The temporary vicar – or locum tenens – of the Patriarchate of Serbia, the Metropolitan Bishop of Dabar-Bosna, His Eminence Hrizostom, this week noted that the Serbian Church had underestimated the danger emanating from the Covid-19 pandemic. As a result, one of the victims of the pandemic was reposed Serbian Patriarch Irinej, along with dozens…

Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias this week addressed, via a remote connection, then annual New Year’s pie-cutting ceremony held by the Athens-based Society of Imvros natives. Dendias made a particular reference to the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, His All Holiness Bartholomew I, himself a native of the northeast Aegean island that was handed to Turkey…

Ninety-one employees of the Byzantine and Christian Museum in central Athens have addressed a letter to Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, expressing their opposition to a proposed change in the museum’s management and operational framework, while stressing that for many citizens Byzantine and post-Byzantine era artifacts and heirlooms represent supreme values, one closely linked with…

The abbot of the Holy Monastery of Stavrovouni on Cyprus, the Elder Archimandrite Athanasios, reposed in the Lord on Monday, at the age of 95. An exodios funeral service and interment was held today at the monastery. The reposed elder, a native of the village of Assia, devoted 80 years of his life to monasticism.

A particularly disturbing annual report was again unveiled this week by the Opendoors USA organization, whereby the latter warns that more than 340 million Christians worldwide live in places where they experience high levels of persecution, simply for following Christ. Those figures translate into one in eight believers around the world. Each year, the World…

The Church today venerates the memory of Macarius the Great of Egypt. Today is also the feast day of Mark, Bishop of Ephesus.

Moscow, January 19, Interfax – Russian President Vladimir Putin took part in Epiphany bathing on Tuesday morning, the Kremlin website said. “Many people asked me if Putin took part in Epiphany bathing. You know that he traditionally does it. This is his tradition. He does not change traditions,” Russian presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov told…

On Monday, 5/18 January the Patriarchate celebrated the Forefeast of Epiphany, the commemoration of the baptism of our Lord Jesus Christ by Saint John in the River Jordan. Matins began early in the morning at the Monastic Church of Saints Constantine and Helen. At the end of Matins, the Royal Hours of Epiphany were read,…

This morning His Eminence Archbishop Makarios presided over the Holy and Divine Liturgy in celebration of his Name day and the patron saint of our chapel and our seminary school. The Archbishop also ordained Deacon Makarios Kamonye Wanjiku to the Priesthood. We also had the memorial service for the founder and former president of Cyprus…