the Middle East has historically and culturally been the cradle of the three great monotheistic religions: Christianity Their coexistence has traditionally been based on mutual respect and the promotion of shared values with a central focus on the dignity and sanctity of human life this historical harmony has been overshadowed by violence with religious freedom suffering irreparable harm One cannot help but wonder how the democratic societies of the West—which openly proclaim their commitment to defending democracy—can remain indifferent and silent in the face of the relentless persecution of religious minorities in Syria and other parts of the Middle East Innocent people are being sacrificed on the altar of geopolitical interests and civilians become the new martyrs of our time each day I feel a profound responsibility not to remain silent—and never to remain silent—in the face of any persecution afflicting the Middle East Because what we are witnessing is not merely waves of refugees but the systematic annihilation of entire religious minorities which constitute an integral part of the identity and cultural heritage of this troubled corner of the world we become silent witnesses to this atrocity We see the ancient Christian Patriarchates under threat we see hope fading in the eyes of the youth The Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch as well as Muslim minorities such as the Alevis are in urgent need of our attention and protection There can be no Middle East without the presence of Christians European institutions and international organizations must act without delay The new Islamic regime established in Syria following the overthrow of Assad has fostered an atmosphere of oppression and religious fanaticism fueling ongoing hostilities and systematic persecution The Christian communities that have endured for centuries in these regions now stand on the brink of extinction It is therefore imperative that the international community takes immediate steps to prevent this catastrophe to unequivocally condemn all forms of religious persecution and to work actively toward the restoration of peaceful coexistence and mutual respect among all religious traditions in suffering Syria can never be justified or considered a solution to any problem or challenge the right to life and religious freedom is a fundamental principle not only in the Biblical tradition but also in the Qur’an even though the two traditions differ in the values they uphold the protection and defense of these rights is both urgent and essential The latest wave of persecution against Christians in Syria clearly reveals the fear and insecurity they face daily That is why we must become their mouth and their voice And if we truly believe in the teaching of the Church and the commandments of our Lord let us never forget His words: “If they persecuted me they will also persecute you” (John 15:20) and “Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called sons of God” (Matthew 5,9) * The article was originally published in the newspaper “Kathimerini” On the occasion of the feast of the Church of Saint George the Great Martyr in Knjaževac On the eve of the conclave that will begin on Wednesday to elect a new Pope The annual graduation ceremony of the Patriarchal Toronto Orthodox Theological Academy (PTOTA) was held at the Cultural Centre of.. Archbishop Makarios of Australia will be conferred the title of Honorary Doctor by both the Department of Theology and.. The Vatican announced on Monday that all telephone communication within its territory will be suspended during the upcoming conclave.. Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew delivered the keynote address at the International Scientific Conference “Restarting from Nicaea:.. (function() { window.mc4wp = window.mc4wp || { listeners: [] cb) { window.mc4wp.listeners.push( { event : evt callback: cb } ); } } }})(); © 2023 OrthodoxTimes.com - All rights reserved Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website These cookies do not store any personal information Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew was guided on a tour by Metropolitan Gabriel of Nea Ionia which took place in the presence of several dignitaries Archon Exarch of the Holy Great Church of Christ highlighted key developments in the region the Ecumenical Patriarch visited the construction site of the new Center of the Metropolis of Nea Ionia A particularly moving moment occurred when the Ecumeincal Patriarch was led inside the under-construction church of St where guests gathered to continue the celebration Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew visited the metochion of the Holy Athonite Fathers of the Xenophontos Monastery of Mount Athos in Nea Ionia The Ecumenical Patriarch was welcomed at the entrance of the metochion by Metropolitan Gabriel of Nea Ionia and the Political Administrator of Mount Athos The Ecumenical Patriarch has been in Athens since yesterday to participate in the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the foundation of the Metropolis of Nea Ionia This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev Dr Jerry Pillay met with Archbishop Ieronymos of Athens and All Greece “The visit to the Archbishop was an extremely special experience,” said Pillay. “I was deeply impressed by his commitment to the WCC and its work