"It will be an immense honor to welcome His All Holiness on his first visit to Detroit," said Bishop Nicholas of the Diocese of Detroit, "it's an exciting occasion. For one weekend, our city and our region will be transformed into the center of world Orthodoxy."
On Monday, November 13th, His All Holiness will visit the Archdiocese headquarters. Recognized worldwide for his leadership in concern for the environment, and earning the title of "the Green Patriarch," His All Holiness will be honored by the Scenic Hudson at the Metropolitan Club at 12:30 p.m. From 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. at the Archdiocesan Cathedral of the Holy Trinity (319 East 74th St.), the Patriarch will meet with the clergy and the presvyteres of the Archdiocesan District and the Diocese of New Jersey, after an introductory doxological service.
The one-day visit of His All Holiness to New York City will conclude with the official opening of the Mary and Michael Jaharis Galleries for Byzantine Art at the Metropolitan Musuem of Art to be followed by a reception and dinner.
Elected Ecumencial Patriarch in 1991, Bartholomew was born Demetrios Archontonis on the Aegean Island of Imvros (Turkey) on February 29, 1940. He studied at the renowned Orthodox Theological School of Halki, graduating with high honors in 1961. He holds a doctorate from the Institute of Eastern Studies of the Gregorian University in Rome, and completed further studies in Switzerland and Germany. He is fluent in seven languages, including Greek, English and Turkish. He is the 270th Successor to the Apostle Andrew who brought the Christian faithful to the shores of the Bosphoros, ancient Constantinople, now Istanbul. Constantinople eventually became the seat of the Church in the East.
"In a time when Orthodoxy attracts more and more people everywhere, and particularly in the United States," said Archbishop Demetrios, "the visit of the Patriarch is a very important event and a truly heavenly blessing of promising spiritual perspectives."
