Friday, August 31, 2018

Bulletin:Ecumenical Patriarch Tells Patriarch Kirill Autocephaly for Ukraine Is Our Decision to Make

According to a number of sources,on 31 August 2018,His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia met with Ecumencial Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople for two and a half hours in a brotherly spirit at the Phanar,the Patriarchal enclave in Istanbul.Accompanied only by a translator and His Eminence Metropolitan Ilarion of Volokolamsk,Chairman of the Department of External Church Relations,he spoke privately with Patriarch Bartholomew and His Eminence Metropolitan Emmanuel of France.
In the course of the meeting,Patriarch Kirill suggested holding a scientific conference to reveal the sources of the Ecumenical Patriarchate's decision to grant autocephaly to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.He also suggested a dialogue on the topic.
Patriarch Bartholomew stood firm:
Thank you,but the decision on autocephaly was the Ecumenical Patriarchate's to make and they are moving forward with it.
In the event,the small delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church left immediately after the talks,foregoing a dinner invitation.They made no statement.*
Metropolitan Emmanuel of France reportedly said that the decision was made in April.The same process is underway for other cases.The Synaxis of Hierarchs of the Ecumenical Throne meets from 1-3 September,but lacks the authority to implement the decision.Only the Holy and Sacred Synod can implement it,and their next meeting is in October.*
Patriarch Kirill got to greet several of the Ecumenical Patriarchate hierarchs who had arrived for the Synaxis,including His Eminence Metropolitan Evangelos of New Jersey and His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios of America.

Wednesday, August 29, 2018

New Metropolitan,Auxiliary Bishop Named in Constantinople - updated

The Holy and Sacred Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople elected His Grace Bishop Theodoritos of Nazianzos as Metropolitan of Laodicea,Turkey on 29 August 2018.At the same time,it also elected the Very Rev. Archimandrite Paisios Larentzakis as an Auxiliary Bishop of the Holy Metropolis of Austria with the title Apameia.He will serve under the leadership of His Eminence Metropolitan Arsenios of Austria.*
Born in 1948,Bishop Theodoritos (Polyzogopoulos) is a native of Athens.He received B.A. degrees in Theology (1972) and Philosophy (1976) from the University of Athens and a Ph.D. in Philosophy from the University of Manchester (1979).*
On 9 September 1972,His Grace was ordained to the diaconate in Athens;on 17 September of that year,to the holy priesthood in London;and,on 18 March 2000,he was consecrated to the episcopacy at the Church of St.George in Constantinople.
Bishop Theodoritos served mainly in the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Thyateira and Great Britain (Ecumenical Patriarchate) at Cambridge;Manchester;St.Nicholas Shepherd's Bush,London;and also at St.Paraskevi,Athens.
In addition,His Grace taught Ancient Greek Philosophy;Theology;and Christian Ethics at Athens College,a  coed private preparatory school in the Athens suburb of Psychiko,Greece. *
Archimandrite Paisios has been serving as Protosynkellos (Chancellor) of the Metropolis of Austria.As Bishop of Apameia,he will be assigned to Budapest,Hungary.Hungary is donating real estate to the Ecumenical Patriarchate and being generally cordial to the Orthodox Church.

Wednesday, August 22, 2018

Patriarch Bartholomew Departs for Asia Minor Service

His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew has departed from Imbros,Turkey (Gokceada) for the Cyzicos,Asia Minor area of Turkey,where he will celebrate the Divine Liturgy of the Leave-taking of the Dormition of the Theotokos on 23 August 2018.The service will be held in the ruins of the historic nineteenth century Holy Monastery of the Panagia Faneromeni icon,14 kilometers NE of Artaki (Erdek,Turkey).The icon is traditionally held to have been painted by the Apostle and Evangelist Luke.*
Artaki itself is 10 kilometers NW of the ancient city of Cyzicos,which was destroyed by an earthquake in 1063.At that time,Artaki became the see of the Diocese of Cyzicos.The Bishop of Cyzicos had the title "Supreme Exarch of All the Hellespont" and the diocese was fifth in rank of the dioceses of the Ecumenical Throne.In 1905,it was elevated to fourth in rank.*
This will be the fourth time the Turkish authorities have permitted the Divine Liturgy to be celebrated at Panagia Faneromeni.Concelebrating with Patriarch Bartholomew will be His Eminence Metropolitan Chrysostomos of Chalkida,Greece and His Eminence Metropolitan Meletios of Kathagenis (Patriarchate of Alexandria).

Wednesday, August 8, 2018

Constantinople Update:Patriarch Kirill to Visit Ecumenical Patriarchate - plus the Synaxis of the Hierarchs of the Ecumenical Throne

The Chief Secretary of the Holy and Sacred Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate has issued a communique informing us that,on 31 August 2018,His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia,in accordance with his own wishes,will visit the Ecumenical Patriarchate with his entourage to discuss matters of mutual interest.The meetings with His All-Holiness Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople and the competent bodies will be conducted with a view to unity.*
Following Patriarch Kirill's visit,the Synaxis of the Hierarchs of the Ecumenical Throne,led by Patriarch Bartholomew,will commence.In another communique,the Chief Secretary says that,before the start of the Synaxis,the hierarchs will worship together on 1 September,the Ecclesiastical New Year of the Orthodox Church,invoking the grace of God for a blessing on the Holy Church and for the peace of the whole world,through the prayers of the Panagia Pammakaristos,referring to the Byzantine mosaic icon of the Most Holy Theotokos that survived the Ottoman onslaught of the fifteenth century and beyond,and is today enshrined in the Patriarchal Church of St.George in the Phanar,the Patriarchal complex in Istanbul.1 September is also the feast day of this icon.
The purpose of the Synaxis,which will run from 1-3 September,is to exchange views on ecclesiastical topics and enhance the bonds with the Mother Church,the communique explains.

Wednesday, August 1, 2018

Patriarch Bartholomew Summons Hierarchs of the Ecumenical Throne for Synaxis

The Hierarchs of the Ecumenical Throne have been called into session (Synaxis) by His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople,the Ecumenical Patriarchate announced in a press release.The Patriarchate's bishops from around the world will gather in Constantinople from 1-3 September 2018,in accordance with the decision to have a full meeting every three years.The last such assembly was held in September 2015.*
The hierarchs will discuss topics relating to the Mother Church,as well as current affairs in the wider Orthodox world.The last Synaxis was attended by some 140 bishops meeting in the Hagia Triados,the Church of the Holy Trinity on Taksim Square,Istanbul.The nineteenth century church in memorable Byzantine Revival architecture is still in parish use today.*
Analysis:Gathering under this church's single dome and two bell towers,the hierarchs of the Great Church of Christ will recharge their ministry together,having assembled from as far afield as the Ukrainian Orthodox Churches of the USA and Canada,the Orthodox Church of Finland and the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Thyateira and Great Britain.