Ecumenical Patriarch to Visit Orthodox Churches of Finland and Estonia

His All-Holiness Ecumencial Patriarch Bartholomew is to visit the Orthodox Church of Finland from 8-12 September 2023.The visit will celebrate the Centenary of the OCF becoming an Autonomous Church within the Ecumenical Patriarchate.Prior to 1923,the OCF belonged to the Moscow Patriarchate.* On 10 September,Patriarch Bartholomew will preside at the Divine Liturgy in the Uspensky (Dormition) Cathedral Church in the Finnish Capital Helsinki.* Patrairch Bartholomew had previously visited the OCF in 2000,2003,2010 and 2013.The current primate of the OCF is Archbishop Leo of Karelia and All Finland. On 12 September,Patriarch Bartholomew and his entourage will depart for Estonia and a visit to the Estonian Apostolic Orthodox Church.This visit will celebrate the Centenary of the EAOC becoming an Autonomous Church within the Ecumenical Patriarchate in 1923.The EAOC also requested separation from the Moscow Patriarchate at that time.The current primate of the EAOC is Metropolitan Stephanos of Tallin and All Estonia.

Panorthodox Synod : ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH MET THE FIVE DEPOSED LITHUANIAN PRIESTS - photos (for best results,click on photos)

Panorthodox Synod : ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH MET THE FIVE DEPOSED LITHUANI...:   Ecumenical Patriarchate In the context of His All-Holiness Official visit in Lithuania, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew had a meeting wi...

Update on Patriarch Bartholomew's Visit to Lithuania

On Tuesday 21 March 2023,His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew,on the second day of his three day official visit to Lithuania,conferred with Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte.They announced that they are cooperating on establishing a branch of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Lithuania.Its purpose is to serve residents of Lithuania who reject the Moscow Patriarchate's support for Putin's war of aggression against Ukraine,including a number of Ukrainians and Belarusians,as well as five Lithuanian clerics who had been deposed by the Moscow Patriarchate for opposing the Ukraine war.* In the course of his visit,Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew was also scheduled to meet with President Gitanas Nauseda of Lithuania,as well as the Parliament leader.Lithuania is a former Soviet Republic.Located in the Baltic Sea Region of Eastern Europe,it belongs to NATO and the EU.

Hovorun. The Russo-Ukrainian War and Church Divisions

Panorthodox Synod : ZELENSKY ENACTS NSDC DECISION TO SANCTION MOSCOW PATRIARCHATE

Panorthodox Synod : ZELENSKY ENACTS NSDC DECISION TO SANCTION MOSCOW P...: ...

Panorthodox Synod : CONFERENCE OF EUROPEAN CHURCHES: PRESIDENT URGES PATRIARCH KYRILL TO RAISE HIS VOICE AGAINST UKRAINE WAR

Panorthodox Synod : CONFERENCE OF EUROPEAN CHURCHES: PRESIDENT URGES P...:                                     Conference of European Churches President of the Conference of European Chur...

Patriarchal Gathering Planned to Discuss Moscow's Intrusion Into Alexandria

On 12 February 2022,His Eminence Elder Metropolitan Emmanuel of Chalcedon was received by His Beatitude Patriarch John X of Antioch and All the East at Patriarchal House in Balamand,Lebanon.In the cordial meeting,they discussed the current situation of Christians in the Middle East and inter-Orthodox relations in general,particularly the uncanonical intrusion by the Patriarchate of Moscow into the territory of the Patriarchate of Alexandria by establishing a Russian Orthodox Exarchate of Africa. The prelates agreed,based on the long-standing fraternal relations between their respective Patriarchates,to contribute jointly to the consolidation of Orthodox unity through another gathering of the four Apostolic Patriarchates of Constantinople,Antioch,Jerusalem and Alexandria.The session is to be held at Constantinople before the beginning of Great Lent.* For its part,the Patriarchate of Antioch is to discuss Moscow's behaviour at an upcoming meeting of its Holy Synod in the near future.At that time,an appropriate policy regarding the issue will be formulated.*

Analysis:Metropolitan Tikhon of the Orthodox Church in America Accompanies Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew on Annual Pilgrimage

