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Orthodox Observer - April 20, 1997 An Unforgettable Pilgrimage to Constantinople Enthusiasm and anticipation were evident at New York's Kennedy Airport on March 27th as several priests from throughout the Archdiocese gathered for a Pilgrimage to the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Constantinople.
By Presvytera Nikki Stephanopoulos
18th century woodcut His Eminence Archbishop Spyridon had invited the 22 members of the Archdiocesan Presbyters Council to convene their Spring meeting at the Patriarchate. Also joining the Pilgrimage were Bishop Alexios of Troas,Archierarchal Vicar of the Diocese of Atlanta; and Archdiocesan staff members: Fr. Alexander Leondis, chancellor; Father John Heropoulos, Director of the Office of the Archbishop; Father Alexander Karloutsos, Vicar of Public Affairs; Deacon to the Archbishop Anastasios Kousoulas; Orthodox Observer publisher Costas Deligiannis and myself, Director of News and Information. The centerpiece of the visit was to be the celebration of the Third Sunday of Lent, the Veneration of the Holy Cross, at the Patriarchal Cathedral of Saint George with His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and the members of the Holy Synod. There would also be an opportunity to meet His All Holiness and discuss issues of mutual concern to the Archdiocese of America and the Ecumenical Patriarchate. Further, final plans were discussed for the Patriarchal visit to America next Fall (October 19-November 17) by His All Holiness. However, for many of those on the trip, it was something else. It was their first visit to "Poli" and the beloved, yet unknown, "Patriachion". There was little sleep on the airplane and much conversation. On arrival at Istanbul airport, our energy level had peaked as we were quickly met by our New York travel representative, Cally Pentelidis, president of Cloud Tours and Istanbul contact Stratos Dolcinyadis of the Opus 92 agency. He quickly whisked us through Turkish Customs and before we realized how exhausted we were from our 10 hour trip, we were on buses bound for our first stop before going on to the Conrad Hotel. We soon arrived at Baluki, outside the walls of the City and site of the famous shrine monastery of Zoodochos Peghe and the Graves of the Patriarchs, including Patriarch's Athenagoras and Dimitrios. We were warmly welcomed by the Very Rev. Gennadios Lymouris and several nuns, with trays of refreshment. We went immediately to the Graves of the Patriarchs for a prayer service and then to the underground shrine Zoodochos Peghe with its holy spring and fish. We partook of the "hagiasma", spiritually uplifted by what we had witnessed. Then it was on to the hotel for a brief rest before going on to the Patriarchate.
HIS ALL Holiness Ecumenical Patri- arch Bartholomew with members of the Archdiocese Presbyters Council in the Patriarchal Throne Room. (N. Manginas photo) We were welcomed by His Eminence Archbishop Spyridon who had arrived earlier, and members of the Patriarchal staff. We then proceeded to the Service of the Salutations to the Virgin in the Patriarchal Cathedral of St. George, celebrated by His Eminence. After this 36-hour day we retired to our hotel, eagerly anticipating the next day's meeting with His All Holiness. On Saturday morning, we boarded our buses from our hotel, situated high atop a hill overlooking the Bosphorus, and headed for the Phanar and the Patriarchate. We entered the magnificent building and reception area, its high ceilings bedecked with pictures of the Patriarchs. We were shown the meeting room of the Holy Synod, where those Patriarchs and our newly enthroned Archbishop were elected. Soon we were called into the throne room for the arrival of His All Holiness. His Eminence Archbishop Spyridon presented the members of the Presbyters Council to the Ecumenical Patriarch who offered warm words of welcome. He spoke eloquently of the mission of the Church and the role of those present in that mission. His All Holiness then spent the better part of an hour meeting with every individual present, posing patiently for individual, Diocesan and group photos, all the time suffering obviously from the effects of a heavy cold. It was a moment never to be forgotten for those privileged to be present. His All Holiness and members of the Holy Synod then asked the hierarchs and priests of the pilgrimage to join him at luncheon. Because the Patriarchate is a Monastery, women are not allowed to eat in the private Patriarchal Dining Room, or, as His All Holiness politely remarked, "he does not have the joy of sharing the meal with them." However, the Second Deacon, Tarasios, graciously hosted the women and other members of the pilgrimage at a Patriarchal dining room for