Bulletin:Patriarch Bartholomew Tests Positive for Covid

On 24 December 2021,His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew,81,tested positive for the COVID-19 virus.He was hospitalised in the Constantinople Central Hospital.The patriarch received several well wishes for a speedy recovery from the likes of Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis;Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan;His Beatitude Archbishop Anastasios of Albania;and His Beatitude Metropolitan Epifaniy of Kiyiv and All Ukraine.* In consequence of his diagnosis,Patriarch Bartholomew could not serve the Christmas Day Divine Liturgy at the Patriarchal Church of St.George.Instead,His Eminence Metropolitan Emmanuel of Chalcedon presided at the service.* This blog offers up prayers to the newborn saviour of the world for the health of His All-Holiness,a prelate of international renown,influence and admiration.

Extraordinary Session: Patriarch Bartholomew to Switzerland

On 21 June 2020,His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew will fly to Geneva, Switzerland for an Extraordinary Session of the Holy and Sacred Synod of the Patriarchate of Constantinople.The session will be held at the Orthodox Centre of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Chambesy, Geneva.It will run from 23-26 June.
The agenda for the first day will be centered on the pastoral needs in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.All the Metropolitans of Europe will attend,in addition to the standing members of the Synod.*
Founded in June 1966, the Orthodox Centre is compromised of the Institute for Postgraduate Studies in Orthodox Theology;
 Library of the Orthodox Centre; the Museum of Christian Art of the Ecumenical Patriarchate; and the Church​ of St.Paul, Apostle to the Nations.*
Head of the Orthodox Centre is His Eminence Metropolitan Maximos of Switzerland.In the words of Patriarch Bartholomew at Metropolitan Maximos' enthronement in 2018, the Orthodox Centre is to be:
a dynamic place of dialogue,congresses, ecumenical meetings and other events in the service of unity, the promotion of Orthodoxy and Orthodox culture, through the emergence of the Centre's Museum.*

Church of Cyprus Wants to Publicly Celebrate Pascha in May

His Eminence Metropolitan Isaias of Tomasos and Oreini (Church of Cyprus) reassures the faithful that Pascha is neither postponed nor cancelled this year.The Church will celebrate the Resurrection of Christ on 27 May, the Apodosis (Leave-taking) of Pascha, as it in fact always does-only this year more widely, he told Andreas Dmitropoulos on Sigma TV's "Protoselido" (Front Page) programme.*

Every year, Easter is liturgically recapitulated 39 days after the feast day,yet few take note.It is done with the same Divine service and completes the festive cycle and messages of the feast.One day before the feast of the Ascension, the Church recaps Pascha.For the last time,we can crack eggs as we complete the Resurrection cycle.
If the State wants,it can make the Apodosis a public holiday this year for the people.Should the restrictions still be in force in late May, the Apodosis will have to be observed behind closed doors, however, Metropolitan Isaias said.*
The Church of Greece is planning the same thing.So far,no word from the Ecumenical Patriarchate on plans to emphasise the Apodosis this year.*

Patriarch Bartholomew Heeds Pope's Call to Prayer

On 25 March 2020, His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew heeded the call of His Holiness Pope Francis to recite the Our Father at noon.The Pope made the request of Christian leaders worldwide to join in common prayer for an end to the COVID-19 pandemic.*
Patriarch Bartholomew entered the Patriarchate Chapel of St.Andrew and lit a candle.Facing West before the iconostasis,he recited the Our Father in Greek with a handful of clerics who are on staff at the Fanar, the Patriarchal compound in Constantinople.*
This was followed by His All-Holiness' remarks in Italian.He had earlier presided the Divine Liturgy of the Annunciation of the Theotokos in the Patriarchal Church of St.George.*
The Chapel of St. Andrew is bright, featuring a golden, abbreviated iconostasis with two Western-style icons on either side the Royal Doors.*