The Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, His All Holiness Bartholomew I, on Friday officiated at the Vespers for the great feast day of Sts. Constantine and Helen at the church of the Orthodox Community of Stavrodromi.
In his address, the Ecumenical Patriarch referred to the Equal-to-the Apostles Constantine and Helen, with whom, as he reminded, the imperial city of Constantinople is inextricably linked.
His All Holiness, after the service, referred to the con-celebration of the Patriarch of Serbia, His Holiness Porfirije, and the Archbishop of Ohrid, His Beatitude Stefan, last week in Belgrade.
The Ecumenical Patriarch spoke of a great event, which was rightly described as a “…con-celebration of reconciliation”, and which, as He underlined, took place just a few days after a historic decision by the Holy and Sacred Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate to restore the canonical status of the Archbishopric of Ohrid and renew Eucharistic communion, thus opening the way for its reconciliation with the Serbian Patriarchate.
The Patriarch expressed the joy of the Church of Constantinople, the Mother Church of both the Church of Serbia and the Church of Ohrid, in helping restore peace and ecclesiastical order in the region.
Patriarch Porfirije on pastoral visit to Ohrid Archdiocese today
In a related development, Patriarch Porfirije will pay a pastoral visit to the Ohrid Archdiocese at the invitation of Archbishop Stephen today and Tuesday.
On Tuesday, the Patriarch of Serbia and the Archbishop of Ohrid will co-officiate at the Divine Liturgy for the feast of Saints Cyril and Methodius, at the Cathedral of St. Clement of Ohrid in Skopje.