Constantine Jubilee

Orthodox Primates served Divine Liturgy in Podgorica's Cathedral Church

Eight primates of the Local Orthodox Churches led by Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, Russian Patriarch Kirill and Serbian Patriarch Irinej consecrated yesterday morning Podgorica's Cathedral church of the Resurrection of Christ. 

More than thousand Orthodox believers from Montenegro, Herzegovina and Serbia participated prayerfully in the holy service. His Holiness Irinej, Serbian Patriarch, said that the consecration of the Cathedral church of the Resurrection of Christ represented a great and glorious day not only for our Church and people but also for all Orthodoxy and Christianity. As he emphasized, the consecration of the Cathedral church in Podgorica was a crown of the celebration of the Edict of Milan.

Closing celebration of the jubilee of the Edict of Milan / photo gallery /

1700th Anniversary of the Edict of Milan solemnly commemorated in Nis

 The closing ceremony of the 17 centuries of the Edict of Milan was held in Nis in front of the church of Sts. Emperor Constantine and Empress Helen. HIs All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew officiated the Hierarchal Divine Liturgy. 

In the Holy Liturgy in Serbian, Greek, Church-Slavonic and Arabic language, Patriarch Teophilos III of Jerusalem, Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia and Serbian Patriarch Irinej concelebrated along with archbishops of the Local Orthodox Churches, bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church  and the clergy.

The closing celebration of the 1700th anniversary of the Edict of Milan begins with solemn doxology at 10 a.m. at Cathedral Church in Belgrade

The solemn doxology began at 10 a.m. at Cathedral Church in Belgrade and clergy of the Archbishopric of Belgrade-Karlovac served

Doxology and thanksgiving were served in attendance of: Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, Patriarch Teophilos III of Jerusalem, Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, Archbishop Chrysostomos of Cyprus, Archbishop Ieronymos of Athens, Metropolitan Sava of Warsaw and All Poland, Archbishop Symeon, Locum Tenens of the Metropolitan throne of the Orthodox Church of Czech lands and Slovakia, Archbishop Anastasios of Tirana and All Albania, retired Archbishop Christopher of Prague.

Epistle of the Serbian Orthodox Church on the 1700th Anniversary of the Edict of Milan

The Spirit of the Edict is still with us!

Come, o people, and see the works of God
Who works wonders on the earth!

Behold, the year of the Lord's goodness which has given us a rare and true celebration: it has been given us to celebrate 1700 years since the day when the Providence of God spoke through the holy Emperor Constantine and freedom and power was given to the Christian faith. This is truly a special year and a special jubilee! For the holy Emperor Constantine was no ordinary Roman emperor, like the others. For his victory was not a victory like others. For his Edict was no ordinary royal decree by which someone, through royal power, is forced to obey authority. On the contrary: it was all special and blessed, it was all so significant and great that we today celebrate the light which shone forth with the Edict of Milan in 313 and with the great deed of the glorious Constantine. Even though the entire Christian world is celebrating, we Orthodox Christians, particularly the faithful people of our holy local Church, are celebrating it with greater joy, for we are honoring the convener of the First Ecumenical Council, our fellow countryman, a man who was raised by our rivers and our valleys, warmed by our sun and fed by our lands. Thus we say to all Orthodox Christians, as well as to all Christians and to our friends from other faiths who grasp the significance of the Edict of Milan: may this spiritual joy and celebration multiply!