Organized by the Volos Academy for Theological Studies
and the Catholic Academy of Bavaria
An International Conference will be held in Volos on September 27-28, 2016, organized by the Volos Academy for Theological Studies in cooperation with the historic Catholic Academy of Bavaria. In the conference, which is part of an official visit of staff and friends of the Catholic Academy to the city of Volos and their acquaintance with Orthodoxy and Greece, a comparative approach of the relations between Greece and Germany will be provided. The scope of the conference is not limited to a theological topic. It rather intends to touch a wide range of issues, which refer to both the history and cultural relationship between Germans -and particularly the Bavarian people- and Greeks, as well as on key common problems of today. This approach, however, could not be exhaustive, but an ambitious discussion is intended to take place on key issues as well as a strengthening of the relations between the two Academies through a frank dialogue along with their contribution to the work of mutual understanding and reconciliation between Germans and Greeks, Roman Catholics and Orthodox Christians. Distinguished speakers will present their positions, while enough time will be available for a thorough discussion.
The conference will end with a tribute to the Protopresbyter of the Ecumenical Throne Fr. Apostolos Malamoussis for his long service to the local Orthodox Metropolis, and his genuine and ecumenically open witness of Orthodoxy and Hellenism to Germany. Fr. Apostolos Malamoussis was born in 1947 in a small village in Pelion, named Mouressi, near Volos. Since 1972 and for more than 40 years he is a priest of the Holy Metropolis of Germany. He is widely known both in Germany and Greece, due to his consistent commitment to the peaceful coexistence and harmonious cohabitation of people of different ethnic and religious origin and his struggle against racism, xenophobia and terrorism. He participates on behalf of the Orthodox Metropolis in the Supreme Council of Integration in Germany, which has been established by the German Chancellery. One should mention also his contribution to a) the enshrinement of the historic church of the Christ’s Transfiguration (known also as Salvator Kirche) to the Metropolis of Germany and the Ecumenical Patriarchate in 1999, located at the center of the city of Munich; b) the introduction in 2000 of the conduct of the Epitaph on Good Friday at the famous Marienplatz in Munich city center; and c) the blessing of waters at the day of the Epiphany in the Izar river that crosses the city, as well as the adoption in 2005 of the Greek-Bavarian Day of Culture.
Program
Tuesday, September 27
9.45-10.00: Greetings
10.00-11.00: Refugee Crisis and its challenges for the Churches and the European societies
Prelate Bernhard Piendl, Director of the Caritas in Bavaria
Rev. Meletis Meletiadis, Pastor of the Greek Evangelical Church in Volos
11.00-11.30: Break
11.30-13.00: Discussion
13.00: Lunch
15.00-16.00: Mutual Stereotypes
Kostas Koutsourelis, Writer, Director of the journal Neon Planodion
Bernhard Remmers, Director of the Journalist Seminary of the Catholic Church of Germany
16.00-16.30: Break
16.30-18.00: Discussion
18.00: Dinner
19.30-21.00: Economic Crisis and its impact (round table discussion)
Professor Franz-Christoph Zeitler, Former Vice President of Bundesbank and Former General Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Finances of Germany
Alecos Papadopoulos, Former Minister of Finances, Interior Affairs, Public Health of Greece
Moderators:
Dr. Pantelis Kalaitzidis, Director of the Volos Academy for Theological Studies
Florian Schuller, Director of the Catholic Academy of Bavaria
Wednesday, September 28, 2016
10.00-11.00: Greece and Bavaria: Dialogue in Art
Professor Manos Stefanides, National and Capodistrian University of Athens
Professor Thomas Raff, Augsburg University
11.00-11.30: Break
11.30-13.00: Discussion
13.00: Lunch
15.00-16.00: Religion and Church in Greece and Bavaria
Professor Michael Ebertz, Freiburg Catholic Faculty
Professor Vasilios Makrides, Faculty of Philosophy of Erfurt University
16.00-16.30: Break
16.30-18.00: Discussion
18.00: A Tribute to Protopresbyter of the Ecumenical Throne, Fr. Apostolos Malamoussis, who will be awarded by the Metropolitan Ignatius of Demetrias with the Golden Cross Medal of the Metropolis of Demetrias. The praise of the honoured priest will be delivered by Professor Athanasios Vletsis (Faculty of Orthodox Theology, München University).
20.00: Dinner with Greek music and dance program
Media Sponsors: ERA (Hellenic Radio), Volos
Radio Station, Orthodox Witness 104FM
Elliniki Gnomi (Greek Newspaper in Germany)
Admission is free and open to the public. Registration is however required: Please contact the Volos Academy secretariat: info@acadimia.org, giannoutaki@acadimia.org, info.acadimia@gmail.com
For more information please visit: www.acadimia.org,
Facebook: Volos-Academy ForTheological-studies
Twitter: VolosAcademy1
To read the bios of the speakers (in German), please click here.
