Patriarch comes to remember the tragic exodus
The visit may not be an official one but the ecumenical partriarch’s presence at ceremonies marking the 80th anniversary of the Asia Minor catastrophe of 1922 makes his arrival in Athens tomorrow of particular interest. Vartholomaios is the guest of the Sparti Society (former residents of Sparti in Asia Minor) and will go directly on arrival to the society’s headquarters in Nea Ionia for the first of three days of event. On Monday his schedule includes meetings with Prime Minister Costas Simitis and President Costis Stephanopoulos and an event at the War Museum for the «80 years since the Asia Minor catastrophe.» Later that evening he will be awarded an honorary degree at the Agricultural University for his contribution to protecting the environment. Wednesday’s events include the opening of a exhibition of photographs by Nicholas Manginas representing the patriarch’s 10 years of service.
