Recently, our Elder, Archimandrite Parthenius visited the holy Metropolis of Thessaloniki, where he was cordially accepted by the holy Metropolitan of Thessaloniki, Mr. Anthimos. At the meeting our Elder expressed his gratitude to the honorable Bishop for his spiritual love and understanding, manifested through his holy apostolic mission of helping young people to attain high theological education. Namely, the Metropolitan Anthimos, having great respect towards our Elder and his evangelical mission in general, with the support of the cosmopolitan Athonite Monastery of Simonos Petra and its Elder Archimandrite Eliseos, gave his acrhipastoral blessing to a dozen students of ours to study theology at the prestigious Aristoteles University in Thessaloniki, and at the same time to study Eastern-ecclesiastic chanting with the most renowned psaltists and teachers – all that on the financial support of the Metropolis. With this noble deed, the Thessaloniki Bishop contributed to the overcoming of the heavy isolation of our Church and establishing many friendly contacts and cooperation. Such cooperation in the name of Christ lasts for almost ten years now, so that in our Church we already have several theology graduates, Magister degree students and psaltists, and some of our students are still studying there. The Metropolitan Anthimos confirmed once again his determination and openheartedness for future cooperation for the glory of God and for the benefit of the One Holy Catholical and Apostolic Church.
At the meeting Abbot Parthenius and the Bishop Anthimos discussed the necessity of a unity among all the Orthodox brothers, regardless of the state they live in, or the nationality they belong to, because we have all been united by the Body and Blood of Christ.
Our brotherhood together with the Elder, Archimandrite Parthenius, would like to express its immense gratitude to the Metropolitan Anthimos for all his pastoral love and care for our students and monks, and wishes him good health, spiritual strength and constant joy in Christ our Saviour!