In a move that must have been painful to the Patriarchate of Moscow,His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon,Archbishop of Washington and Metropolitan of All America and Canada (Orthodox Church in America),accompanied His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople on the Patriarch's annual pilgrimage to Cappadocia,Turkey.The two Orthodox leaders concelebrated the Divine Liturgy of All Saints Day at the ruins of the Church of the Dormition of the Theotokos in Avanos,Cappadocia.
The Patriarchate of Moscow has to be feeling increasingly isolated in its harsh reaction,conditioned by its close alliance with the regime of Vladimir Putin,to the Ecumenical Patriarchate's grant of autocephaly to the Orthodox Church of Ukraine,going so far as to sever communion with its Mother Church in Constantinople,alone among the autocephalous Orthodox Churches to do so.*
Metropolitan Tikhon,leader of the former Russian Metropolia in America,now known as the OCA,has previously visited the Phanar,the headquarters of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Istanbul,Turkey,where he was cordially received by Patriarch Bartholomew.Their joint pilgrimage to Cappadocia carries their relationship to a new level of warmth.
At the Divine Liturgy for All Saints Day on 23 June 2019,Patriarch Bartholomew also ordained a deacon.Patriarch Bartholomew and Metropolitan Tikhon had traveled to Cappadocia together on 22 June.

Eastern Europe Update: Ukraine, Bulgaria,INF Treaty

Since 6 January 2019, when the Tomos of Autocephaly was handed over to the new Orthodox Church of Ukraine, more than 100 parishes have left the Moscow Patriarchate for the​ OCU.This is more than left the MP in the five years since Russia's invasion and annexation of Crimea  and instagtion of the Donbas War in Eastern Ukraine, said His Eminence Archbishop Yevstratiy (Zorya) of Chernihiv Nizhyn at a roundtable discussion.*
The majority of the Holy Synod of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, including His Holiness Patriarch Neophytos, reportedly backs the new Orthodox Church of Ukraine, but has referred the matter to the Synod's canonical committee for further study.*
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo stated that the United States has suspended adherence to the Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces Treaty with Russia for six months, during which time Russia may revive the agreement by withdrawing its illegal weapons from Europe.NATO agrees that Russia has persistently violated the Treaty by stationing cruise missiles in Europe.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel says she will continue to talk to Russia about the INF Treaty during the suspension.

New Orthodox Cathedral Based on Byzantine Architecture Opens in Warsaw

Warsaw's Orthodox Christians,as well as pilgrims from many other lands,gathered for the first Divine Liturgy in the Orthodox Church of Poland's new Agia Sophia Cathedral on 19 May 2018.The cornerstone of the sacred edifice had been laid and blessed by His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople and His Beatitude Metropolitan Sava of Warsaw and All Poland on 5 December 2015.*
Concelebrating the service on Saturday,in addition to Metropolitan Sava,were His Eminence Archbishop Job of Telmessos (Ecumenical Patriarchate);His Eminence Metropolitan Ilarion of Volokolamsk (Moscow Patriarchate);His Grace Bishop Diodor of Yuzhnoe (Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Moscow Patriarchate);bishops of the Orthodox Church of Poland's Holy Synod;and numerous other clergy.Four Polish choirs chanted the Liturgy in the Cathedral modeled after its namesake,Agia Sophia in Constantinople.
Addresses marking the majestic event from Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia were read to the faithful,many of whom donated commemorative blocks placed in the Cathedral walls to affirm their faith and love for their forbearers.The Cathedral is dedicated to the memory of all those who suffered and died for the Orthodox faith,especially the neomartyrs of Poland.*
Besides the first Liturgy,the event marked the occasions of Metropolitan Sava's 80th birthday and 20th anniversary as Primate of Poland;and indeed,the 100th anniversary of Polish independence.A golden cross for the Cathedral's central dome was blessed,elevated and installed at the conclusion of the service.*
The Cathedral's iconography has not yet been written.