I shared details on a number of areas of our work and he was absolutely appreciative of the work we are doing.” Pillay said he also had a very meaningful conversation with the minister of Foreign Affairs sharing information about the WCC’s peacemaking initiatives. “The minister is keen to get involved in our roundtable endeavour on Ukraine and Russia,” said Pillay. “Also the minister of Education Religion and Culture showed deep interest in the work of the WCC and will plan to visit us in Geneva to discuss possible collaborations. I am greatly impressed with the support and commitment expressed by both the Greek Orthodox Church and government in the work and life of the WCC.” Archbishop Ieronymos thanked Pillay for his visit and reflected on the painful nature of global divisions Archbishop Ieronymos remarked: “These many and varied divisions are painful There is nothing we can do but work together on the ground We always see a question lingering where things go in people’s communication and the little opportunity we have to be heard It also takes effort not to create divisions The WCC general secretary had a tour lead by Metropolitan of Nea Ionia Gabriel at the construction site of the Ionian center of the Metropolis of Nea Ionia Photo gallery Please fill in this form if you would like to receive news and updates from the WCC by email Ecumenical CentreKyoto BuildingChemin du Pommier 42CH-1218 Le Grand-Saconnex the Church of the Dormition of the Theotokos in Nea Ionia reverberated with the solemn echoes of the Great Hierarchical Vespers in commemoration of the esteemed Hieromartyr Eleftherios cherished as a profound spiritual treasure joined by a multitude of clergy from Nea Ionia’s local Church and various Holy Metropolises One century after the relics’ translation they were placed in a new silver casket (called “larnaka”) the Metropolitan offered a heartfelt prayer for the well-being of the devout donors among the clergy and the faithful of the Holy Metropolis he illuminated the life of Saint Eleftherios an illustrious figure revered as a symbol of Christian liberty He expressed the hope that the venerable relic of the Saint will be safeguarded within the Holy Metropolis an invaluable heirloom for both the parish and the local Church of Nea Ionia The Metropolitan of Nea Ionia celebrated the Divine Liturgy behind closed doors today on the third Sunday of Great Lent (Sunday of the Veneration of the Holy Cross) at the Church of Saint Efstathios in Nea Ionia “We are living in unprecedented times that people will always remember That is why we all must do unprecedented things as well At this time we are all making sacrifices for our beloved ones We are staying home and praying for the doctors and the researchers “The only thing we can do to help is to stay in our homes have to realise that it is very important to protect the lives of others by doing simple things we refused to taste the gift of life given by God and to offer it to others as well We have to realise that we are not only affected by the coronavirus 5.2 million children died in Africa last year Are you aware of the fact that many people lose their lives every day because of our mistakes We refused to give humans what they actually deserve We have to respect the environment that belongs to all of us.” “God tests us in order to make us better The Holy Cross will give us strength and hope to carry on God will not forsake us,” he concluded The Divine Liturgy was presided by Metropolitan Anthimos of Alexandroupolis concelebrating with Bishop Chrysostomos of Evripos and Metropolitan Gabriel of Nea Ionia and Philadelphia Also present at the celebration was the Mayor of Nea Ionia with members of the municipal council of Nea Ionia chairmen and representatives of Asia Minor associations and local cultural associations and a host of pious pilgrims The Divine Word was preached by Metropolitan Anthimos of Alexandroupolis after thanking Metropolitan Gabriel for the noble invitation Eustathius in order to highlight both his martyrdom and the greatness of his faith Metropolitan Gabriel of Nea Ionia sent a message about the war in the Holy Land and especially in Gaza Read the full message of Metropolitan of Nea Ionia below: We have all been watching the bloody war in the Holy Land and especially in Gaza But I do not wish to send a political message I want to call in every direction for the need for a humanitarian corridor to be opened immediately so that aid to the displaced Palestinian civilians can reach their hands Both as an Orthodox Metropolitan and as a human being I cannot turn a blind eye on to the violation of human rights People are dying of hunger and lack of water all of them are people and children of God.” I call on the powerful on earth to think about the crime that is taking place We must stand by them and fight against every injustice On the day of the Feast of Saint and Hieromartyr George of Neopolis Metropolitan Symeon of Fthiotida presided over the Polyarchieratic Co-liturgy with Metropolitans Ieronymos of Kalavryta and Aigialeia Metropolitan Gabriel thanked the two newly-elected Metropolitans and then praised Metropolitan Symeon of Fthiotida Metropolitan Gabriel will preside over the Vespers Service and then the procession of the holy relics of Saint George of Neopolis will take place In Metropolitan Gabriel’s speech to nearly 80 