Armenian Apostolic Church canonizes one and a half million faithful
29. April 2015 - 9:33
The canonization of one and a half million Armenians, victims of the persecution unleashed against the Christian population of the Ottoman Empire in the early 20th century, took place in Echmiadzin, the spiritual center of the Armenian Apostolic Church. It was part of the commemoration of the centenary of those tragic events. The canonization was led by the Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II and the Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia Aram I. During the ceremony, icons of the Armenian Church’s new martyrs were consecrated.
Tbilisi: Cathedral construction on Makhata hill completed
28. April 2015 - 11:08
Georgian high officials, representatives of the Georgian Orthodox Church and hundreds of worshipers have gathered to celebrate the completion of the Iveria Holy Virgin Mary Church construction on the Makhata hill in Tbilisi.
Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili attended the ceremony and said the cathedral would become a symbol of the country’s unification.
Patriarch Kirill meets with General Secretary of World Council of Churches
27. April 2015 - 13:07
His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia met with the Secretary General of the World Council of Churches (WCC), the Rev. Dr. Olav Fykse Tveit on 22 April 2015.
Participating in the meeting at St. Daniel’s Monastery were also Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, head of the Moscow Patriarchate department for external church relations, Metropolitan Gennadios of Sassima (Patriarchate of Constantinople), Archpriest Mikhail Gundyaev, Moscow Patriarchate representative to the WCC and international organizations in Geneva, and Ms Marianna Eidersten, director of the WCC communication service.
The Holy Light Ceremony at the Patriarchate
15. April 2015 - 14:59
At noon of the Holy Saturday the 29th of March/11th of April 2015, the Holy Light ceremony was performed at the Church of the Resurrection.
The days leading to the ceremony had been marked by thorough, at times exaggerated, preparation in terms of safety measures taken by the Israeli Police of Jerusalem.
Holy Wednesday at the Phanar
15. April 2015 - 13:37
On Holy Wednesday afternoon, April 8, 2015, the sacrament of Holy Unction took place at the Patriarchal Church of St. George. The service was led by Archimandrite Bartholomew Samaras, Chief Secretary of the Holy and Sacred Synod, with the assistance of clergy from the Patriarchal Court. His All-Holiness attended the service from the altar.
