U.S. State Department's Michael Rigas Visits Mount Athos Ahead of Energy Conference
Greek-American official with Orthodox roots spends 24 hours on the Holy Mountain before joining Ambassador Guilfoyle in Athens.
KARYES — Greek-American Michael Rigas, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources, spent 24 hours in the monastic community of Mount Athos this week ahead of the U.S.–Greece Energy Conference scheduled for Thursday and Friday at Athens’ Zappeion Hall.
Rigas, whose father hails from Aigio and mother from Sparta, organized the trip just two days before through the Greek consulate in Thessaloniki. According to the Greek Reporter, this marked his third visit to the Holy Mountain. Arriving from Ouranoupoli on Tuesday, he met with Mount Athos administrator Alkiviadis Stefanis, venerated the revered icon of Axion Estin at the Church of Protaton, and visited the monasteries of Xenophontos and Simonopetra, where he spent the night.
Rigas returned to Athens on Wednesday to attend the first reception hosted by newly appointed U.S. Ambassador Kimberly Guilfoyle — whom he had personally sworn in at the State Department prior to her departure for Greece.
Previously, UOJ reported that Guilfoyle had expressed her desire to learn more about Greek Orthodoxy.
