Ecumenical Patriarch

The Orthodox Diaspora (Final document)

The Holy and Great Council of the Orthodox Church concerned itself with the matter of the canonical organization of the Orthodox Diaspora. Therefore, the respective documents were discussed concerning the Orthodox Diaspora and the Rules of Operation of Episcopal Assemblies in the Diaspora, which were submitted by the Fourth Pre-Conciliar Pan-Orthodox Conference (Chambésy, 2009), and…

Jun 27, 2016Gheorghe Anghel

Autonomy and the Means by Which it is Proclaimed (Final document)

The Holy and Great Council of the Orthodox Church concerned itself with the matter of Autonomy and the Means by Which it is Proclaimed.  Therefore, the respective document, which was submitted by the Fifth Pre-Conciliar Pan-Orthodox Conference (Chambésy, October 10-17, 2009) was discussed and was approved with some minor amendments as follows: The questions of…

Jun 27, 2016Gheorghe Anghel

The Importance of Fasting and its Observance Today (Final document)

Official Documents of the Holy and Great Council of the Orthodox Church: The Importance of Fasting and Its Observance Today   Fasting is a divine commandment (Gen 2:16-17). According to Basil the Great, fasting is as old as humanity itself; it was prescribed in paradise (On Fasting, 1, 3. PG 31, 168A). It is a great…

Jun 27, 2016Gheorghe Anghel

Message of the Holy and Great Council of the Orthodox Church

To the Orthodox people and to all people of good will To God, “the Father of mercies and all comfort,” we address a hymn of thanksgiving and praise for having enabled us to gather during the week of Pentecost (18-26 June 2016) on Crete, where the Apostle Paul and his disciple Titus preached the Gospel…

Jun 26, 2016Gheorghe Anghel

Closing session of the Holy and Great Council. Ecumenical Patriarch: “Together we wrote history!”

Following a short time, the closing session of the Holy and Great Council concluded. On this occasion, His Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew addressed a word of gratitude. His Holiness thanked all the Primates of Autocephalous Orthodox Churches who participated in the proceedings, stressing out that “the grace and illumination of the Holy Spirit, which constitutes…

Jun 25, 2016Aurelian Iftimiu

Closing session of the Holy and Great Council

Jun 25, 2016Robert Nicolae

The Orthodox Primates, Honorary Members of the Academy of Crete

Jun 24, 2016Robert Nicolae

Ecumenical Patriarch on World Oceans Day: We are accountable for remedying the health of our environment!

Also called the Green Patriarch, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew is renowned for his many initiatives related to the protection of the environment. On the World Oceans Day, 8 June 2016, His Holiness addresses a message to intensify actions for the protection of oceans – “this invaluable and inalienable resource of our planet”. We present below the message of His Holiness…

Jun 7, 2016Aurelian Iftimiu

Metropolitan Rastislav of Czech Lands and Slovakia, on first irenic visit to Constantinople

Metropolitan Rastislav began Friday, 13 May 2016, his first irenic visit to the Orthodox Church of Constantinople, as Primate of the Orthodox Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia, the Press Office of the Ecumenical Patriarchate reported. The official reception of the delegation of the Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia took place the…

May 17, 2016Aurelian Iftimiu

Ecumenical Patriarch urges the plenitude of the Church to pray for the Holy and Great Council (video)

His Holiness Bartholomew, Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, addressed a message to all the members of the Orthodox Church referring to the Holy and Great Council, which will convene during 16-27 June 2016 in Crete. His Holiness fervently asks all faithful, clergy and laity, men and women, young and old, to pray for this important event of Orthodoxy.…

May 16, 2016Aurelian Iftimiu

Archbishop Ieronymos: Today we unite our voices in condemning the uprooting of the refugees

Statement by His Beatitude Ieronymos, Archbishop of Athens and all Greece, at the refugee camp of Moria, Lesbos, in the presence of Pope Francis and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew: It is with unique joy that we welcome today to Lesbos Pope Francis. We consider his presence in the territory of the Church of Greece to be…

Apr 18, 2016Aurelian Iftimiu