honored guests. Sunday we were privileged to worship the Divine Liturgy at the Patriarchal Cathedral and be personally blessed by His All Holiness at the conclusion of the Liturgy. Later that day we traveled to the Metropolis of Chalcedon to be welcomed and hosted by His Eminence Metropolitan Ioakeim. We were also privileged to hear a lecture on the Patriarchate by His Grace Bishop Emmanuel, Bishop of Region and Director of the Liaison Office of the Orthodox Church to the European Union in Brussels, Belgium. Bishop Emmanuel, a native of Greece, enthusiastically opened his remarks by proudly announcing that he was a graduate of Holy Cross School of Theology in Brookline,MA. Monday arrived, and once again the buses were boarded for the final trip, an emotional visit to the "Schole" the Orthodox School of Theology on the isle of Halki. For those few in the group who had spent some time at Halki, the emotion was obvious as they walked through the now empty classrooms, even sitting at their desk or reminiscing with those visiting for the first time. His Excellency Metropolitan Apostolos proved a gracious and kind host as he welcomed the pilgrims from America. His All Holiness Patriarch Bartholomew has since his enthronement striven to improve relations among the Orthodox, Greek and Turkish communities. Two dinners were hosted by Turkish businessmen who have assisted in improving this effort, Mr. And Mrs. Hussein Ozturk and Mr. And Mrs. Besim Tibuk. We had the opportunity to meet guests from the broad spectrum of Istanbul society — business, press and diplomatic. Including the American Consul General Carolyn Huggins; Greek Consul General Mr. Xydas, Gul Demir of the Istanbul-Turkish Daily News who reported very favorably on the event at the home of Mr. Tibuk, and Leyla Umar, a well-known TV and print journalist.
PARTRIARCH BARTHOLOMEW offi- ciates at Divine Liturgy on Sunday of the Veneration of the Holy Cross in the Patriarchal Cathedral. (Orthodox Observer photo) The visitors from America were also tourists, so it was natural that the day and trip would end with a visit to the Grand Baazar where bartering is prized among all else. Let it be said only that there were those in the group, this writer excepted, who drove such hard bargains that their fellow travelers felt sorry for the Turkish merchants. On a personal note, I think it is relevant to relate another very important aspect of this pilgrimage, specifically, the interaction at the Patriarchate with His All Holiness; the visit to Hagia Sophia, and to the Church of the Holy Saviour of Chora, now a museum, whose superb mosaics and frescos have been magnificently restored and cleaned by the Byzantine Institute of America. I have been honored to visit Constantinople four times and receive the blessings of three patriarchs; Athenagoras and Dimitrios, of blessed memory, and His All Holiness Bartholomew. Through the eyes and ears of those priests making their first visit to Constantinople, I relived our first pilgrimage during Holy Week of 1959. At the time, my husband and several other graduates of Holy Cross were pursuing graduate studies at the University of Athens School of Theology, and I was editing the Athens Daily Post. We traveled on the Orient Express from Alexandroupolis to Constantinople, our first sighting of those Turkish lands we had heard of all of our lives. We arrived in Constantinople,settled in a small hotel in the Phanar, and with awe and trepidation went to the Patriarchate. Warmly welcomed by the Deacons and hierarchs,we worshipped the Holy Week. We stood and prayed,silently, in Aghia Sophia,then a mosque, that she would one day be returned. We celebrated a glorious First Anastasi at Halki with the students and faculty, and stood entranced with the glorious presence of His All Holiness Athenagoras as he showered flower petals upon us. When will that day come again for Halki? That evening, at the humble Patriarchal Catheral of St.George we celebrated the Resurrection with our beloved Patriarch and, as we came forward to receive our red egg we were engulfed in his arms, his children from America. These are the same emotions I felt emanating from our outstanding group of clergy during this pilgrimage. Indescribable in its depth, only an occasional tear and deep silence, recalling what must have been. Then, the most unforgettable and unbelievable moment of all. I thought I must have been dreaming. We were wandering through Aghia Sophia, seemingly just another group of holiday tourists, staring up at the wondrous mosaics of the Theotokos and Jesus Christ when, suddenly, softly but strongly, it began, as if with one voice:
"Ti Ipermaxo", [ Orthodox Observer - Vol. 62, No. 1127 - April 20, 1997 - pp. 1, 4 ]
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