Late in the evening of Friday, June 6, 2025, His All-Holiness the Ecumenical Patriarch returned with his entourage from Munich, Germany, where he had travelled the previous day, as previously announced, to receive two awards jointly conferred upon him by the Catholic Academy of Bavaria and the Benedictine Abbey of Niederaltaich, in recognition of his contribution to the cause of Ecumenical Dialogue.
Upon His arrival on Thursday afternoon, His All-Holiness was warmly received at the airport by His Eminence Metropolitan Augoustinos of Germany, accompanied by Their Grace the Assistant Bishops, the Honourable Mr. Konstantinos Kodelas, Consul General of Greece in Munich, the Honourable Mr. Murat Kemaloğlu, Consul of Turkey, and a representative of the Bavarian State Government.
Following his installation at the Bayerischer Hof Hotel, the Patriarch received His Grace Bishop Bertram Meier of Augsburg (Roman Catholic), and subsequently paid a fraternal visit to His Eminence Cardinal Reinhard Marx, Archbishop of Munich and Freising. Afterwards, the Patriarch offered prayers at the Church of the Saviour (Salvatorkirche), where he had served during his student years at the University of Munich. There, he was received by a multitude of Orthodox faithful, to whom he addressed words of spiritual exhortation following the greeting of the local hierarch.
That evening, the Holy Metropolis of Germany hosted an official dinner in honour of His All-Holiness, attended also by His Excellency Mr. Alexandros Papaioannou, Ambassador of Greece to Germany, who travelled from Berlin for the occasion.
On Friday morning, His All-Holiness proceeded with his honourable entourage to the headquarters of the Catholic Academy of Bavaria for the formal award ceremony. Prior to the commencement of the event, the Patriarch held a private meeting at the Academy with The Honourable Mr. Manfred Weber, President of the European People’s Party (EPP), who welcomed him with honour at the entrance. His Eminence Metropolitan Augoustinos of Germany was also present at the meeting.
During the solemn ceremony that followed, addresses were delivered in turn by the heads of the two institutions conferring the awards — Dr. Achim Budde, Director of the Academy, and the Very Reverend Dr. Marianus Bieber, Abbot of the Abbey of Niederaltaich — as well as by Dr. Florian Herrmann, Bavarian State Minister for Federal Affairs and Media, and the Evangelical Bishop Professor Heinrich Bedford-Strohm, President of the Central Committee of the World Council of Churches, who also delivered the Laudatio in honour of the awardee. All speakers paid warm tribute to the personality and ministry of the Patriarch. His All-Holiness then delivered his formal address in the German language, receiving prolonged applause. The ceremony concluded with a heartfelt speech by His Eminence Cardinal Marx, who likewise extolled the honoured Primate of Orthodoxy. A reception followed.
That same evening, His All-Holiness returned by air to Istanbul, accompanied by his entourage: the Very Reverend Grand Ecclesiarch Aetios, Director of the Private Patriarchal Office; the Undersecretary, Reverend Deacon Oikoumenios; and the Honourable Professor Konstantinos Delikostantis, Director of the First Patriarchal Office.
During the absence of His All-Holiness, His Eminence Metropolitan Apostolos of Derkoi, Elder of the Throne, served as His Commissioner.
