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Nov072022

« To the attention of pilgrims traveling to Greece »

List of metropolises of the Greek Orthodox Church undesirable for visiting by pilgrims from the Russian Orthodox Church.

In response to incoming requests, the Pilgrimage Center of the Moscow Patriarchate explains that at present, based on the statement of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church of October 17, 2019 (Journal No. 125), visits by pilgrims to the following dioceses of the Greek Orthodox Church are not blessed:

1. Athens, headed by Archbishop of Athens and All Hellas Jerome II, who is directly subordinate to the following areas of the capital of Greece: the center of Athens, Ano Petralona, Koukaki, Kato Petralona, Tavros, Keramikos, Votanikos, Platonas Academy, Kolokinthou, Skuse, Acharne  , Patisia, Sepolia, Kato Patisia, Ano Patisia, Galanchi, Kipseli, Kuzi, Ambelokipi, Gudi, Zografou, Pankrati, Ilisos, Agios Dimitrios, Iliupoli, Kallithea, Moskhato, Dzinzifies, Papagu, Psychiko, Chalandri, Vrilissia, Cholargos, Agia Paraskevi, Kato Chalandri.  The most famous and largest churches of the Archdiocese of Athens are the Annunciation Cathedral, Church of St. Dionysius the Areopagite and the Church of the Holy Great Martyr Panteleimon Acharnon.

These restrictions do not apply to the dioceses, which include the districts and suburbs of Athens and the whole region of Attica.  These include metropolises of Piraeus, Mesogean, Ilia, Peristeria, Cythira, Neosmyrna, Kifisia, Caesarea, Glyfada, Nicaea, Megara, Idra and Philadelphia.

2. Veriyan (Veriya), ruling bishop - Metropolitan Panteleimon of Veriya, Naous and Campania;
3. Artan (Arta), ruling bishop - Metropolitan Kallinik of Arta;
4. Trikkian (Trikkala), ruling bishop - Metropolitan Chrysostomos of Trikkala and Stagon;
5. Dimitriadian (Volos), the ruling bishop - Metropolitan Ignatius of Dimitriad and Almira;
6. Phocis (Amfissa), ruling bishop - Metropolitan Theoktist of Phocis;
7. Zakynthos (island Zakynthos), ruling bishop - Metropolitan Dionisy of Zakynthos and Strophadas;
8. Kitra (Katerini), ruling bishop - Metropolitan George of Kitra and Katerini;
9. Xanthi (Xanthi), ruling bishop - Metropolitan Panteleimon of Xanthi;
10. Edessian (Edessa), ruling bishop - Metropolitan Joel of Edessa and Pella;
11. Grevenian (Grevena), ruling bishop - Metropolitan David of Grevena;
12. Maronian (Komotini), ruling bishop - Metropolitan Panteleimon of Maroni and Komotini;
13. Philippi (Kavala), ruling bishop - Metropolitan Stefan of Philip, Naples and Thasos;
14. Didymotikhonian (Didymotikhon), ruling bishop - Metropolitan Damaskin of Didymotikhon, Orestiad and Suflia;
15. Kastorian (Kastoria), ruling bishop - Metropolitan Kalinnik of Kastoria;
16. Eleutherupolian ( Eleutherupolis), ruling bishop - Metropolitan Chrysostomos of Eleutherupolis;
17. Thessaliotis (Karditsa), ruling bishop - Metropolitan Timothy of Thessaliotis and Phanariofersal;
18. Stagonian (Kalambaka), ruling bishop - Metropolitan Theoclitus of Stagon and Meteora;
19. Nea-Krinia (Thessaloniki), ruling bishop - Metropolitan Justin of Nea-Krinia and Kalamaria.

Upon receipt of updated information about the entry of individual hierarchs of the Greek Orthodox Church into church communion with Ukrainian schismatics, the dioceses headed by such hierarchs will also be included in the above list.

In accordance with the decision of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church of October 15, 2018, we remind you of the impossibility of visiting the dioceses of the Patriarchate of Constantinople, including those in the Dodecanese and Cyclades islands:

1. Metropolia of Rhodes (island Rhodes), ruling bishop - Metropolitan Kirill of Rhodes.
2. Metropolia of Kos (islands Kos and Nisyros), ruling bishop - Metropolitan Nathanael of Kos and Nisiros.
3. Metropolia of Leros (islands Leros, Kalymnos, Astypalea), ruling bishop - Metropolitan Paisios of Leros, Kalymnos and Astypalea.
4. Metropolia of Karpathos (islands Karpathos, Kasos), ruling bishop - Metropolitan Ambrose of Karpathos and Kasos.
5. Metropolia of Simi (islands Symi, Tilos, Halki and Kastellorizon), the ruling bishop - Metropolitan Chrysostom of Simi, Tilos, Halki and Kastellorizon.

Dioceses of the Patriarchate of Constantinople on island Crete:

6. Archdiocese of Crete (Heraklion), ruling bishop - Archbishop Eugene of Crete.
7. Metropolis of Gortyna ( Gortyna), ruling bishop - Metropolitan Makary of Gortyna and Arcadia.
8. Metropolia of Rethymnon (Rethymnon), ruling bishop - Metropolitan Prodrom of Rethymnon and Avlopotamia.
9. Metropolis of Kydonia (Chania), ruling bishop - Metropolitan Damaskin of Kydonia and Apokron.
10. Metropolis of Lambis (village of Spili), ruling bishop - Metropolitan Irenaeus of Lambis, Sivrit and Sfakia.
11. Metropolia of Ierapetra (Ierapetra), ruling bishop - Metropolitan Kirill of Ierapetra and Sitia.
12. Metropolia of Petra (Neapoli), ruling bishop - Metropolitan Gerasim of Petra and Herronis.
13. Metropolia of Kissamos (Kissamos), ruling bishop - Metropolitan Amfilohiy of Kissamos and Selina.
14. Metropolis of Arkalohorion (Arkalohorion), ruling bishop - Metropolitan Andrei of Arkalohorion, Kastellia and Vianna.