A Greek delegation visiting New York met Greek American community leaders and senior Orthodox Church officials on Sunday, 18 October, to strengthen ties with the diaspora and explore new opportunities to promote Greek destinations in the US tourism market.
The meetings took place alongside a ceremony at the Holy Trinity Archdiocesan Cathedral in Manhattan, where Archbishop of America Elpidophoros invested 47 new Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate. Choral music, a large congregation and moments of deep emotion marked the ceremony, which held particular significance for the Greek Orthodox community in the United States.
Members of the Greek delegation also took part in readings during the Divine Liturgy. Fani Spanos, regional governor of Central Greece, recited the Lord’s Prayer, while Alexandroupolis Mayor Giannis Zampoukis read the Nicene Creed before the congregation.
The ceremony highlighted the enduring relationship between the Greek diaspora, Greece and the Ecumenical Patriarchate. For the delegation participating in the Tourism Open Days initiative, the visit also provided opportunities to meet Greek American community representatives, strengthen existing connections and explore partnerships to support tourism development in Greece.
As part of these efforts, Zampoukis and Panagiotis Archontis, deputy regional governor for tourism in the Region of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace, met with newly elected Metropolitan of New Jersey Athenagoras, who comes from the Evros region of northeastern Greece.
The participants emphasised the importance of maintaining close contact with the diaspora and exploring ways to increase the visibility of Greek destinations in the American market.
Speaking to the Athens-Macedonian News Agency (AMNA), Metropolitan Athenagoras highlighted opportunities for cooperation in religious and pilgrimage tourism, noting the interest in such travel among people in the United States.
“The ties between the diaspora and Greece, combined with the country’s ecclesiastical tradition and wealth of pilgrimage destinations, can create favourable conditions for initiatives that connect faith and culture with tourism development,” he said.
The Greek delegation also met Archbishop Elpidophoros on the sidelines of the ceremony honouring the new Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate.
Archons are distinguished members of the Greek diaspora who actively support the Ecumenical Patriarchate. Their selection recognises their contributions to the Church and the community, as well as their willingness to devote their time, expertise and financial resources to ecclesiastical work.
Metropolitan Athenagoras explained that the United States has 876 Archons. Their contributions centre on three principles, expressed in the English words treasure, talent and time, which refer to financial support, the use of professional skills and the commitment of personal time.
Archons, metropolitans and the Archbishop of America nominate candidates, while a special committee reviews their applications.
Athenagoras also outlined the financial support mechanisms that fund the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the work of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America. These include the Patriarch Bartholomew Fund and Leadership 100, through which members of the diaspora finance ecclesiastical and educational initiatives.
The Tourism Open Days initiative connects Greek destinations and tourism professionals with representatives of international travel markets. The initiative operates under the auspices of the Greek National Tourism Organisation (GNTO), the Embassy of Greece in Washington and the Consulate General of Greece in New York, with Ethnikos Kyrix serving as a strategic partner.
Participants in the delegation include the Region of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace, the Region of Central Greece, the Municipality of Alexandroupolis, hotel groups, businesses and other tourism organisations.
The New York meetings form part of a broader effort to connect Greek destinations with the diaspora and tourism professionals in the American market, increase Greece’s visibility as a travel destination and develop partnerships that can deliver tangible benefits for the country’s tourism sector.
(Source: AMNA)
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