Metropolitans there was a dose of self-criticism on the responsibilities of both Church and state “The demographic problem could become irreversible and is the biggest problem of modern Greece threatening not only our national independence and our territorial integrity but also the future of our nation.” and we must take steps to stop the continuing demographic decline of our nation,” he said The Metropolitan of Nea Ionia and Philadelphia spoke of “a spiritual and moral crisis a crisis of institutions but above all a crisis of hope and vision “It is no use turning a blind eye to this Our spiritual decline has been and is the main cause of the current situation we are experiencing as a people the absence of an overall vision is the central feature of modern Greece no courage and inspiration,” he added and they are related to the lack of spirituality or even spiritual illness of the people “That is the great responsibility of the Church,” he noted the consequences are now evident; we lost contact with the people do not get involved in the Church as much as we would have liked They do not know us because we no longer speak their language We have spoken many times of our canonical rights but not of our canonical responsibilities,” said the Metropolitan a flagship project has started for the Holy Metropolis of Nea Ionia and Philadelphia the city of Nea Ionia and the Greeks of Asia Minor all over the world Metropolitan Gabriel of Nea Ionia and Philadelphia will perform the consecration ceremony on Wednesday Then he will lay the foundation stone for the commencement of the reconstruction work of the “Ionic Center” The “Ionic Center” is a multidimensional point of reference with priority on “green” policies and environment education and recreation of thousands of young people It is worth noting that the green area will cover 70% of the total area of the project Metropolitan Gabriel of Nea Ionia and Philadelphia went to the Church of St where under the sponsorship of the “Sklavenitis” supermarkets and “Apostoli” NGO of the Archdiocese of Athens the Metropolitan distributed “love parcels” which contain food and other essential items That was a substantial help and relief our needy fellow citizens in view of the great feast of Christmas The distribution of parcels was carried out by Metropolitan Gabriel in the presence of the Director-General of “Apostoli” Konstantinos Dimtsas who are former members of Athens College Graduate Association Metropolitan Gabriel of Nea Ionia and Philadelphia and Bishop Symeon of Thespies exchanged wishes in view of the great Easter holiday The General Manager of “APOSTOLI” welcomed Gabriel and Symeon and in his greeting stressed: “Over the years we have done a major work Both Metropolitan Gabriel and Bishop Symeon of Thespies have supported this effort but His Eminence knows very well with how much difficulty Archbishop Ieronymous has raised this project.” Metropolitan Gabriel in his speech conveyed the wishes of Archbishop Ieronymos of Athens and all Greece and gave us the opportunity to create what the whole world of Athens and Greece sees and experiences the fruits of the results of this cooperation Bishop Symeon of Thespies stressed: “On behalf of the clergy of the Archdiocese thank you very much to both the Director of ‘APOSTOLI’ and the Civil Governor of Mount Athos Metropolitan Iakovos of Mexico had the honor of presiding over the Divine Liturgy at the Church of the Annunciation of the Theotokos in Nea Chalcedona This was made possible with the blessing and canonical permission of Metropolitan Gabriel of Nea Ionia Warmly welcomed by both priests and parishioners of the church where he previously served during his tenure within the Holy Metropolis of Nea Ionia Metropolitan Iakovos was praised for his exemplary consistency which left a lasting impact on the community The Divine Liturgy was attended by various dignitaries including the Mayor of Nea Philadelphia – Nea Chalkidona alongside members of the Municipality’s Board and numerous believers Alexandros Notas extended a warm welcome on behalf of Metropolitan Gabriel Metropolitan Iakovos expressed his gratitude to Metropolitan Gabriel for the blessing and reflected on the spiritual connections and experiences of love he had developed with the parishioners over the years He bid farewell to them before embarking on his new pastoral responsibilities in the Holy Metropolis of Mexico Metropolitan Iakovos distributed the antidoron and received wishes from the faithful expressing his gratitude to all who had gathered Article translated by: Konstantinos Menyktas Metropolitan Gabriel spoke of the life and the personality of Protomartyr Stefanos: “Martyrdom is of no value unless faith in God is profound remains steadfast and stands out from the others.” Father Dimitrios was ordained to Protopresbyter by Metropolitan Gabriel following the recommendation of the Chief of the Church we return to normalcy with God’s help.” The Church is now adapting as much as possible in order to protect public health and people’s health We will adopt and follow all the necessary measures based on the instructions of the National Public Health Organization (EODY) so that our faithful can adapt to the churches,” stressed the Metropolitan “the Church cooperated with the Greek State The Metropolitan also said that one of the measures to be taken in the