Metropolitan Teofan of Moldavia and Bukovina, accompanied by 60 pilgrims from his metropolia, was received on Monday afternoon by Metropolitan Philotheos of Thessaloniki.
The meeting took place at the Metropolitan Cathedral of Saint Gregory Palamas, where Metropolitan Philotheos welcomed the visitors, expressing his joy at the visit of “Romanian brethren of the same faith.”
Also part of the pilgrimage group were the Iași Archdiocese’s Assistant Bishop Nichifor of Botoșani, abbots and abbesses from monasteries of the Metropolis of Moldavia and Bukovina, and members of the eparchial administration.
The pilgrims venerated the relics of Saint Gregory Palamas and the holy icons in the cathedral, where they chanted Paschal hymns and the saint’s troparion.
The Legacy of Saint Gregory Palamas
During the meeting, Metropolitan Philotheos spoke about the personality of Saint Gregory Palamas and the rich spiritual inheritance he bequeathed to the whole Orthodox world through his theological writings.
He also recalled his recent participation in the feast of Saint Parascheva in Iași, as well as the bringing to Romania of the honourable skull of Saint Gregory Palamas.
The meeting highlighted the spiritual bonds between the Churches of Romania and Greece, as well as the enduring influence of Palamite theology in Orthodox life.
Pilgrimage Continues in Thessaloniki
Following their visit to the cathedral, the Romanian pilgrims continued to several churches in central Thessaloniki, as well as the katholikon of the Monastery of Saint Theodora.
Photo: Metropolis of Thessaloniki
