of our Patriarchate. The conscientiousness, the responsibility and the devotion of the worthy Managing School Directory and the staff of the School as well as the love for learning, the consistency and the discipline of its students contributed decisively to this success.

Allow me, on behalf of the Authority we serve, to express to the administration, the teaching staff, and the staff of the Patriarchal School of Holy Zion our appreciation and respect for the important and national work that is being done despite the difficulties.

Special thanks should be addressed to You, Your Beatitude, for the paternal love with which you surround the School’s work. Your devotion to the multidimensional work carried out at the School for the preservation and promotion of Greek and Orthodox education in the Holy Land, and Your tireless efforts to continue this work are recognized by all, both here in the Holy Land and in our Homeland.  Thanks should also be extended to the Chairman of the School Board, His Eminence Archbishop of Hierapolis.

I would also like to assure you, the members of the Hagiotaphite Brotherhood and the staff and students of the School that our support and assistance to the Patriarchal School of Zion, the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem and the Hagiotaphite Brotherhood is and remains complete, and meaningful.

At this point, I take this opportunity to thank everyone for the unparalleled hospitality we have received since our arrival in Jerusalem.

Dear children,

We had the pleasure to meet you during the year in different opportunities and in different places. We have seen you serve with deep faith, reverence and obedience the liturgical work of the Church, to serve willingly where there was a need, to study consistently, with some breaks it is the truth, to achieve your learning goals, to defend vigorously and with determination the rights of the Holy Institution and especially, in times that imposed social isolation and distance, to maintain unity among yourself and to coexist, in the bond of the love of Christ.

We rejoiced in your friendship, we appreciated your kindness, and several Sundays, we shared with you the joy of the Resurrection.

 

We wish you heartfelt health and every blessing from God.

Evangelos Vlioras

Consul General of Greece “.

His Beatitude thanked the Consul General for his interest in the School underlining His petition to the Students, to remain in Israel, if they wish, where they can study foreign languages funded by the Patriarchate.

From Secretariat-General