churches provided that more services would be held so that on Sunday the faithful could be divided into smaller groups Metropolitan Gabriel pointed out: “The Church always calls on people to come and receive the Body and Blood of our Lord It is not peremptory for every believer who will be at the church Whoever believes will receive the Holy Communion whoever does not believe and has any doubt it is good that this faithful should not receive it Church exerts no pressure on nobody.” Metropolitan Makarios presided over the Divine Liturgy which was concelebrated by Metropolitan Gabriel of Nea Ionia and Filadelfeia Metropolitan Gabriel addressed Metropolitan Makarios and praised him for his gifted personality and his devotion to the Church over all those years Metropolitan Makarios thanked Metropolitan Gabriel for his kind words He also thanked the priests and the devout faithful for attending the Divine Liturgy and their wishes on his name day the Metropolitan wished the new mayor much success Giannis Vouros expressed his deep respect for Metropolitan Gabriel and assured him that their cooperation would be close and constructive The next meeting will be held next week so that the two sides will discuss all the issues related to the municipality and the Holy Metropolis Metropolitan Gabriel and the former Metropolitan of Canterbury | Photo credit: Holy Metropolis of Nea Ionia which took place in the presence of priests of the Holy Metropolis Gabriel initially briefed Archbishop of Canterbury on the history of the refugee Holy Metropolis and then they discussed about pastoral issues concerning the broad social and charity work of the Holy Metropolis as well as issues of common religious interest The former Archbishop of Canterbury pointed out the great offer of the Church of Greece during the economic and refugee crisis in our homeland exposing its difficult role to the great problems of the people over the years and praised Metropolitan Gabriel for the important charity work which takes place in the Holy Metropolis of Nea Ionia and Philadelphia Former Archbishop Williams thanked Gabriel for his love and his great hospitality stressing that the work of a clergyman is not accomplished only within the temple since we all draw strength from our faith in God Metropolitan Gabriel donated tothe former Archbishop of Canterbury The saint reformed the church life of the Romanian Orthodox Church and made a very important contribution towards the preservation of Romanian’s Orthodox Faith Metropolitan Gabriel of Nea Ionia and Philadelphia and Archimandrite Elder Petros Abbot of the Dionysiou Monastery of Mount Athos were invited to participate in the liturgies presided over the Archieratic Concelebration of the Divine Liturgy in the central square of Târgovişte on August 11 which was attended by thousands of believers including the prime minister of Romania and members of the government The Metropolitan of Smyrna spoke to the faithful about the legacy of Saint Niphon and conveyed the wishes of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew Metropolitan Bartholomew spoke to the professors of the School of Theology and the Orthodox Seminary of Târgovişte about the role of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in the Orthodox Church Metropolitan Gabriel of Nea Ionia and Philadelphia performed the Great Vespers service for the Feast of the Zoodochos Pigi in the Nea Philadelphia Park the Metropolitan Gabriel performed the Matins service and then celebrated the Great Divine Liturgy at the Church of Zoodochos Pigi in Kalogreza accompanied by the Prior of Esphigmenou monastery Elder Bartholomew In his speech he referred to the significance of the feast which celebrates the living reality that the Holy Theotokos is the Life-giving Spring while pointing out Her miraculous and salvific interventions in our life Derived from the Greek word meaning “to scatter seeds far and wide,” it has long referred to Greek communities spread across the globe With an estimated 3 to 7 million Greeks living in diaspora communities worldwide and a population in Greece itself of around 10 million the diaspora represents a significant portion of the global Greek community there are around 7 million Koreans in diaspora the diaspora ratio for Greeks is five times higher than for Koreans While many young people in both Korea and Greece still aspire to venture abroad both countries are increasingly prioritizing policies for foreigners coming into the country As one of the EU countries most affected by refugee influx Greece sees about 60,000 refugees arriving each year I had the first interview here in Greece with the Migratory Bird a magazine made by young refugees recently declining birth rates and youth emigration have made it essential to manage the inflow of foreign labor while helping these individuals integrate into society Korea plans to hire approximately 160,000 foreign workers a dramatic increase of over 30% in new labor hires an estimated 30,000 refugees enter annually I grew up in Seoul’s Haebangchon neighborhood which emerged after Korea’s 1945 independence from Japan when people from North Korea moved south and initially settled there residents progressed from tents to more permanent houses and eventually small textile workshops emerged transforming the area into a hub for home-based textile production these impoverished