Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I arrived in Athens on Monday for a multi-day visit that will include meetings with Greece’s top political leaders and appearances at public events.
His plane landed at Athens International Airport around 3 p.m., where he was received by Parliament Speaker Nikitas Kaklamanis and Education Minister Sofia Zacharaki.
Later Monday, Bartholomew will visit the Archdiocese of Athens for talks with Archbishop Ieronymos II, followed by a ceremony honoring his environmental advocacy.
On Tuesday, he is scheduled to address a special session of Parliament, 27 years after his first appearance there, in the presence of President Konstantinos Tassoulas.
His visit also includes cultural events, an address on the role of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in the modern world and a humanitarian award ceremony later in the week.
