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On 27 May 2010, His Holiness Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople and his delegation arrived in St. Petersburg.

The delegation consists of Metropolitans Michael of Austria, Irinaios of Myriophyton and Peristasis, Emmanuel of France, general secretary of the Holy Synod of the Patriarchate of Constantinople archimandrite Elphidophoros (Lambriniadis), Archimandrite Bessarion (Komzias), Archdeacon Maximos (Vgenopoulos), and other persons.

The Primate of the Orthodox Church of Constantinople and his suite were met at “Pulkovo” airport by Metropolitan Vladimir of St. Petersburg and Ladoga, abbot of the Transfiguration Monastery on Valaam Bishop Pankratiy of Troitsk, Bishop Markell of Petergof, rector of the St. Petersburg Theological schools Bishop Amvrosiy of Gatchina, abbot of the Laura of St. Alexander Nevsky Bishop Nazariy of Vyborg, and clergymen of the St. Petersburg diocese.

His Holiness Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople was presented with a bunch of white roses.

His Holiness Patriarch Bartholomew is accompanied on his visit to the St. Petersburg diocese by the head of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, DECR deputy chairman archpriest Nikolai Balashov, and DECR secretary for inter-Orthodox relations Rev. Igor Yakimchuk.

His Holiness Patriarch Bartholomew, the hierarchs and clerics who accompany him, were met by the St. Petersburg vice-governor A. Vakhmistrov, consul general of the Republic of Greece in St. Petersburg A Kitzourou, and consul general of the Republic of Turkey in St. Petersburg M. Chinar.