neighborhoods were located on steep hillsides Haebangchon has become a trendy area with renovated homes attracting both young people and foreigners a town established by Greek refugees from Asia Minor in 1923 This community also found its roots in textile work commemorates their journey and can be seen at the town’s entrance capturing the struggle of those displaced from their homeland who were seen as neither Turkish nor fully Greek the people of Nea Ionia welcomed these new diasporas over 30% of the city’s residents are individuals who have settled in Greece As the Greek diaspora nestled down in various countries Greek communities like Nea Ionia embrace migratory birds from other countries Both Korea and Greece face serious population declines raising questions about how best to support population growth Issues like labor immigration and refugee acceptance remain sensitive for citizens showing the power of embracing diaspora communities Ju-seong Lim is the Republic of Korea’s ambassador to Greece Enter your information below to receive our weekly newsletters with the latest insights opinion pieces and current events straight to your inbox Metropolitan Gabriel of Nea Ionia and Philadelphia welcomed at the porch of the Metropolitan Church the relic of Saint Lavrentios of Salamis which was brought by Metropolitan Konstantinos of Megara and Salamis Metropolitan Konstantinos officiated at the Matins and then presided at the festal Archieratic Divine Liturgy Metropolitan Gabriel welcomed Metropolitan Konstantinos of Megara at the Metropolis of Nea Ionia expressing both his respect for him and his gratitude for accepting the invitation to bring  the Holy Relic of Saint Lavrentios and to preside over the festal Divine Liturgy Metropolitan Konstantinos of Megara and Salamis referred to the life of the Holy Unmercenaries and the history of the Holy Relic of Saint Lavrentios The Museum of Refugee Hellenism was inaugurated at the stadium of AEK Athens in Nea Philadelphia in a climate of emotion During the inauguration of the Museum of Refugee Hellenism who envisioned this museum stressed that in these difficult times with two ongoing wars in Europe and the Middle East “it is a great consolation to inaugurate the Museum of Refugee Hellenism a museum containing priceless relics from Constantinople will symbolise centuries of history to future generations.” “What you see here is a tribute to the greatness of the hundreds of thousands of Asia Minor and Pontian people who now live in Greece They are testimonies of life and dreams; they are the blossoms of joy for all those people who left their unruly and untamed homelands and created the epic of the new Greece I find it very touching that dozens of anonymous people come every day and leave a piece that is their talisman which they hold tightly in their hearts.” “It is obvious that there is a connecting link in these pages of history and that is the glorious orthodoxy,” Melissanidis remarked “Because orthodoxy is wealth and the root of immortality it inspired those who fought to free the homeland and those of us who never want to forget them I am delighted by the fact of your presence here today; it gives me the redemptive feeling that I you will take a walk in this museum; it is a walk in the history of Greece argued that “This initiative is worthy of admiration because it comes to be deposited in the living memory of all of us The historical years are being revived here today in AEK’s stadium we are recording an important day of historical memory This museum does not belong to AEK; it belongs to all Hellenism And it holds in the memory of all what should never be forgotten.” also commented saying that AEK’s arena “is not just a stadium; it is a place of culture The time is approaching when we will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the foundation of AEK The Athletic Union of Constantinople will always remain but an idea that will have the power to pass on these values that it carries within itself and that refugee Hellenism carries throughout time.” A bank branch in the Nea Ionia district in northern Athens received a call from an unknown individual on Tuesday who said that a bomb had been placed in the premises The call was answered by the bank director at 10.40 a.m Police officers are also checking vehicles and have cut traffic on Iraklion Avenue from its intersection with 28th October Street Metropolitan Makarios of Anea (Ecumenical Patriarchate) along with Metropolitan Gabriel of Nea Ionia and Philadelphia and Nisoi celebrated the Divine Liturgy on Sunday of St.Thomas Gabriel of Nea Ionia preached the Word of God motivated by the Gospel Passage the Protosyncellus of the Metropolis of Nea Ionia Archimandrite Epiphanius Arvanitis and the Abbot of the Holy Monastery of Panagia Hozoviotissa in Amorgos Archimandrite Spyridon Denakas also celebrated the Divine Liturgy Metropolitan Gabriel of Nea Ionia and Philadelphia presided over the Divine Liturgy accompanied by Metropolitan Epiphanios of Thera and Protosyncellus of the Archdiocese of Athens The Divine Word was proclaimed by Metropolitan Gabriel of Nea Ionia who referred to the life and martyrdom of Saint Neophytus as well as the virtues every Christian must have in order to spread the Gospel in the modern world Metropolitan Epiphanios warmly welcomed the Archbishop and the Mayor of Amorgos