International

6 years since the Holy and Great Council: Professing the true faith with humility and Christian love

Last Sunday marked six years since the conclusion of the works of the Holy and Great Council of the Orthodox Church, which brought together hierarchs of ten of the fourteen autocephalous Orthodox Churches on the island of Crete. Both before and after the Council, the Patriarch of Romania explained that its works did not focus…

Jun 28, 2022Aurelian Iftimiu

France’s Canonical Orthodox Bishops meet in Paris

The Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of France met in Paris under the chairmanship of Metropolitan Demetrios (Ecumenical Patriarchate) on June 10, 2022. The hierarchs sent blessings to all Orthodox Christians in France on the feast of Pentecost. The bishops also officiated a Te Deum service in honour of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew’s name day (June…

Jun 27, 2022Aurelian Iftimiu

Ecumenical Patriarchate adds new saint to the Orthodox calendar: Elder Bessarion the Agathonite

The Holy Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate added on Tuesday a new saint to the Orthodox calendar: Archimandrite Bessarion Korkoliakos, also called “the Merciful Elder”, abbot of the Agathonos Monastery († January 22). The saint was born in Messinia’s Petalidi, in the southwestern part of the Peloponnese Peninsula, in 1908 and was baptized Andreas. When he…

Jun 15, 2022Ștefana Totorcea

Ruse Metropolitan in Bucharest: Our Churches receive another common intercessor in the person of Saint Theophano Basarab

Witnessing the proclamation of the canonisation of Saint Theophano Basarab on May 21, Metropolitan Naum of Ruse underlined the fraternal communion between the Romanian and Bulgarian Orthodox Churches. His Eminence said that together with Saints Parascheva and Demetrius, from now on, “our fraternal Orthodox Churches and peoples receive, in the person of Saint Theophano Basarab,…

May 26, 2022Aurelian Iftimiu

Holy Community of Mount Athos issues announcement on the war in Ukraine

The Holy Community of Mount Athos issued on Tuesday an announcement on the war in Ukraine. The representatives of the monastic communities of the Holy Mount expressed compassion for the victims of the conflict unfolding in this country and transmitted that they ceaselessly pray for world peace. The representatives of the Holy Mount expressed their…

May 25, 2022Ștefana Totorcea

Sunday of the Samaritan Woman in the Holy Land: Patriarch of Jerusalem celebrates Liturgy at Jacob’s Well

Patriarch Theophilos III celebrated the Divine Liturgy for the Sunday of the Samaritan Woman at “St Photini” Church built at Jacob’s Well. His Beatitude was joined by Metropolitan Kyriakos of Nazareth, Archbishops Aristarchos of Constantina and Philoumenos of Pela, and by Hagiotaphite Hieromonks. The chanting was delivered by Archimandrite Leontios in Greek and the Community…

May 25, 2022Ștefana Totorcea

Representatives of the Romanian Cultural Institute visited the Halki Seminary

Andrei Novac, secretary of state for the relationship with the Romanian Cultural Institute and for cultural policies, visited on Thursday the Halki Seminary of the Ecumenical Patriarchate. The Romanian official was accompanied by Dragoș Tiberiu Niță, Director of the Romanian Cultural Institute in Istanbul, Turkey. The guests were received by Bishop Kassianos of Aravissos, the…

May 20, 2022Ștefana Totorcea

Belgrade: Serbian, North-Macedonian Orthodox Bishops liturgically mark restoration of communion

The Serbian and North-Macedonian Orthodox Primates and hierarchs concelebrated on Thursday at “St. Sava” Cathedral in Belgrade to mark the end of a 55-year liturgical and canonical separation. Patriarch Porfirije concelebrated the Divine Liturgy with Archbishop Stephen of Ochrid, the Primate of the Orthodox Church from Northern Macedonia. “The Lord, who created everything, reminded us…

May 20, 2022Ștefana Totorcea

World Council of Churches: Orthodox members convened in Cyprus as 11th Assembly approaches

Orthodox churches convened in Cyprus this week to prepare for the World Council of Churches (WCC) 11th Assembly, as well as to pray and reflect together on how to keep dialogue open amid the world’s grave challenges. “It is so important that we come together to form a common Orthodox vision for the WCC assembly,”,…

May 12, 2022Sorin Ioniţe

Holy Fire has descended in Church of Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem (VIDEO)

The Holy Fire has descended in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, as seen on the Trinitas TV livestream. The Holy Light descended at about 2:31 PM (7:31 AM Eastern Standard time). It appeared in the edicule (the small chapel built over the burial place of Christ) after the Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem,…

Apr 23, 2022Sorin Ioniţe

Patriarch of Jerusalem: The Church built by the Lord continues His sanctifying and redeeming mission

“The body of the Church that has been built by the Lord, for which He said “the gates of hell shall not overcome it” (Matthew 16,18), continues throughout the centuries His sanctifying and redeeming mission through His Disciples and their heirs, the Bishops and Priests,” transmits Patriarch Theophilos III of Jerusalem in his Pastoral Letter…

Apr 20, 2022Ștefana Totorcea