First Mission to Istanbul
(22nd-24th April 1999)
In the Hall of the Patriarchal Throne, the ceremony for the delivery of the 1st volume of the volume “Holy pilgrimages – Towers of Orthodoxy” took place, a project that is under the blessing of the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew.
50 personalities, Mayors, Entrepreneurs, attended.
Head of the Mission were
- Mrs.Katrivanos Theodoros, Prefect of Attica, Piraeus & Islands
- Kyntis Andreas, Rector of the University of Economics, Athens
- Kalos Georgios, Member of Parliament for New Democracy
The program “Ecumenical Hellenism” held a series of events in Istanbul in the context of the launch of its second period of work. The mission was held in a troubled time for the City and before the approach for a Greek-Turkish friendship, began.
The team participated in the following events:
- Visit – Pilgrimage to St. Sophia
- Monitoring the Divine Liturgy in the Patriarchal Church of St. George at the Phanar
- Ceremony in the Hall of the Patriarchal Throne, for the delivery of the first volume of the Holy Sacraments – Towers of Orthodoxy, a project under the blessing of the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew. A 12-member delegation of the mission visited the Patriarchal Bank.
- A prayer for Peace took place in the Holy Mountain of Blachernae by the Metropolitan of Laodicea Iakovos and chanted “The Hypermachus Stratigo” where it was first chanted in 626 AC. calling for the salvation of the King by the Avars.
- Visit, tour of the Great School, the Monastery of Chora and Mother Mary of Mouchliotissa.
- Visit to the Theological School of Halki, where the Metropolitan of Agathonika Apostolos, hosted a lunch for the team after the tour of the historical library of the school.
- A reception was given in honor of the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew at the Ciragan Hotel.
- Monitoring of the Divine Liturgy at the Balakli Monastery from the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew.
All the events were attended by the members of the Patriarchal Court, the General Counsel of Greece Mr. Xydas, the new Ambassador Mr. Korantis, Metropolitans, the Archbishop of Austria, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Hungary, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Austria, the representative of the Archdiocese of America Father Karloutsos as long as representatives of the homogeneity.
