is Holiness the Ecumenical Patriarch
Bartholomew
presided over the Divine Liturgy,
Monday, May 23, 2022, at
the ruins of the Church of Panagia Paramythia in Phanar, known as 'Vlach Sarai.' It was the
first Divine Liturgy
celebrated in this historical church after its total destruction by fire in 1970. It is recalled
that Panagia
Paramythia, located a few hundred meters from the present seat of the Ecumenical Patriarchate,
served briefly as the
Patriarchal Cathedral starting in 1587, and it was there that the patriarchal status of the
Patriarchate of Moscow was
ratified.
During today's Divine Liturgy, the Most Reverend Hierarchs, Metropolitan Elder Apostolos of Derkoi, Metropolitan Nektarios of Anthedon (Representative of the Holy Sepulchre in the City), and Metropolitan Ioakeim of Prusa attended the service, along with His Grace Bishop Adrianos of Halicarnassus, the Honorable Mr. Stavros Christodoulidis (Consul of Greece in the City), clergy and nuns, Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, and a small number of faithful from the Phanar area.
Did You Know?
The historic Panagia Paramythia Church, which in the late 16th century served for a short period as the Patriarchal Cathedral and where the patriarchal status of the Patriarchate of Moscow was ratified, was destroyed by fire in 1970.
His Holiness was welcomed by the Most Honorable Archon Grand Hartophylax Mr. Panteleimon
Vingas, President of the
Board of Trustees of Panagia Paramythia – Vlach Sarai, who spoke about the historic Church and
the coordinated
initiatives undertaken—following the recovery of its title deed in 2010—for its restoration from
the ground up, as part
of the broader effort to preserve, maintain, and highlight the religious and cultural heritage
and community property of
the Greek
community of the City, which takes place under the aegis and tireless
paternal care of His
All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew.
His Holiness congratulated the President of the Board of Trustees and his colleagues for
their untiring efforts
toward the rescue and restoration of the historic Church of Panagia Paramythia, as well as all
those who contribute to
this sacred work and, more broadly, to the preservation of the heritage
of the Nation.
