In this sentence, is changing "迎える" to "迎えられる" for a potential or honorific reason?


Here is part of a document that I am reading:

> 本日は、世界最高の大学のひとつで卒業式を **迎えられる** 皆さんとご一緒できて、とても光栄です。

"everyone who is able to be attending" or  
"everyone who is attending" as an honorific ?




That would undoubtedly be an honorific form, and not potential.

The sentence looks to be part of a speech by a guest at the commencement. If
the 「[迎]{むか}えられる」 part were meant to be a potential form, it simply would not
be polite enough for the occasion and therefore, highly unnatural for the
context.

Notice the 「ご」 in 「ご一緒」, for instance. These public speeches are generally
formed in a very polite and formal style even when the speaker is a few times
older than the graduating students.




That would undoubtedly be an honorific form, and not potential.

The sentence looks to be part of a speech by a guest at the commencement. If
the 「[迎]{むか}えられる」 part were meant to be a potential form, it simply would not
be polite enough for the occasion and therefore, highly unnatural for the
context.

Notice the 「ご」 in 「ご一緒」, for instance. These public speeches are generally
formed in a very polite and formal style even when the speaker is a few times
older than the graduating students.

