On 13 December 2005, Deputy Foreign Minister of Greece, Mr Panagiotis Skandalakis, met with Patriarch Theophilos, the newly enthroned Patriarch of Jerusalem, and discussed problems faced by the Patriarchate.

After the meeting, Mr Skandalakis stated that he was briefed on issues concerning the operation of the Patriarchate, the Holy Sepulchre community, the Patriarchate's relations with Israel, Palestine and Jordan.

The main thought of the Greek state is to assist the Patriarchate of Jerusalem, the lighthouse of Hellenism and the Christian Orthodox Faith in a sensitive region, stressed Mr Skandalakis.

The Patriarch of Jerusalem stated that they discussed issues like the economic state of the Patriarchate and relevant issues such as, its reorganization, the restoration of certain services as well as issues concerning the Holy Sepulchre property in Greece.

He added that they also examined ways to contribute to the smooth operation of the Patriarchate, based on transparency and avoiding new scandals. The situation in the Patriarchate is that of complete paralysis. However, with the help of God and the support of the Greek government things will improve, stated the Patriarch.

from the official website of the Jerusalem Patriarchate http://www.jerusalem-patriarchate.org/intro.asp