With the Gold Medal of Value of the City of Athens, which is the highest distinction of the Greek capital, His Holiness, Pope Francis, was honored by the Mayor of Athens, Costas Bakogiannis, after a decision of the Municipal Council and in recognition of the work, the social contribution and the deep sensitivity of the Primate of the Roman Catholic Church.
The awarding of the Medal to the Pope took place on Sunday afternoon, immediately after the end of the scheduled divine service at the Athens Concert Hall, in a simple ceremony.
Pope Francis, as an exception to the rules, accepted this honorary distinction on the part of the city of Athens, recognizing in practice the timeless importance of the Greek capital.
A few hours earlier, the Pope had described Athens as a place that is “a gift, a legacy of humanity on which the foundations of the West were built.”
The Mayor of Athens conveyed to the head of the Roman Catholic Church the deep respect of him, as well as the representatives of the Municipal Council and thanked him for his contribution to the Man, whom he always puts in the center with his words and possible actions.
“The presence of Pope Francis is a great honor for Athens. His deep sensitivity, his compassion, his spiritual radiance and his multifaceted work are world-renowned. We award him the Gold Medal of the city as a minimum example of respect for his enormous contribution to the persecuted man, for his contribution to the dialogue of the Christian world, for his support so that Hagia Sophia remains a symbol of religious worship and an ecumenical monument of world heritage. Costas Bakogiannis underlined “Athens today is the one that is experiencing the consequences of the triple crisis: it has withstood the waves of refugees, it is living the outbreaks of the health crisis, it is already accepting the consequences of the climate. All these dimensions aggravate the pre-existing economic inequalities, for the alleviation of which we are on the same side of history, starting from our common apostolic roots, modern connecting link our common anxieties, guided by man as tradition and philosophy dictate. us since antiquity “
** The parchment that accompanies the medal states:
The Municipal Council of Athens, with its number / deed, awarded His Holiness Pope Francis, the Gold Medal of the city of Athens, as a sign of deep respect for his personality and his world prestige as a religious leader.
Recognizing his practical love and devotion to the absolute value of the human condition. His constant effort to alleviate the problems of our suffering fellow human beings and to defend human rights, promoting the values and principles of the Christian spirit, to achieve social justice and reconciliation between nations.
