“I am very glad that I had the honor to come to Imbros to have you here to litanize the Epitaph,” said Mr. Dendias during a meeting with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew in Imbros, where he will take part in the Lamentable Epitaph and the procession with the epitaph to the Holy Church of Agridian Evangelistria, which will be led by Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew.

“I express the feelings of, I think, the entire Greek people, being here today. A sense of solidarity with our compatriots who are here in Imbros and Tenedos.”

Referring to Greek-Turkish relations, the Minister of Foreign Affairs noted that “the Greek people are guided by feelings of friendship towards the Turkish people, and this was demonstrated by feelings expressed without any encouragement when the tragedy of earthquakes experienced the Turkish society.”

“Greek society has been and will be in solidarity with our compatriots, regardless of geopolitical issues, regardless of anything else. And I believe that immediately after the elections in both countries, God will give us the opportunity from the very beginning to see what separates us, and to highlight what is much more important, what can unite us.”

For his part, the Ecumenical Patriarch expressed gratitude to Mr. Dendias for visiting Imbro.

“I express as Imbrian, on behalf of all Imbrians and Tenedians, since we are inseparable and homeopathic, I express on behalf of all our joy, our emotions, as well as our gratitude to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Greece, who, among the many and his heavy duties, he found the opportunity , time and desire to visit our country, even for a few hours, to strengthen the few remaining foreign residents,” he said.

“I take this opportunity to praise his positive attitude towards the Greek-Turkish language. Just the day before yesterday, we heard in his interview to the ERT TV channel how much he is interested and cares about the good neighborliness of the Greeks and Turks.”

The Minister of Foreign Affairs will travel to the village of Agridia, where he will take part in a funeral service and a procession with an epitaph to the Holy Church of the Agridian Evangelistria, which will be led by Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew.

The Ecumenical Patriarch travels to Imbro’s homeland during the Easter holiday once every 10 years.

Finally, Mr. Dendias will sit down to lunch with the Ecumenical Patriarch and Metropolitan of Imbros and Tenedos, according to a related statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

^{Source: APE-MEB}