offered an honorary plaque to the Archbishop The Abbot of the Holy Monastery of Panagia Hozoviotissa in Amorgos also offered to Archbishop Ieronymos a replica of the miraculous icon of Virgin Mary of Hozoviotissa following the initiative of the Most Reverend Metropolitan of Messinia Chrysostomos and the Dean of the NKUA’s School of Theology an event took place at the School of Theology in honour of His Holiness the Primate of the Armenian Catholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia were the Most Reverend Metropolitan of Nea Ionia and Chalcedon Gabriel—as the representative of His Beatitude Archbishop of Athens and All Greece Hieronymos II— the Archbishop of the Armenian Church of Greece and faculty members from the two Departments of the School of Theology as did Associate Professor Christos Karagiannis and the Most Reverend Metropolitan of Messinia Chrysostomos The latter also provided a thorough presentation of the honouree’s work It is with great honour that we welcome here today a distinguished personality of global stature I would like to highlight that His Holiness is a leading figure of Christianity in the Middle East and beyond His Holiness has used his work to combat fanaticism and racism wherever they arise and manifest That is why we again appreciate his visit to our University we will never forget His Holiness’ closing remarks in his speech upon receiving his honorary doctorate in 2014 the Middle East will lose its distinct identity as a melting pot of religions The future of Christianity in the Middle East looks secure when all states in the region are built based on pluralism we create societies connected through mutual trust referred to the historical ties between the Church of Armenia and the Christian Orthodox Church and the ongoing Inter-Christian dialogue on Church unity Another parliamentary police officer arrested for domestic violence – Threatened his ex-wife since 2019Yesterday police officers in Agia Paraskevi proceeded with the arrest of another officer of Parliament’s police force for domestic violence According to information from protothema.gr on Saturday when the officer’s ex-wife entered the police department in Nea Ionia and filed a complaint against him for domestic violence and threats The woman stated that the officer started threatening her back in 2019 when he called her and threatened her over the phone A “Panic Button” app was installed on the 35-year-old’s mobile phone When asked if she wished to be transferred to a shelter The officer has been placed on administrative leave and the case file has been forwarded to Parliament According to parliamentary sources regarding this specific case, the Hellenic Police (ELAS) informed Parliament’s Security Service about the complaint against the officer on Saturday and his arrest under the procedure of being caught in the act The officer was off duty (he was scheduled to begin his shift today in the afternoon after the timeframe for being caught in the act had elapsed) which is why the arrest was carried out outside of Parliament by ELAS officers the officer has been removed from Parliament’s security force the two complaints (as the officer and his ex-wife have filed mutual complaints) will be heard in court The same sources note that the officer’s file did not contain any prior disciplinary offenses Follow en.protothema.gr on Google News and be the first to know all the news See all the latest News from Greece and the World, the moment they happen, at en.protothema.gr The amount of 1,000,000 cubic meters per year is estimated to be the water saved for Athenians if Hadrian’s Aqueduct is utilized along its entire length This means—although it may seem utterly inconceivable—that an ancient water project crossing eight municipalities of Athens from Acharnes to Kolonaki and covering a distance of 24 kilometers still has the capacity to transfer 1,000,000 cubic meters of water annually for any use other than drinking wherever there is a connection to Hadrian’s Aqueduct will replace the consumption of drinking water from the EYDAP network aside from saving this precious resource—especially under drought conditions due to the climate crisis—the non-potable water of Hadrian’s Aqueduct contains nutrients beneficial for plant growth potable water is wasted in irrigation as it undergoes cleaning and filtration processes that neutralize trace elements valuable to plants Equally remarkable as the endurance of the ancient Roman aqueduct and its functionality is the fact that it participates in the natural water cycle in the environment: based on its operating principle Hadrian’s Aqueduct “captures” water (a technical term meaning it gathers water from natural cavities and streams encountered—or formerly encountered—along its route) When users draw quantities for their needs ideally replenishing the underground aquifer and thus this type of water cycle is referred to as “circular/green economy practices,” etc as demonstrated by the pilot reactivation of a section of the aqueduct approximately 4.5 kilometers long passing through the lower side of Chalandri Regarding the potential full utilization of the aqueduct’s 24-kilometer length According to this study and corresponding calculations the benefit for the water reserves of the capital across a chain of eight neighborhoods (Acharnes Ampelokipi) would amount to