site.btaBulgarian Patriarch Daniil Confers with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew in Thessaloniki

Bulgarian Patriarch Daniil conferred with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew in Thessaloniki on Monday, the Bulgarian Patriarchate said. The sides discussed the age-long spiritual ties between the Patriarchate of Constantinople and Orthodox Bulgarians. An emphasis was laid on the good relations between the Bulgarian Orthodox Church - Bulgarian Patriarchate and the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople and other inter-Orthodox questions.

The two Patriarchs concurred on the great significance of theological education in this day and age.

The head of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church expressed the hope that the Holy Theological School of Halki, which has been closed for 54 years now, will be reopened.

The meeting lasted more than an hour and passed in a spirit of brotherly and cordiality. The two patriarchs exchanged token gifts.

Earlier in the day, Patriarch Daniil conferred with the Dean of the Faculty of Theology with the Aristotle University of Theology, Protopresbyter Prof. Dr Athanasios Gkikas, and with the Head of the School of Theology, Prof. Dr Ilias Evangelou, and the Head of the School of Social Theology and Christian Culture, Prof. Dr Apostolos Kralidis.

At 6:30 p.m. on Monday, Patriarch Daniil will attend the official opening of the Second International Conference marking the 100th anniversary of the founding of the journal Theology. He was invited to participate in the conference by Archbishop Ieronymos II of Athens and All Greece

The Head of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church is accompanied by Metropolitan Seraphim of Nevrokop and Metropolitan Grigorii of Vratsa, according to the Bulgarian Patriarchate.

The first event in the framework of the forum is a photo exhibition of pilgrimage sites, icons and frescoes, arranged at the Thessaloniki Concert Hall, due to open on Monday at 1:00 p.m.

On September 30, Patriarch Daniil will be the first speaker at a conference session on church, science, politics, and technology.