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Most Reverend Archbishop Elpidophoros of America,

Reverend Fathers,

Distinguished Archons,

Beloved spiritual children in the Lord,

Χριστός Ἀνέστη! Christ is Risen!

On this radiant Sunday of the Blind Man, having just completed the Divine Liturgy, we wholeheartedly greet you with paternal love and heartfelt joy as you continue your pilgrimage here to our Venerable Center and the Queen of Cities. Truly, this is a moment of profound spiritual consolation—for you have come from across the Atlantic not only to visit the City of Constantine and the sacred places of our faith, but to draw nearer to the living heart of the Orthodox Church, the Mother Church of Constantinople.

Your presence here today, as participants in the Archdiocesan pilgrimage “On the Road to Nicaea,” is a powerful testimony to your devotion and your desire to experience the Church not only as history, but as a living reality. In this sacred journey, under the inspired guidance of our beloved brother, Archbishop Elpidophoros of America, you have followed the footsteps of the Holy Fathers, traversing places where the unity of the faith was first proclaimed and where the Creed that binds us all was first confessed.

We have followed with joy the course of your respective pilgrimages— from the imperial walls and sacred churches of Constantinople to the hallowed landmarks of Nicaea, where in 325 A.D., the Church raised Her collective voice to affirm the divinity of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. On that sacred ground, we learned that you paused to recite the Creed solemnly. This act was not only symbolic—it was a living expression of continuity. You recited with your lips what the Fathers proclaimed with their lives. This is the true meaning of tradition: not the memory of the past, but the presence of the past in the life of today.

We sincerely thank Archbishop Elpidophoros, whose pastoral leadership continues to shape a dynamic and unified Archdiocese, for continuing to organize pilgrimages such as these. His care for the clergy and faithful and his commitment to raising a new generation of leaders—both clergy and laity—is evident in his constant presence among you and his tireless labours to renew and fortify ecclesial life in America. As you can attest to during the days of your visit, you are blessed to have such a shepherd.

Moreover, we are especially moved by the annual presence of the senior seminarians of Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology from Boston, the spiritual and academic hearth of the Archdiocese. Dear students, you are not merely visitors here. You are sons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate. Your pilgrimage is not a tour; it is a return to your roots, a reconnection with the apostolic and conciliar foundations of your calling. May what you have seen and heard during these days deepen your understanding of the Holy Great Church of Christ, expand your love for Her, and inspire a lifetime of service offered in humility and truth.

Beloved in the Lord, 

It brings us great encouragement to see your faces, to pray with you, and to feel your devotion. In your presence, we see the future—not a distant or uncertain one, but a future already unfolding, rooted in the past yet full of promise. The Mother Church embraces you, blesses you, and prays for you unceasingly. Carry with you the fragrance of these holy places. Let it shape your daily lives in your ministry, your careers, your studies, your families, your communities.

And finally, we share with you our fervent hope that, if God so wills, we may see many of you again in September, in New York City, during our anticipated Patriarchal Visit to the United States. Until then, may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God the Father, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.