Ecumenical Patriarchate's Ukraine Commission Meets with Archbishop of Athens

On 14 May 2018,the Commission on Ukraine of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople called on His Beatitude Archbishop Ieronymos II of Athens and All Greece at the Holy Synod of Greece's offices in Athens.The Commission members attending were two prominent theologians,His Eminence Metropolitan John of Pergamon and His Eminence Metropolitan Emmanuel of France;and His Eminence Metropolitan Bartholomew of Smyrna (Izmir,Turkey).For its part,the Holy Synod of Greece,besides Archbishop Ieronymos,were represented by His Eminence Metropolitan Symeon of Nea Smyrni,an expert on Patristics and Byzantine Theology;His Eminence Metropolitan Damaskenos of Didymoteichon and Orestiadis;and His Eminence Metropolitan Ignatios of Demetrias and Almyros,member of the Holy Synod's Committee for Inter-Orthodox and Inter-Christian relations. The purpose of the meeting was to brief the Church of Greece about the Ecumenical Patriarchate's evolving involvement in the question of the prospective autocephaly (independence) of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.Autocephaly has been officially requested by Ukrainian President Petro Porishenko and the Ukrainian Verkhovna Rada (Parliament),as well as two of the three Orthodox jurisdictions in Ukraine,the Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Kiyivan Patriarchate and the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church.It's basically seen as a major step in Ukraine's evolution as a free and independent nation,spritually and culturally as well as politically.The third jurisdiction,the Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Moscow Patriarchate,is bitterly critical of the idea,saying,among other things,that it is a political tactic being used by President Poroshenko for the upcoming election.*
In the course of the dialogue in Athens,however,it reportedly emerged that His All-Holiness Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople is determined to proceed with granting autocephaly to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.Archbishop Ieronymos took a neutral position as,given the gravity of the issue,he wants to put it before the whole synod of the Church of Greece at its next assembly in October.*
The Holy and Sacred Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate meets again at the end of May,so a final decision on autocephaly for the Ukrainian Orthodox Church could come as early as then.

Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk Visits Ecumenical Patriarchate

According to a communique of the Ecumenical Patriarchate,on 19 September 2017,His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk,Chariman of the Moscow Patriarchate's Department of External Church Relations,visited His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople.Also attending the meeting in Istanbul were,from the Ecumenical Patriarchate,His Eminence Metropolitan Emmanuel of France and His Eminence Metropolitan Bartholomew of Smyrna;as well as,from the Moscow Patriarchate,Protopriest Igor Yakimchuk and Priest Anatoly Churyakov,members of the DECR.*
Metropolitan Hilarion brought an invitation for Patriarch Bartholomew from His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia,to be honoured during the commemoration in the first week of December of great historical events in the life of the Russian Orthodox Church,namely:the 100th anniversary of the October Revolution;the beginning of the persecution of the Church;the convening of the 1917 Synod;and the restoration of the Moscow Patriarchate after 200 years of abolition.*
His All-Holiness thanked Metropolitan Hilarion and explained that his response was being studied,and had been discussed at the last meeting of the Holy and Sacred Synod.The two churchmen went on to hold detailed discussions about the Holy and Great Council of the Orthodox Church that took place on the island of Crete in 2016,as well as other bilateral and inter-Orthodox issues,the Ecumenical Patriarchate said.

Patriarch Bartholomew Receives Russian Diplomats - invitation to Moscow discussed

On 29 August 2017,His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew received the Russian Ambassador to Turkey,His Excellency Alexei Erkhov,and the Russian Consul General in Istanbul,the Honourable Dmitry Evdokimov,according to a press release by the Ecumenical Patriarchate.The cordial talks lasted about an hour.Among the topics discussed were the relations between the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the Moscow Patriarchate;Ukraine;and His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia's invitation to the Ecumenical Patriarch to visit Moscow in December 2017.*
Another topic covered extensively was the assassination of Mr.Erkhov's predecessor,Andrei Karlov,by Turkish off duty police officer Mevlut Mert Altintas at a photography exhibition in Ankara on 19 December 2016.The killing occurred against the backdrop of a Turkish Islamist protest against Russia's involvement in the Syrian Civil War,particularly in Aleppo.Altintas was himself shot dead by Turkish security forces and his body disowned by his family.A statue of Ambassador Karlov is to be installed outside the Russian Embassy in Ankara.*
Ambassador Erkhov had previously served as Consul General in Istanbul,so has an expert knowledge of matters of concern to the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the other Turkish minorities.