Patriarch Bartholomew permitted Metropolitan Emmanuel of Chalcedon to officiate the Divine Liturgy in the Metropolitan Church of St. Stephen of Paris. The Patriarchal Vicar, Bishop Eirinaios of Rigion, and Bishop Maximos of Melitini attended prayerfully the service, informs orthodoxtimes.

After the end of the Divine Liturgy the Bishop of Rigion made an extensive review of Emmanuel`s 18-year pastoral work as Shepherd of France.

The Ambassador of Greece to France, Aglaia Balta, and the President of the Greek Community of Paris, Seta Theodoridou, delivered speeches.

The Metropolitan then expressed his gratitude to Patriarch and to the Holy Synod of the Church of Constantinople. He thanked everyone for their support during the years during his ministry in the diocese, asked for their prayers for the continuation of his ministry in the Mother Church and urged everyone to continue the work carried out by the Church in France.