His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and Stavros Theodorakis, leader of Potami, met earlier today at the Ecumenical Patriarchate. After their meeting, His All-Holliness Ecumenical Patriarchate Bartholomew and Stavros Theodorakis made the following statements:
ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH: «I would like to express our joy, mine personally and of all of us here in the Patriarchate, in welcoming a politician from Greece, whom we have met in the past and with whom we share an old friendship, since he was a journalist who shared interviews with us. He has repeatedly visited us here and we have also met many times in Greece. It is really a pleasure for me to meet beloved people, old friends. Now that he has a different role, we wish Mr. Theodorakis, as Ecumenical Patriarchate, the best of luck and that he may contribute in the improvement of the political situation, and the general state of affairs in Greece. Admittedly, the country is going through a crisis and a difficult moment in its history. It goes without saying that the Ecumenical Patriarchate wishes the best to Mr. Theodorakis, to all politicians, in fact to all Greeks, whom we embrace with affection and love, as their mother Church. We welcome Mr. Theodorakis and thank him for meeting the representatives of the Greek community earlier today, and we wish all the best in his personal and family life as well”.
Stavros Theodorakis: “It is for me a great pleasure and an honor that the Patriarch agreed to meet me. As the Patriarch has mentioned, this is not the first time that we meet. Today, we had the opportunity, once again, to discuss significant issues in which the Patriarch is active. I must point out that the actions and initiatives of the Patriarch go well beyond not only the confines of the Patriarchate, but of Hellenism itself. Whenever I travel abroad, and especially in Brussels, in the center of Europe, I realize how significant a role his personality plays.. I told him again that a man of this stature is an asset for the Patriarchate, as well as to the values that we defend together. The Patriarch is a valuable ally in our effort to revive our country. The Patriarchate is not the right venue for political statements, but I must stress that our country is going through a very hard period and that we must all follow certain values that will bring progress and prosperity to the country. We must recognize that this is not only a financial issue. The financial hardship and economic collapse often cause further calamities. Greece is situated in a geopolitically complicated region, and we need financial growth, in order to strengthen our role in the wider region. Of course, we also talked about environmental issues and other innovative actions launched by the Patriarch, which are well covered by the international media. I hope that I will have the chance to meet the Patriarch often, and to have him give me his wise advice. Once again, I thank him for receiving me here”.
Stavros Theodorakis met earlier with representatives of the Greek minority. He also visited the Association for the Support of Greek Community Foundations, and the Greek kindergarten, in Taksim square, where he had the opportunity to speak with Mr. Antonis Parisianos, the President of the Association, as well as with Lakis Vingas, the representative of all minorities in Constantinople.
Stavros Theodorakis was accompanied by Giorgos Kaklikis, Ambassador (ad hon.), in charge of the Turkish and Balkan Affairs Division of Potami.
29 May 2015
Photo credit: Theodore Manolopoulos