about 1,000,000 cubic meters annually it will be fascinating to see how the Hadrian’s Aqueduct revitalization project will function in practice EYDAP will begin a trial supply of non-potable water to Chalandri residents who expressed interest and connected to the network constructed over the past few months supplementary and parallel to the aqueduct pipeline the plan aimed to serve about 70 consumers the overwhelming response from interested parties tripled the demand compelling EYDAP to further enhance the supplementary infrastructure to ensure the technical smoothness of the non-potable water distribution network in Chalandri Chalandri is pioneering by utilizing an ancient monument not as a tourist attraction green urban development project emphasizing sustainability and community participation in every aspect—from design to promotion and historical documentation Centered around the reactivation of the aqueduct various cultural activities were developed in a broad sense ranging from water management by the local community to redevelopments around EYDAP and aqueduct works Through the Cultural HIDRANT Project and funding from the European Union the Municipality of Chalandri has elevated the revival of Hadrian’s Aqueduct to a global model “Reintegrating Hadrian’s Aqueduct into the daily lives of Chalandri residents for their non-potable water needs is immensely significant which previously ended in the sea without being utilized—from Parnitha to the Dexameni reservoir in Kolonaki (although in practice Hadrian’s Aqueduct is not continuous due to damage in at least three locations)—is now restored.” Now at least Chalandri residents and potentially future residents of the other seven aqueduct municipalities understand that they can contribute to water conservation by using non-potable water for watering trees in their gardens “It is noteworthy that non-potable water networks exist in many cities in Europe—and beyond non-potable water is used by the local municipality for irrigation and cleaning purposes citizens themselves are given the opportunity to use it Chalandri’s example has attracted interest from at least 15 cities across Europe to transfer our expertise and methodology applied to Hadrian’s Aqueduct to locations with existing older non-potable water supply infrastructure will visit Chalandri as part of the first Policy Workshop on managing cultural and natural resources under the European Urban Initiatives program Water distribution to Chalandri residents from Hadrian’s Aqueduct will occur in two ways: directly and indirectly Properties close to the pipelines will connect directly to the designated waterlines Consumers farther away will receive non-potable water from two water tankers acquired by the Municipality of Chalandri for this purpose The distribution will be managed by the Hadrian Chalandri Community essentially a committee comprised of residents in collaboration with a special-purpose cooperative who will deliver water to consumers’ tanks The unexpectedly high demand increased the network’s projected supply from 25,000 to 80,000–90,000 cubic meters annually specifically within Chalandri’s boundaries while redevelopments around the aqueduct route amounted to €5.5 million integrating the project into the appropriate EU program has its own unique history The initial idea for the aqueduct’s reuse had been discussed for years but credit for initiating the necessary steps is owed mainly to a Chalandri municipality official the municipality drafted a proposal to include the aqueduct reactivation project in the Cultural HIDRANT program The Greek proposal was one of 11—out of 222—selected by the EU authority for Urban Innovative Actions which manages resources from the European Regional Development Fund Although Chalandri Municipality assumed overall supervision and responsibility for the program its proposal was co-developed with seven other partners: EYDAP the Mediterranean Institute for Nature and Anthropos (MedINA) the NGO “Ohi Paizoume – Urban Dig,” the Antiquities Authority of East Attica and the Institute of Regional Development of Panteion University with the involvement of two local associations Collaboration also extended to 12 schools across all educational levels in the area The vision of the residents of Chalandri extended beyond the reuse of the Hadrianic Aqueduct aiming to integrate it into as many aspects of daily life as possible as well as into the contemporary urban fabric of the city Giovanopoulos highlights: “This approach differs from the simple showcasing of the Hadrianic Aqueduct as a monument or tourist attraction meant to draw visitors to the city the urban renovations planned and mostly implemented—the largest ever undertaken in Chalandri covering a total area of 21,500 square meters—aim to improve residents’ quality of life through: 1) the creation of new public green spaces 2) the expansion of the green zone and walking paths along the Rematia stream 3) the connection of the Syneikisimos area with the city center through a continuous pedestrian zone and 4) the use of water and green elements to create a microclimate as a contribution to combating the greenhouse effect the historical highlighting of the largely hidden Hadrianic Aqueduct extends beyond its identity as an ancient monument It is approached as a collective heritage asset through documenting its presence