Schedule released of Ecumenical Patriarch’s US visit
Archbishop Elpidophoros of America will welcome Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomeos to the United States for an official visit on October 23, through November 3.
The visit, originally scheduled for May 2020, was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic. This is the third official visit of the Ecumenical Patriarch to the US.
According to the official schedule released by the Greek Archdiocese of America, the visit will begin in Washington, DC and is expected to include meetings, luncheons, and official dinners with the US President Joe Biden, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Ambassador of Greece to the United States Alexandra Papadopoulou, and Turkish Ambassador to the United States Hasan Murat Mercan.
Events scheduled in Washington, DC include a Pan-Orthodox Patriarchal Chorostasia at Saint Sophia Cathedral; followed by the inaugural induction of the Senators for Orthodoxy and Hellenism; a Luncheon with the Hierarchs; a Dinner Tribute by the Order of AHEPA; the Blessing of the Permanent Exhibition of Orthodox Christian Cultural Heritage at the Museum of the Bible, and an Ecumenical Reception on Capitol Hill by the National Council of Churches.
On October 30, the delegation will attend the Patriarch Athenagoras Human Rights Award Banquet honoring Pfizer CEO Dr. Albert Bourla and BioNTech CEO, Dr. Ugur Sahin & Regeneron Pharmaceuticals co-founder, president and chief scientific officer, Dr. George Yancopoulos at the New York Hilton Hotel.
On November 1, the American Jewish Committee will honour Vartholomeos with its award for interreligious relations and advancing Orthodox-Jewish relations.
