The Archbishop and the representatives of the Hellenic State
seal the digital era at an event
of the Foundation for Pastoral Education,
at The «Hellenic Cosmos» Cultural Centre

Protopriest Emmanouil Papamikroulis, Secretary of the Synodical Committee on Inter-Orthodox and Inter-Christian Relations, Archimandrite Varnavas Theoharis, Protosyncellus of IAA, Ms. Sofia Kounenaki Efraimoglou, Executive Vice President IME, Archbishop of Athens and all Greece, Mr. Ieronymos II, Mr. Dimitris Efraimoglou, CEO IME, Director of IPE, Archimandrite Theologos Alexandrakis

With the presence of His Beatitude, Archbishop of Athens and all Greece, Mr. Ieronymos II, the event marking the completion of the co-financed Action "Digitization of Sacred Relics of Parish Churches" with MIS 6003375 of the Foundation for Pastoral Education of the IAA, took place with great success and a large turnout of invitees, on Thursday, October 3rd, at The «Hellenic Cosmos» Cultural Centre. This project aimed at the digital recording of the precious ecclesiastical relics of the Holy Archdiocese of Athens and the Monastery of Hosios Loukas, which constitute an important part of our country's cultural and spiritual heritage.

The event was attended by the Most Reverend Metropolitans and the Right Reverend Bishops, members of the Board of Directors of the IPE, Directors of the structures, as well as archpriests and priests of the Holy Archdiocese of Athens. 

Also present were the Minister of Digital Governance, Mr. Dimitris Papastergiou, the Deputy Minister of National Economy and Finance, Mr. Nikolaos Papathanasis, the Deputy Minister of Development, Ms. Zoe Rapti, the General Secretary of the Public Investment Program and National Development Program, Ms. Katerina Oikonomou, the General Secretary of Information Systems and Digital Governance, Mr. Demosthenes Anagnostopoulos, and the Head of the Managing Authority of the Operational Program for Digital Transformation, Mr. Giampouras. Furthermore, the event was honored by the presence of the Rectors of the University of West Attica, Mr. Panagiotis Kaldis, and Harokopio University, Mr. George Dedousis.

Ms. Zoe Rapti, Deputy Minister of Development, Archbishop of Athens and all Greece Ieronymos II, Mr. Nikolaos Papathanasis, Deputy Minister of National Economy and Finance, Mr. Dimitris Papastergiou, Minister of Digital Governance



Ms. Sofia Kounenaki Efraimoglou, Executive Vice President IME

Ms. Sofia Kounenaki Efraimoglou, Executive Vice President of the Foundation of the Hellenic World, happily stated: "The interactive tour is a production that has already stood out and is loved by the public. Our vision is to continue the path that the Foundation of the Hellenic World has paved since the beginning of IME’s founding, so that it remains a point of reference in the present and a source of learning and inspiration for the future. Our collaboration with the Foundation for Pastoral Education has been instrumental in the successful completion of this project, and we hope this effort will be a springboard for future joint actions to preserve our ecclesiastical wealth and cultural heritage."


Director of IPE, Archimandrite, Theologos Alexandrakis

The event was coordinated by the Director of the Foundation, Archimandrite, Theologos Alexandrakis, who thanked all the involved parties for their crucial contribution to the completion of the project, emphasizing the importance of digital preservation for the future of ecclesiastical heritage.

The Minister of Digital Governance, Mr. Dimitris Papastergiou, who played a key role in the implementation of the project, mentioned: "The digitization of ecclesiastical relics is not only a technological achievement but also a bridge for the relics to travel around the world." He also stressed that the IPE project demonstrates the Church's outreach and the proper use of technology with a focus on people.


Ms. Zoe Rapti, Deputy Minister of Development

Subsequently, Ms. Rapti stated: "The completion of this project is a significant innovation for the preservation of ecclesiastical heritage and a clear demonstration of the collaboration between society, the state, and the church." Additionally, the General Secretary of the Public Investment Program and National Development Program, Ms. Katerina Oikonomou, emphasized that this is a targeted action for the preservation of cultural heritage, fully compatible with the new strategic priorities of the operational program.


Archbishop of Athens and all Greece, Mr. Ieronymos II

The event concluded with a greeting from His Beatitude Archbishop Ieronymos, who thanked everyone and urged the hierarchs to open a new field for highlighting their ecclesiastical relics.

Detailed information about the project 

The Action "Digitization of Sacred Relics of Parish Churches" began its implementation during the 2014-2020 Programming Period in the Operational Program "Competitiveness, Entrepreneurship, Innovation," and during the 2021-2027 Programming Period, it was transferred to the Operational Program "Digital Transformation" and co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). 

The scope of the Action focuses on:

A. The Digitization and preservation of the Sacred Relics of the IAA, specifically:

• The digitization and highlighting of the sacred relics of 157 Parish Churches and Monasteries of the Holy Archdiocese of Athens, specifically:
1. 450,000 pages of books and printed materials, historical, rare editions with liturgical use, and other administrative and archival nature documents 
2. 27,000 relics and generally ecclesiastical objects
3. 800 relics with 360° perimeter capture 
4. 184 relics with 3D rendering technique.
• The utilization, highlighting, and preservation of the Digitized Material through the creation of:

1. 1. "Digital Repository of the IAA": The digitized relics of the Parish Churches, adhering to the Personal Data Protection Legislation (GDPR), have been entered into the Digital Repository, for use by their superiors, via personal code, and are securely stored in the Unified Government Cloud (G-Cloud Services). 
   2. "Digital Museum of the IAA" (mouseio.ipe.gr) with documented relics accessible to the general public, allowing everyone and specialized researchers to view, study, and delve into the heritage of our fathers.
   3. A series of hour-long documentaries focusing on the religious and cultural development of the IAA during the last 15-year Archiepiscopal Period.
   4. The Development of 3D Productions for the Holy Monastery of Hosios Loukas in Steiri, Boeotia, specifically:

• The Production of a 45-minute 3D film, hosted at the "Hellenic Cosmos" Virtual Reality Theatre, which provides the public with a unique tour inside the Holy Monastery of Hosios Loukas and the medieval history of Greece, via a truly innovative, enjoyable, and impressive manner. Through 3D representations and reconstructions, through photorealistic imagery, Hosios Loukas, one of the most significant Byzantine monuments in the world, comes to life and presents itself in a unique way for the first time to the public. 
• The production of the first ecclesiastical virtual exhibition, where sacred objects that have been digitized are now presented, up-close, to the public.

Finally, the General Secretary of Information Systems and Digital Governance, Mr. Demosthenes Anagnostopoulos, concluded: "The IPE's projects are milestones for the Church's innovation and prove how ecclesiastical heritage can evolve into a valuable cultural asset through technology." 

Source: ekklisiaonline.gr