Deputy Foreign Minister Ioannis Amanatidis traveled to Istanbul today, Saturday, 22 August 2015.
Mr. Amanatidis was met by the Greek Ambassador to Ankara, Kyriakos Loukakis, and Consul General in Istanbul, Evangelos Sekeris, so that they could continue on together to the Sismanoglio Mansion. Mr. Amanatidis was given a tour of the Sakkoulides Library and of the Sismanoglio Mansion’s facilities for teaching the Greek language.
The Deputy Foreign Minister then went to the Ecumenical Patriarchate, in Fener. Mr. Amanatidis was received by His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and attended a luncheon hosted in his honor by the Ecumenical Patriarch, at the Patriarchal Table.
Mr. Amanatidis made the following statement after his visit to the Ecumenical Patriarchate:
“This visit to the ancient center of Orthodoxy and meeting with the Ecumenical Patriarch provide an opportunity for us to discern, to attend and to experience the common tradition of faith and nation as a living and renewed reality. The Fener proves that our nation succeeds, under adverse conditions, in emerging stronger and sturdier. His All Holiness briefed me on all of the Patriarchate’s major issues, and especially on the preparations for the great Pan-Orthodox Synod, which will be the culmination of decades of efforts and will highlight for the whole world the unity of the Orthodox Churches.”
August 22, 2015