in the recent and older life of Chalandri and the relationship of the city’s residents with it.” The Roman emperor Hadrian (117–138 AD) aspired to ensure the luxury of baths for the aristocrats of Athens he commissioned the construction of an aqueduct initiated during his reign but completed by his successor the main artery of the Hadrianic Aqueduct is an underground tunnel carved into natural rock with a height of approximately 1.20–1.60 meters and a width of 50 centimeters The project was executed by digging 465 shafts along the aqueduct’s route each with a maximum diameter of 1.40 meters and depths ranging from 10 to 42 meters The aqueduct’s main axis began at the so-called “inclined gallery” in the area of today’s Olympic Village in the Municipality of Acharnes and ended at the Reservoir located at the eponymous square in Kolonaki The aqueduct’s route was designed to follow the gentlest path in terms of elevation changes It operated primarily by naturally tapping into the groundwater layers of the earth and secondarily by transporting water from specific springs located at the foothills of Mount Parnitha The aqueduct was further supplemented by several adjacent streams along its course it remained functional for several centuries before being abandoned It was reactivated in 1847 following the establishment of the independent Greek state and the relocation of the capital to Athens to address the city’s acute water supply problem successive cleaning and repair works were carried out The Hadrianic Aqueduct served as Athens’ main water supply source until 1931 it remained in auxiliary use until the mid-1970s major infrastructure projects for the Athens Olympic Stadium and other developments caused significant damage to the aqueduct For those looking to experience how traditional meze can evolve with new techniques while respecting traditional flavors This modern tsipouradiko has become a lively hangout both at noon and in the evening Andreas Diakodimitris and Grigoris Helmis left their previous careers to create this gem offering the largest collection of bottled tsipouro and aged spirits alongside mezes that tell a flavorful story Their offerings include house-made seafood cold cuts and appetizers and excellent seafood appetizers.Address: Alonissou 8 this spot has honored seafood meze for over thirty years adorned the place with his marine paintings The restaurant attracts a mixed crowd and offers an air-conditioned space with guaranteed quality and unpretentious care serving well-prepared meze.Address: 23 Efraimidou (Englezonisiou) This all-day venue in an iconic location caters mainly to locals but also welcomes visitors Chef Konstantinos Pantazidis focuses on fish dishes that use Greek ingredients in modern recipes The bar offers a rich cocktail list curated by Groove Bar and Thanasis Kouziokas Enjoy a relaxed atmosphere with a nice view and polite service.Address: Akti NOB Sideways is known as the go-to spot for locals and cozy seating against a white stone backdrop It’s quiet on weekdays but lively on weekends The cuisine blends Italian and modern Greek influences The restaurant boasts an impressive wine list with around 300 labels mainly from Greek vineyards.Address: 8 Kontaratou Located along the rocky coast in the park of Anauros Isalos offers stunning views and sunsets perfect for romantic evenings it serves as a popular meeting point for locals and a consistently full beach during summer Chef Michalis Filos has curated the menu with different options for brunch The venue provides a unique opportunity for sea bathing within the urban area under excellent conditions If you seek tranquility and traditional mezes consider another choice.Address: Plastira 17b First established in 1969 and revived in 2021 by Voliotis cook and “Master Chef” winner Timoleon Diamantis Together with his childhood friend Angelos Argyris they have infused new life into this beloved establishment offering traditional dishes with a contemporary twist stands ready to serve from morning till night Their house tsipouro is good and easy to drink everyone receives the same excellent service as regulars.Address: Magnisias 13 “male-dominated” hangout has over 70 years of history Tsipouro with appetizers is still the tradition The atmosphere is lively with patrons standing around the fridge bar and frequent banter among guests and staff.Address: Hatzhiargyri 3 reputable establishment with some modern touches in its mezes If you want to learn how tsipouro is enjoyed in Volos Their well-crafted dishes include boiled crab as well as modern offerings like cuttlefish ink risotto and grilled monkfish liver frying is minimal while the grill works constantly producing delicious mezes.Address: Kaisareias 15 UPDATE: According to newer information the burglar managed to escape before the arrival of the police A manhunt is underway in the surrounding streets The burglar is believed to be armed and dangerous ——————————————————————————————————– Police Special Forces operation is underway in Nea Ionia According to information a burglar is trapped inside a police officer’s house The same information states that the burglar has taken the policeman’s weapon in his hands The EKAM Police Special Forces Unit unit is rushing to the scene See Also: Nordic Monitor: President Erdogan’s security advisor admits Greece has air superiority in the Aegean