Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras on Wednesday visited the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul. Ibrahim Kalin, a spokesman of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, accompanied Tsipras on his tour. The Greek premier was also accompanied by Education Minister Costas Gavroglou, Alternate Foreign Minister Giorgos Katrougalos, Deputy Foreign Minister Markos Bolaris, as well as his wife Betty…

Addressing the faithful after the Divine Liturgy at the Church of the Virgin Mary of Belgrade in Istanbul on Friday, February 1, His All-Holiness spoke, among other things, about his forthcoming meeting with the Greek Prime Minister, Mr. Alexis Tsipras, in Halki. The Ecumenical Patriarch spoke of the special symbolism of the visit of Greek…

Archimandrite Ephraim, the Superior Abbot of Vatopedi Monastery on Mount Athos, is hospitalized in a clinic in Europe after balloon angioplasty and stents placement he underwent on Tuesday, February 5th. Elder Ephraim suffered a heart attack, on Friday noon, soon after the arrival of his flight from Constantinople to Kiev. The coronary angiography forced doctors…

Delegations of most of the Local Orthodox Churches arrived in Moscow for the celebrations marking the 10th anniversary of enthronement of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia. One of the major topics discussed during the meetings was the situation of the Church in Ukraine. In an interview to RIA Novosti news agency,…

On 3 February 2019, His Beatitude Patriarch John X, who had attended the celebrations marking the 10th anniversary of the primatial ministry of His Holiness Kirill, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, completed his visit to Russia. Accompanying His Beatitude were Metropolitan Basilyos of Akkar; Metropolitan Jacques of Buenos Aires and All Argentina; Metropolitan Niphon…

On 3 February 3 2019, His Beatitude Rostislav, Metropolitan of the Czech Lands and Slovakia, completed his visit to the Russian Orthodox Church. Metropolitan Rostislav had attended the celebrations marking the 10th anniversary of the primatial ministry of His Holiness Kirill, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia. Accompanying His Beatitude were Archbishop George of Michalovce…

Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew will visit Ankara on Tuesday afternoon, at the invitation of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, to attend a dinner in honour of Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras at the Presidential Mansion. This is the first time that Ankara has invited the Ecumenical Patriarch to an official dinner in honour of a Greek…

Visoki Dečani, a 14th century Serbian Orthodox Monastery in Kosovo (known as Kosovo and Metohija in the Serbian tradition), has unveiled a new website in English and several other languages. The long-awaited site contains regularly updated news about the life of the monastery in Serbia’s turbulent breakaway region of Kosovo, along with many scans of…

The current Ukrainian crisis has a far-reaching impact, well beyond the borders of Ukraine. Of course, the hierarchs, clergy, and faithful in Ukraine are the first affected and are experiencing increasing pressure and violence, but the issue also touches every Local Orthodox Church. Each Orthodox Church must now decide if they will recognize the so-called…