Katerina Sakellaropoulou, a former judge at the Council of State, the Administrative Supreme Court of Greece, was sworn in last Friday as the country’s first woman president. In January, she was elected with overwhelming majority by the Greek Parliament.
She is 63 and was born in Thessaloniki. She had an almost four-decade career at the Council of State, which she headed between 2018 and 2020.
The swearing-in ceremony was held in an almost empty parliament building, following measures taken to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
Archbishop Hieronymos of Athens offered a short prayer, and read the oath of office. The new president repeated the oath with her hand on the Holy Gospel. She pledged to defend the borders of her country and human rights.
The written swearing-in protocol was signed by the new president, the Archbishop, the President of the Parliament and the Prime Minister.
Katerina Sakellaropoulou said she would “walk together” with Greeks to create a “prosperous” and “cosmopolitan” future “that includes all of us.” She also warned population to follow the sanitary rules instituted for the coronavirus outbreak.
The new Greek president’s mandate has started in a delicate moment, while thousands of refugees put pressure on the country’s border with Turkey.
Foto credit: Ecclesia.gr / Christos Bonis
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