World Greek Language Day was celebrated on February 9th, 2026, at the Aula Magna of the Pontifical Oriental Institute in Rome, at an event co-organized by the Apostoliki Diakonia of the Church of Greece and the Pontifical Oriental Institute (Pontificio Istituto Orientale of the Gregorian University), in cooperation with the Embassy of Greece to the Holy See.

Opening remarks were delivered by the Ambassador of Greece to the Holy See, Despina Poulou,  the President of the Pontifical Oriental Institute, Father Sunny Thomas Kokkaravalayil, and the Head of the Office for European and Cultural Programs of the Apostoliki Diakonia, Mr. Aris-Dimitrios Mylonas, who represented the Director of the Apostoliki Diakonia, His Eminence Metropolitan Agathangelos of the Phanar.

The keynote speakers were the renowned Italian neo-Hellenist Professor Cristiano Luciani of the University of Tor Vergata and the President of the Collegium Maximum at the Pontifical Gregorian University (Pontificia Università Gregoriana) in Rome, Padre Giuseppe (Pino) Di Luccio. Both speakers highlighted the timeless value and living presence of the Greek language in European and global civilization.

The event concluded with the performance of hymns by students of the Department of Byzantine Music of the same University, under the direction of Professor Georgios Kamariaris, offering the audience a musical experience of high aesthetic quality.

The coordination of the event was undertaken by Professor Christos Palaskonis, Professor of Modern Greek Language at the Pontifical Oriental Institute.

The event was attended by representatives from the Vatican, members of the academic and diplomatic community, students of the Greek language and Byzantine music, as well as friends of the Greek language and culture.

It is worth noting that this was the first event organized by the Embassy of Greece to the Holy See dedicated to the Greek language, as well as the first collaboration between the Apostoliki Diakonia and the Pontifical Oriental Institute with the Greek Embassy to the Holy See on this subject.