On the occasion of the VI. International Ecumenical Concert of Sacral Songs, held on Sunday, May 16, 2010, in the State Theatre, Mayor of Košice, František Knapík, received a precious visitor to the city, His Beatitude Despotis Gregory III, Greek Catholic Melkite Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, Alexandria and Jerusalem, in the premises of the Historical Town Hall. The meeting was also attended by the Most Reverend Despotis Ján Babjak, Greek Catholic Archbishop and Metropolitan in Slovakia, Rudolf Schuster, Former President of the Slovak Republic, and Hassan Hanafy Mahmoud El-Laithy, Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of the Egyptian Arabic Republic to Slovakia.
His Beatitude Gregory III appreciated the fact that the event, the message of which is cooperation and coming together of various churches, is taking place in Košice. He was delighted to find out that the songs of the church he represents shall also be heard at the concert. “Songs have a special capacity to stay in the mind, and in times when faith is weak the songs come to mind and strengthen us“, said the Patriarch Gregory III. who visited Košice for the first time.
During discussion Mayor Knapík emphasized that our city has been known as a city of tolerance and cooperation and that one of the ways to create space for ecumenical cooperation is through events attended by various churches. After the meeting the guests along with the Mayor left for the State Theatre to attend the VI. International Ecumenical Concert of Sacral Songs organized by NAPS (organization Our Activities for Slovakia).
