Visit of the General Director to the Ecumenical Patriarchate

On 6-7 December 2014 the General Director of the Orthodox Academy of Crete (OAC), Dr. Konstantinos Zormpas paid an official visit to the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople. On Saturday he was received by His All Holiness the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomaios, while on Sunday morning he attended mass at the beautiful Patriarchal church of Saint George, where the Divine Liturgy was officiated by the Metropolitan of Proikonnisos Joseph.  Then, on the same day he sat at the Patriarchal table, along with distinguished guests, such as Elias Damianakis from the USA, iconographer and Official (Head Master) of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, metropolitans, priests and professors, associates of the Ecumencial Throne, etc.

Mr. Zormpas conveyed to the Patriarch the wishes and love of His Eminence the Metropolitan of Kissamos and Selinon Amphilochios, President of the OAC, the members of the Administrative Board, as well as all the staff of the Foundation, and expressed his emotion and joy at visiting the venerable Ecumenical Patriarchate again. He thanked His All Holiness for the trust shown both by himself and by the Great Mother Church to him, and he fully updated him, in the presence of the Chief Secretary, the Very Reverend Archimandrite Bartholomaios, on the various academic and theological activities of the OAC in both Greece and abroad, as well as on the initiatives taken by the Orthodox Academy with regard to issues of environmental and inter-religious concern, in which the Patriarch showed particular interest. The preparation of relevant celebrations, publications of photographic material, a scientific volume, etc. for the celebration of the fiftieth anniversary of the OAC were at the center of discussion. Finally, the Ecumenical Patriarch reassured Mr. Zormpas, once again, of the unreserved interest of the venerable Head of Orthodoxy in following the work of the OAC, as well as of the trust shown in its staff. He congratulated Mr. Zormpas and he expressed his approval of the initiatives adopted by the Foundation, he blessed this important effort carried out by the Church, and he offered as a gift a series of books with various historic speeches and a photo album for the OAC library.

During his stay in Constantinople, Mr. Zormpas also had the chance to talk and exchange ideas and proposals for cooperation with other officials of the Ecumenical Patriarchate.