Chania, Crete, Greece –  His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios of America visited yesterday, June 22, the USS Harry S. Truman, the largest US Supercarrier of the Nimitz class, which has docked for a few days in Souda Bay Naval Base.

Archbishop Demetrios, who is in Crete participating in the Holy and Great Council of the Orthodox Church, was invited by US Ambassador to Greece David Pearce to attend a reception aboard the ship, and at the same time represented His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew.

Upon his arrival, His Eminence was graciously greeted and received by the ship’s Chaplain Commander Fr. Brian K. Waite. He then met and toured the ship with Ambassador David Pearce and the ship’s Commanding Officer Capt. Ryan B. Scholl. The Archbishop also had the opportunity to meet with US Admiral Michelle J. Howard, who concurrently serves as the commander of U.S. Naval Forces Europe, commander of U.S. Naval Forces Africa and commander of Allied Joint Force Command in Naples.

His Eminence conveyed to all the greetings and patriarchal blessings of His All-Holiness and spoke about the work and the importance of the Holy and Great Council taking place in Crete June 16-26.

While on the ship, Archbishop Demetrios had the opportunity to meet and greet many other American and Greek dignitaries and officials and among them, Metropolitan Damaskinos of Chania, the Minister of Defense of Greece Panos Kammenos,  the Chief of the Hellenic Defense National Staff Admiral Evangelos Apostolakis and the Chief of the Hellenic Navy General Staff Vice Admiral Georgios Giakoumakis, both Cretans.

Photos: https://flic.kr/s/aHskCW29pa

Photos from Holy and Great Council: https://www.flickr.com/photos/goarch/albums