The Taylor Star-friday late post: May 2018

On Thursday 10 May 2018,His Royal Highness Prince Charles and his wife Camilla,Duchess of Cornwall,conducted the second day of their official visit to Greece.Of particular interest were the Greek Orthodox stops on HRH's itinerary.After so many years,as the heir to the British throne put it,the Prince of Wales was finally able to meet with His Beatitude Archbishop Ieronymos II of Athens and All Greece,primate of the Church of Greece.
Archbishop Ieronymos told HRH:
It is known that you love our homeland,respect our Orthodoxy,and this has been proven by your frequent visits to the monasteries of Mt.Athos.We know you are interested in theological research,research on politics,art and history.
To which HRH responded:
As I have already mentioned,I have visited Mt.Athos on various occasions,and many monasteries in Romania.And having done this,I have gained a special appreciation for the traditions of the Orthodox Church.*
The Archbishop presented Prince Charles with an icon of the Virgin Mary,to which HRH responded:
Beautiful.*
After viewing a portrait gallery of the Archbishops of Athens and meeting several Greek Orthodox leaders,the Prince,as is his custom when visiting Orthodox lands,went on to visit two churches,Panagia Kapnikaea and St.Irene's.At Panagia Kapnikaea,Prince Charles made the Orthodox sign of the cross and kissed an icon of the Resurrection of Christ,of special relevance as it is still the Easter season in the Greek Orthodox Church.*
It is said that HRH considers Abbot Ephraim of Vatopedi Monastery on Mt.Athos to be his spiritual father.Indeed,monks of Mt.Athos describe Charles as exhibiting closeness to the Orthodox faith and traditions.And for sure his behaviour is such,that whenever the Prince visits Orthodox lands,the question is raised by the media and public alike,as to whether he isn't secretly an Orthodox Christian.
Consider that,when the Chilandari Monastery on Mt.Athos burned down in 2003,Prince Charles reportedly donated 650,000 pounds sterling to its restoration.Being the son of Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark and the grandson of Prince Andreas of Greece and his wife the devout Princess Aliki,who spent her last years as an Orthodox nun,it shouldn't seem strange to anyone that HRH is so attracted to his ancestral faith.