Commissioner Kyprianou receives his honor from the Archons. Click here to view more photos from the event.
New York- The Order of Saint Andrew feted European Commissioner Markos Kyprianou at a tribute dinner held at the Carlyle Hotel on March 5, for his widely-known health accomplishments and constant support for the Order’s Religious Freedom initiative on behalf of the Ecumenical Patriarchate. His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios, Exarch of the Ecumenical Patriarch, blessed the gathering and offered inspiring remarks to the distinguished guests present, amongst them were: Ambassador and Mrs. Adamantios Vassilakis, Ambassador Andreas D. Mavroyianni, Consul General of Greece Catherine Boura, and Consul General of Cyprus Martha Mavrommatis.
The youngest son of the former President of Cyprus, Spyros Kyprianou, Commissioner Markos Kyprianou is the European Commissioner for Health and Consumer Protection since May 2004 and coordinator for the European Union Platform on diet, physical activity and health. He is also an active Cypriot politician and has held positions such as Municipal Councillor for the City of Nicosia and Chairman of the House of Representatives for the Nicosia District.
In his speech, National Commander, Dr. Anthony J. Limberakis, thanked the Commissioner for “welcoming the Archons in Brussels and for his stalwart support of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and the religious rights of the Mother Church of Constantinople.”
Commissioner Kyprianou started off by thanking “His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios and the Archons for planning and arranging the distinguished dinner in his honor and for their unswerving commitment to the Orthodox Church and the worldwide Hellenic Community.” Commissioner Kyprianou then promised to do whatever he “can at anytime to further the human and religious rights of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, and to support His All Holiness” with whom he had “an audience in November, just before the visit of Pope Benedict XVI.” He further emphasized, that it is “imperative that the Archons continue to come to Brussels to raise the Religious Freedom issue with the policy makers in Europe that can make a difference for the future of the Greek Orthodox Church in Istanbul.”
The Archbishop, who just returned from a visit to the Phanar, brought the paternal greetings of His All Holiness to the Archons and thanked the National Council for their “leadership and service to the Archdiocese of America and to the Throne of Saint Andrew. “
His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios and Dr. Anthony J. Limberakis, presented a commemorative plaque which noted Commissioner Kyprianou’s “inestimable support of the Ecumenical Patriarchate and in recognition of his distinguished contribution to his fellow man through public service.”
Leading members of the Cypriot-American community, Phil Christopher, Andreas D. Comodromos, Peter Kakoyiannis, Panayiotis Papanicolaou, and Nikos Mouyiaris attended the dinner to join the Archons in honoring their fellow Cypriot, Commissioner Kyprianou.
Concluding the night, Archon John Catsimatidis, Chairman of the Religious Freedom Committee, presented His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios and Commander Limberakis with the framed religious freedom advertisement that appeared in the New York Times with the historic picture of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and Pope Benedict XVI in Istanbul during the Pope’s visit this past November.
Vice Commander, and the host of the dinner, Nicholas J. Bouras was unable to attend the meeting but sent the Commissioner his thanks and congratulated him on his outstanding commitment to the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the Religious Freedom effort.