A closely watched meeting of the Church of Greece’s standing Holy Synod is scheduled for next week. According to reports by the Orthodoxia news agency, members of a committee of dialogue tasked with holding talks with the relevant education ministry will be present. Church hierarchs are expected to discuss a multi-page “implementation plan” submitted by…

His Holiness Bartholomew, Archbishop of Constantinople-New Rome and Ecumenical Patriarch, celebrates Thursday his 79th Birthday. The Patriarch was born on February 29, 1940, and in the non-leap years, he is used to celebrating his birthday on February 28. Born Demetrios Archondonis on 29 February 1940 on the island of Imvros (today, Gökçeada, Turkey), His All-Holiness…

  His Most Divine All Holiness, Bartholomew I, Archbishop of Constantinople, New Rome, and Ecumenical Patriarch, will visit the United States in July, following an invitation by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. His All Holiness will address a conference on the environment. According to reports by the “National Herald” and “Kathimerini”, the Ecumenical Patriarch…

  Archbishop of Athens and All Greece, His Beatitude Ieronymos II, addressed the opening of a two-day seminar on the issue of “Ecclesiastical Diplomacy”, which began in Athens son Thursday at the foreign ministry. Referring to issue of the seminar, Ieronymos emphasized the importance of ecclesiastical diplomacy, which he said is better described as “inter-ecclesiastic…

  A closely watched meeting of the Church of Greece’s standing Holy Synod is scheduled for next week. According to reports by the Orthodoxia news agency, members of a committee of dialogue tasked with holding talks with the relevant education ministry will be present. Church hierarchs are expected to discuss a multi-page “implementation plan” submitted…

On Wednesday, February 14/27, 2019, a 10-member Delegation from Greece and the Republic of Cyprus visited the Patriarchate regarding expatriate-related matters. The Greek delegation was under Mr. Kouik, Deputy Foreign Minister for Greeks living Abroad and the Cypriot delegation under Mr. Fotios Fotiou, Presidential Commissioner for Expatriate-related matters, with the escort of the Consul General…

  In Cyprus, a monastery in the Aghia Napa region is being transformed into a museum, after a decision by the Church of Cyprus noted that due to its location, the monastery is not suited for monasticism.

  On an ominous note, unknown vandals again targeted a picturesque chapel dedicated to the Prophet Elijah, near the central Greece city of Kalabaka. Images showed defiled frescoes and icons depicting Saints. Similar disturbing incidents were reported two weeks ago, as well as last summer, just prior to the Feast Day for the Prophet.     

  In a related development, the issue of the Ukrainian Church’s Autocephaly was discussed by the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church, which was convened on Tuesday by the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, His Holiness Kirill. A statement by the Russian Orthodox Church afterwards noted that, “We express our serious concern over…