THE GENERAL SECRETARY OF THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF GREECE MR LALAKOS VISITED THE PATRIARCHATE

On Tuesday, November 2nd/15th 2022, the Director General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Greece, Mr Thrasyvoulos Lalakos, visited the Patriarchate, accompanied by the Ambassador of Greece to Israel, Mr Kyriakos Loukakis, his partner, Mr Konstandaras, with the Consul General of Greece to Jerusalem Mr Evangelos Vlioras, the Consul Mrs Christina Zacharioudaki and the former Consul Mrs Aikaterini Tsima.

Mr Lalakos, after his escort, was received by His Beatitude, our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem, Theophilos, the Geronda Secretary-General, His Eminence Archbishop Aristarchos of Constantina the Elder Draguman Archimandrite Matthaios and other Hagiotaphite Fathers.

In the context of this visit, His Beatitude informed Mr Lalakos about the difficulties the Patriarchate is facing from the projects promoted by the Municipality of Jerusalem in the Garden of Gethsemane, on the Mount of Olives and in the Holy Zion, which recognizes the property of the Patriarchate, however, they do not allow the reconstruction or other utilization of this property.

His Beatitude also spoke about the educational work of the School of Holy Zion, the efforts of the School Managing Director Archimandrite Matthaios and the work of creating a Centre for Theological Studies in the Monastery of the Holy Cross and the preservation of the books of the Library of its famous Theological School.

After being informed about this, Mr Lalakos visited the Holy Sepulchre for veneration.

 From Secretariat-General