Orthodox Churches

Consecration of Bishop Nikephoros of Amorion

On Sunday morning, February 2, 2014, at the Divine Liturgy commemorating the Feast of the Presentation of our Lord in the Temple, the consecration of Bishop Nikephoros (Psychloudis) of Amorion took place at the Patriarchal Church of St. George. The consecration was announced by the Chief Secretariat of the Holy and Sacred Synod on Tuesday, January 14, 2014. Bishop Nikephoros currently serves as the Abbot of the Holy Patriarchal and Stavropegic Monastery of Vlatadon in Thessaloniki, Greece.

Ecumenical Patriarch visits the Metropolis of France

His All-Holiness traveled to Paris for a formal pastoral visit to the Metropolis of France from January 27-31, 2014.

On Tuesday, January 28, the Ecumenical Patriarch delivered a lecture on human rights and religious freedom at the Academy of Moral and Political Science. Other events organized during the visit include the conferral of an honorary doctorate on His All-Holiness by the Institut Catholique in Paris, where Patriarch Bartholomew will speak on the ecological activities and vision of the Ecumenical Patriarchate. His All-Holiness also met with the French Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Hon. Laurent Fabius, and the Director-General of UNESCO, Irina Bokova.

Enthronement of Metropolitan Nikodimos of Memphis

On Friday, 10th January 2014, His Beatitude Theodoros II, Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa conducted the enthronement of His Eminence Metropolitan of Memphis, in the beautiful Cathedal of the Theotokos in Heliopolis in Cairo.

Participating in the ceremony of enthronement of His Eminence were His Eminence Gabriel Metropolitan of Leontopolis Patriarchal Vicar of Alexandria, His Grace Niphon, Bishop of Babylonia Hegumen of the Holy Monastery of St George in Old Cairo, the Exarch of the Church of Russia Fr. Viktor Kulaga, Clergy of the Throne as well as Clergy from Sinai and Greece. Also present were His Excellency the Ambassador of Greece to Cairo, Mr. Ch. Lazaris, the Honorable Consuls General of Greece and Cyprus, Messrs. I Hatzantonakis and F. Fotiou, the Vice Chairman of the Hellenic Community of Cairo Mr. K. Flevotomas, the Chairman of the Arabic Speaking Community of Cairo Mr. R. Hosni, the Chairman of the Cypriot Brotherhood Mr. A. Mavromatis, the Chairman of the Greek Orthodox Club of Arabic Speakers of Heliopolis Mr. Z. Seraphim, the Chairlady of the Philanthropic Society St Mary of Egypt and Lady of the Patriarchate Mrs. S. Kyriazis who, together with her husband Mr. K. Kyriazis funded the entire renovation of the Cathedral of the Metropolis, many faithful from the community as well as visitors from Greece.

Forty day memorial service for Metropolitan Kallinikos of Pilousion

The forty-day memorial service of the late Metropolitan Kallinikos of Pilousion was conducted on Friday 24th January 214 at the Holy Cathedral of the Transfiguration of the Saviour in Port Said. The Divine Liturgy and the Memorial was presided over by His Eminence Gabriel Metropolitan of Leontopolis, Patriarchal Vicar of Alexandria and Locum Tenens of the Holy Metropolis of Pilousion, assisted by the Holy Clergy of the Metropolis. Present also were the Consul General of Greece in Cairo, Mr. I. Hatzantonakis, the Consular Port Master in Port Said, Mr. Dimitrios Kyriakoulopoulos, Clergy representing the Coptic Church and faithful from the entire Metropolitan District of Pilousion.

Ukraine’s Medal of Freedom awarded to His All-Holiness

On Sunday, January 19, 2013, His All-Holiness was awarded the Medal of Freedom of Ukraine “for his ministry in the service of universal Orthodoxy and on the occasion of the 1025th anniversary since the Christianization of the Kievan Rus.” On behalf of the President of Ukraine, His All-Holiness was presented this prestigious honor by His Excellency Sergiy Korsunsky, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine to the Republic of Turkey, in the presence of a six person delegation of diplomats from Ukraine.

Patriarch John X: Nuns seized in Syria are fine

The group of nuns seized in the ancient Syrian town of Maaloula last month are doing well, Greek Orthodox Patriarch John Yazigi said Saturday, and a security source told The Daily Star negotiations to secure their release were still ongoing.

“The nuns are fine, I personally spoke to them over the phone a few days ago at the patriarchate’s headquarters,” Yazigi said before leaving Beirut’s international airport to Russia for a papal visit.