The invitation to US President Donald Trump to visit Mount Athos was extended by the administrative manager of the Athos monastic “state” Alkivias Stefanis, he announced in an interview with the radio station Parapolitika 90.1: “I told the US Deputy Secretary of State to convey the official invitation of Mount Athos to President Trump. His eyes widened, but I think he was delighted and said: Of course, I will do it”.
“Considering the relations that President Trump has built with the Orthodox Church through the visit of His Holiness the Ecumenical Patriarch, through the way in which the Patriarch conveyed the message about the Halki Theological School, which Trump immediately forwarded to President Erdogan, as well as through his meeting with Archbishop Elpidophoros, I believe that he understands the importance of Mount Athos. I am convinced that when he visits Greece, he will also want to visit the monastic state”.
Regarding the recent visit of US Deputy Secretary of State Michael Rigas to Mount Athos, Stefanis added: “This is a young man with a vision for the future of the United States. I was very pleased to find that he has a deep love for Mount Athos, for Greece, and for faith. He is a very religious man, this was his third visit to Mount Athos, although the first in his current position. He has a deep knowledge of the life of Mount Athos, and his approach is not just that of a believing pilgrim, but of a civil servant who understands the role of Mount Athos in religious diplomacy, and that was particularly pleasing to me.”
Michael Rigas is of Greek origin. His parents were immigrants who came from the Peloponnese, Greece, as children during the Greek Civil War (1946-1949). His name in Greek is Μιχαήλ Ρήγας (Michael Rigas), also spelled in the Greek media as Mihali Rigas.
