The Chief Secretariat of the Holy and Sacred Synod has announced that following the previous Synaxis of the Hierarchy of the Ecumenical Throne, which took place three years ago with great success (2015), the next Synaxis of all Hierarchy of the Venerable Throne “from all the ends of the oikoumene” will convene at the Sacred Center of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Istanbul from September 1-3, 2018.

The purpose of this Synaxis is to inform the Metropolitans and Archbishops of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of current ecclesial affairs and provide them with an opportunity to exchange ideas, but especially to strengthen the sacred bonds among them and with the Mother Church. Continue reading →

The Chief Secretariat of the Holy and Sacred Synod has announced that on 31 August 2018, following his express desire, His Beatitude Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia will visit the headquarters of the Ecumenical Patriarchate with his delegation for conversations with His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and pertinent offices of the Mother Church on matters of bilateral interest. Continue reading →

The Very Reverend Archimandrite Maximos Pothos, Chancellor of the Metropolis of Switzerland, has been elected by the Holy Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate on 10 July 2018 Metropolitan of Switzerland in replacement of Metropolitan Jeremiah who had been elected on the same day Metropolitan of Ankara. Thus Metropolitan Maximos succeeds Metropolitan Jeremiah as Director of the Orthodox Center of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Chambésy, near Geneva, Switzerland.

The ordination of Metropolitan Maximos of Switzerland took place at the see of the Ecumenical Patriarchate at the Phanar on 22 July and was presided by His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew. His enthronement as Metropolitan of Switzerland took place on 18 August at the Orthodox Centre of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Chambésy. Continue reading →

Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew participated in a day-long ecumenical reflection and prayer meeting hosted by Pope Francis on July 7 in Bari, southern Italy, with the heads of Christian Churches of the Middle East for peace in the Middle East. Continue reading →

The Delegation of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, consisting of His Excellency Archbishop Job of Telmessos, co-president of the Joint International Commission for the Theological Dialogue between the Roman Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church, His Grace Bishop Theodoretos of Nazianzus, and the Reverend Deacon Alexandros Koutsis, arrived to Rome on 27 June 2018 to participate in the Thronal Feast of the Church of Rome. It met on that day for conversations with the members of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity. On 28 June, they were received by His Holiness Pope Francis in a private audience, in the presence of His Eminence Kurt Koch, President of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, His Excellency Brian Farrell, Secretary of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity,  and Monsignor Andrea Palmieri, Under-Secretary of the Pontifical Council. Continue reading →

Pope Francis joined the general secretary of the World Council of Churches (WCC) and the moderator of its Central Committee at an ecumenical meeting during his landmark 21 June visit to the WCC to celebrate its 70th anniversary at an ecumenical meeting in Geneva. The Pope began the visit by joining in prayers in the chapel of the Ecumenical Centre in Geneva after flying in from Rome and then visiting the Ecumenical Institute at Bossey, which is involved with theological formation. In the afternoon Pope Francis again visited the Ecumenical Centre, where the WCC does much of its work. There he spoke along with Tveit and Dr Agnes Abuom, moderator of the Central Committee, an important WCC governing body. Continue reading →

Representatives of Churches worldwide gathered at Geneva’s St Pierre Cathedral for a service of celebration to mark the 70th anniversary of the World Council of Churches (WCC), at which His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew preached. The service was held in French and English, and included hymns and prayers in many languages and from many parts of the world. It was a joint celebration with the Protestant Church of Geneva.

In his homily, the Ecumenical Patriarch urged continued efforts for unity, justice and peace. “We celebrate a long common pilgrimage on the path to unity, Christian witness, and the commitment to justice, peace, and the preservation of creation.” The patriarch praised common efforts to respond to the major challenges of the age, as well as the “constructive cooperation” between the WCC and the Roman Catholic Church, which is not a WCC member but works with the council in various areas. “We are aware that the movement to restore the unity of Christianity is taking new forms in order to respond to new situations and to deal with the current challenges of the world,” said the Ecumenical Patriarch. He urged dialogue, patience and openness to overcome differences and difficulties that had arisen since the WCC was founded: “Let us have no illusions. The Churches have so far been unable to overcome their divisions and achieve the much-desired unity.” The main Christian traditions represented in the WCC – the Christian East and the churches of the Reformation – needed to redefine the nature of the institution and to mark the limits within which the WCC is called to bear witness and serve, said the patriarch. He noted how the Holy and Great Council of the Orthodox Church that convened in Crete in June 2016 had affirmed that local Orthodox churches that are members of the WCC “participate fully and equally in the bodies of this institution.” Continue reading →

The informal talks between the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the Anglican Communion took place on 19 June 2018 at the Theological School of Halki, near Istanbul. The delegation of the Ecumenical Patriarchate consisted of Metropolitan Athenagoras of Belgium and Exarch of the Netherlands and Luxembourg (Orthodox co-chair of the International Commission of the Anglican-Orthodox Theological Dialogue), Archbishop Job of Telmessos, and Protopresbyter Christos Christakis (Orthodox co-secretary of that Commission). The Anglican Communion was represented by the Anglican co-president, Archbishop Richard Clarke, head of the Anglican Church of Ireland, Bishops Nigel Stock and Michael Lewis and Reverend Canons Dr. Will Adam and Dr. John Gibaut. The two delegations dealt with the current issues of both the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the Anglican Communion as well as other theological and social issues of common interest.

In commemoration of the Feast of Bartholomew the Holy Apostle—patron saint of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew—His All-Holiness presided over Great Vespers at the Holy Monastery of Zoodochos Peghe in Baloukli on the evening of Sunday, June 10, 2018, as well as the Divine Liturgy at the Venerable Patriarchal Church of St. George the following morning.

Members of the Holy and Sacred Synod, together with Hierarchs of the Ecumenical Throne, were present in prayer for both days of the solemn celebration. Among others in attendance were also various Hierarchs, Church representatives and clergy from throughout the world, a delegation from the Lutheran World Federation, as well as foreign diplomats serving in the City and Ankara.

Following the conclusion of the services, the Patriarch greeted the multitude of faithful that came from near and afar to express their heartfelt wishes and prayers. Furthermore, after the celebration of Great Vespers on Sunday evening, His All-Holiness held a Trisagion service in commemoration of the blessed memory of Bartholomew the Imbrian of Koutloumousi, Teacher of the Genos (1772-1851).

The Ecumenical Patriarchate organised an international ecological symposium in Athens and the Saronic Islands on 5-8 June 2018, entitled “Toward a Greener Attica: Preserving the Planet and Protecting its People”. The symposium brought together 200 theologians and scientists, political and business leaders, professors and students, as well as activists and journalists from Asia, America, Africa, Europe, and Greece, and explored the pressing environmental problems of the region and examine the connections between ecology and economy, particularly in the context of pressing social and environmental challenges in Greece and globally.

In an article that appeared in the Greek press, His All-Holiness the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew highlighted the spiritual roots of the ecological crisis, while emphasizing the solidarity between humanity and nature. He added: “The truth is that there are severe repercussions for the way we treat God’s creation. What we believe about our world will define how we behave toward it.” Continue reading →