Visit From the Secretary-General of the…

 

His Beatitude John X, the Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, highlighted the long standing bond that relates the Church of Antioch to the Greek government and people. His Beatitude uttered this statement as he welcomed the Secretary-General of the Department of Religions at the Greek Ministry of Education, Mr. Georgios Kalantzis, at the Patriarchal Residence in Balamand. From the Greek side the attendees were Greek Ambassador to Lebanon, Ms. Despina Kokolopoulou and Greek Consul, Ignatios Papadimitriou. The Antiochian side was represented by Dr. Elias Warraq, President of the University of Balamand; Archimandrite George Yaacoub, Abbot of the Monastery of Our Lady of Balamand; and Archimandrite Yaacoub Khalil, Dean of the St. John of Damascus Institute of Theology at the University of Balamand. His Beatitude and the Greek delegation discussed the situation of the Antiochian Church and how to consolidate the historical legacy between the Antiochian Church and Greece in light of the latest events in the Middle East.

After the meeting, the delegation joined His Beatitude for prayer in the monastery's church.

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