On Sunday, June 24, 2012, following the Divine Liturgy presided by Metropolitan Theoliptos of Iconium at the Patriarchal Church of St. George, His All-Holiness was honored with the Diploma of Excellence by the President of the Balkan Environmental Association, Prof. Phokion Vosniakos, for his contribution to the protection of the environment. This distinction has only been awarded to the former President of Romania, the Hon. Ion Iliescu, and the former President of Bulgaria, the Hon. Georgi Parvanov.