Greek-American Michael Rigas, the Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources, made an official visit to the monastic community of Mount Athos in Greece.
He is in Greece for the US-Greece Energy Conference (P-TEC), scheduled to take place this Thursday and Friday at the Zappeion Hall in Athens.
Michael Rigas: Greek roots and religious devotion
Rigas has deep familial ties to Greece. His father immigrated to the US in 1948 from Aigio, located in the northern Peloponnese. His mother is from Sparta, in the region of Laconia in the Peloponnese.
According to sources, this was the third time the deeply religious Rigas had visited Mount Athos. The visit was organized just two days prior, when his staff informed the Greek consulate in Thessaloniki of his desire to visit the Holy Mountain.
Rigas arrived at Mount Athos around noon on Tuesday, traveling from Ouranoupoli. He first went to the Administration Building, where he had a friendly discussion with the administrator, Alkiviadis Stefanis. From there, he proceeded to the Church of Protaton, where he venerated the icon of the Axion Esti, one of the most revered icons in Orthodoxy.
Rigas also visited the Holy Monastery of Xenophontos and spent the night at the Monastery of Simonopetra.
Rigas swore in Ambassador Guilfoyle
The Deputy Secretary of State departed for Athens this afternoon. He is expected to attend the first reception hosted by the new US Ambassador, Kimberly Guilfoyle, at the ambassadorial residence tonight.
The event was especially significant, as Ambassador Guilfoyle was sworn in as Ambassador by Michael Rigas himself at the State Department before she departed for Greece.
Related: Trump Nominates Greek American Rigas for State Department Role
See all the latest news from Greece and the world at Greekreporter.com. Contact our newsroom to report an update or send your story, photos and videos. Follow GR on Google News and subscribe here to our daily email!
