With warm words for the contribution of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, the President of the Republic, Constantine Tasoulas, received the Primate of Orthodoxy and his entourage at the Presidential Palace today, Thursday (07.05.2026).
More specifically, Constantinos Tasoulas expressed the “gratitude” of the Greek State for the 35 years of patriarchal ministry and the 65 years of the priestly mission of Mr Bartholomew, stressing that he represents an institution of “enormous radiance”. At the same time, the President of the Republic referred to the Ecumenical Patriarch’s speech at the Parliament, where he was awarded the Gold Medal of the Paladium of the Republic, noting that it was “favourably” commented on by the Greek people.
“Your citizenship exists in heaven”
The President of the Republic emphasised the three axes that he said the Ecumenical Patriarch highlighted in his speech: human dignity, ecophilia and the need for peace. “Your citizenship exists in heaven. But your testimony exists and it overwhelms the world,” he said.
Constantine Tasoulas also praised the Patriarchate’s role in defending the holy shrines, inter-religious dialogue and the unity of Orthodoxy. He also recalled Bartholomew’s phrase that “if there is no peace between religions, there can be no peace between the world.”
Bartholomeo: “The curse of ethno-racialism haunts Orthodoxy”
For his part, the Ecumenical Patriarch thanked the President of the Republic for the reception and the honours, expressing his emotion for the feelings of the Greek State towards the “Mother Church” and the Phanar.
Bartholomeos stressed that the Ecumenical Patriarchate represents an institution that survives through the centuries, giving “testimony of love, unity, reconciliation and respect for the sanctity of the human person”. As he stressed, for the mission of the Patriarchate, “the human person is at the centre”, as each human person is “unique and irreplaceable”.
“Racism, racial discrimination is far from the ethos of Orthodoxy, the Mother Great Church of Christ embraces all people, all races of the earth and proves that within the flock of the Ecumenical Patriarchate which is scattered throughout the world, there are not only Greeks but also Orthodox Christians of many other national origins and cultural backgrounds, whom we always serve with the same affection and love, with the Phanar as our centre,” he noted.
He was particularly sharp in his reference to ethno-racialism, which he described as a factor that continues to divide Orthodoxy. “The curse of ethno-racialism has also penetrated into the body of the Orthodox Church and is eating away at today’s Orthodoxy,” he said, adding that “our Slavic brothers, led by the Church of Russia, are mainly those who are disrupting pan-Orthodox unity.”
The Ecumenical Patriarch assured that the Phanar will continue its work “according to its conscience”, with the support of the Greek State, to which he expressed the gratitude and blessing of the Mother Church. He concluded by wishing Greece to live “in a climate of prosperity, unity and peace”.
