Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis received the Patriarch of Jerusalem His Beatitude Theophilos III at the Maximos Mansion today. During the meeting, they discussed cooperation between the Greek State and the Patriarchate of Jerusalem, developments concerning the status quo of the Holy Shrines, including issues of protecting the historical rights and ancient privileges of the Patriarchate.
Special emphasis was placed on the security situation in the Middle East, in light of the recent escalation of tensions in the region, as well as the challenges facing Christian communities.
The Prime Minister reiterated Greece’s longstanding interest in supporting the Christian presence, especially Orthodox Christians who are the oldest Christian community in the Holy Land and more broadly in the Middle East, as well as its steadfast commitment to protecting religious freedom and freedom of worship.
The visit of the Patriarch of Jerusalem is part of the close and ongoing cooperation between the Greek State and the Patriarchate of Jerusalem and follows the repeated visits of the Prime Minister and government members to the Holy Land.
At the beginning of the meeting, the Prime Minister and Patriarch Theophilos III had the following dialogue:
Kyriakos Mitsotakis: I am very pleased to welcome you, Your Beatitude, to Athens, after the visit I made to you in Jerusalem.
You visit us in extremely turbulent times for the broader Middle East region, which is why I consider the timing of our meeting extremely important.
I always remember that on the Patriarchate’s flag there are the two Greek letters “Φ” and “Τ”, “guardians of the tomb,” which indicates the historicity of the nation, but also the great importance that the Greek State attributes to close cooperation with the Patriarchate of Jerusalem and of course the role played by all four ancient Patriarchates – with the Great Church of Constantinople being preeminent – for the unity of the Greek Orthodox world.
I know that both you and I care particularly about preserving the special status quo of the Holy Places, just as we care about protecting all Orthodox Christian populations in the Middle East, who are also being tested through this very great geopolitical upheaval that many of us are called to manage.
I am very interested to hear your thoughts, as well as your assessment of the extremely important meeting you had with President Trump, who also attaches great importance to these issues.
Finally, let me express my satisfaction, Your Beatitude, for the important agreement you signed with the Ministry of Culture, which demonstrates in practice the will of the Greek State to protect your treasures and this invaluable cultural treasure that you manage and which must be protected, preserved and passed on to future generations intact.
So again, I welcome you to Athens and wish you strength in your difficult duties during this turbulent era we are called to face.
Patriarch Theophilos III: We thank you warmly, Mr. Prime Minister, for the interest you show in every possible way. We are particularly pleased with this meeting, which has special significance, not only for the Patriarchate’s relations with our beloved homeland, but has special significance for the space in which we live and move, for the Holy Places and specifically for Jerusalem, which is the reference point of the entire world.
The Patriarchate of Jerusalem is essentially the embodiment of the sacred history of Jerusalem. And of course, the Patriarchate of Jerusalem, which is inextricably linked or better to say that it is an inseparable part of the pious nation of the Romans, which pious nation of the Romans had this great honor from Divine Providence to restore the Holy Sepulcher.
And as you know, on the Holy Sepulcher there is an inscription that says: “Those who restored me,” the royal and imperial nation of the Romans.
We are particularly pleased with the interest you show, but also for the time you devoted to this meeting.
And, as you said, we are pleased because we see that there is interest both from the Greek State and from you personally for the presence and ensuring the stay of Christians there.
A topic that intensely concerns both the State Department and President Trump himself, who in the discussion we had, in the meeting, referred to this issue, to preserving the status of Jerusalem, meaning both the pilgrimage status, but also the existence of Christians in the Middle East.
We had a very good meeting. We also convey to you the greetings of President Trump, who, I believe, has the intention to visit Greece as well in an upcoming visit to this region.
Finally, we want to thank you for this memorandum we signed with Ms. Mendoni. It is indeed a historic moment for the Patriarchate and, as you said, this demonstrates in practice the Patriarchate’s relationship with Greece, which Greece was and remains the nurturing mother of all clergy serving in the diaspora, but especially in the Patriarchate of Jerusalem.
We thank you very much again and convey to you the blessings of the Holy City of Jerusalem and the Brotherhood of the Holy Sepulcher.
Kyriakos Mitsotakis: Thank you, Your Beatitude.
