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MEMBER OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT MR KEFALOGIANNIS VISITS THE PATRIARCHATE

On Tuesday morning, 20 October/ 2 November 2021, the Member of the European Parliament Mr Emanuel Kefalogiannis visited the Patriarchate, while on a mission in Israel. Mr Kefalogiannis was accompanied by the Consul General of Greece in Jerusalem Mr Evangelos Vlioras and his ex-colleague Mrs Maria Zozonaki.

Mr Kefalogiannis was received by our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos and Hagiotaphite Fathers.

In this meeting, there was an interesting conversation on the pacifying role of the Patriarchate in the Holy Land and especially in Jerusalem where there is an ongoing turbulent political situation. The Patriarchate is trying to normalize the severity of this situation, always remaining the oldest religious institution in the Holy Land. In this mission, the Patriarchate has always had the support of Greece, the descendant of the Byzantine Empire.

Mr Kefalogiannis thanked His Beatitude for his welcoming reception and expressed his appreciation for the multi-task, multi-cultural, religious and pacifying mission of the Patriarchate.

On the occasion of this visit Mr Kefalogiannis offered His Beatitude the book of Rea Galanaki, while the latter offered him an icon of the Theotokos, of the Sacred Edicule, and Mr Tlil’s book, “I am Jerusalem”.

Following this meeting, Mr Kefalogiannis visited the Holy Sepulchre for veneration.

From Secretariat-General