Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Antonis Diamataris attends the enthronement of Archbishop Nikitas of Thyatira and Great Britain (London, 28 July 2019)

The Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs for Greeks abroad, Antonis Diamataris, represented the Greek government at the enthronement of Archbishop Nikitas of Thyatira and Great Britain, which took place at the Cathedral of the Divine Wisdom, in London.

The Deputy Minister made the following statement after the enthronement: “It is a great honour to represent the Prime Minister of Greece, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, at the enthronement of Archbishop Nikitas of Thyatira and Great Britain. From my previous position, I followed the Archbishop’s career, and I can say that he is an able church leader possessed of a profound awareness of his ecclesiastical and national mission. I also want to thank and congratulate His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew for the choices he has made. In addition to choosing Archbishop Nikitas of Great Britain, Archbishop Elpidophoros of America – who has already made the best of impressions – and Archbishop Makarios of Australia, who has also made a very good impression, he has also upgraded the Metropolitan of Canada to Archdiocese.”

The enthronement ceremony was followed by a luncheon in honour of the new Archbishop, at a central hotel in London. In his brief address, the Deputy Minister praised the spiritual, educational and social work of the new Archbishop, as well as his multifaceted contribution during his service of the Church in America and Hong Kong, expressing the conviction that he will continue with the same passion in his new duties. “In my previous position,  as editor/director of the Ethnikos Kyrikas, I followed your spiritual, educational and social work, your ethos, your great abilities, your multifaceted contribution to the Church of America and our large and esteemed community there. And I am certain that you will serve the faithful here with great success and with the same principles that have accompanied you throughout your
ministry,” Mr. Diamataris underscored.

The Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs also met with leading representatives of Greek-community organizations at a dinner hosted in his honour – at the ambassadorial residence, on the eve of the enthronement – by the Greek Ambassador to the United Kingdom, Dimitrios Karamitsos-Tziras. The Greek Ambassador to Dublin, Aikaterini Simopoulou, was also in attendance.