Orthodox Churches

His Holiness Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople completes his visit to the Russian Orthodox Church

On 31 May 2010, His Holiness Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople completed his visit to the Russian Orthodox Church. During his ten-day visit the Primate of the Orthodox Church of Constantinople visited Moscow, St. Petersburg, the Valamo Island, and Kronstadt. His Holiness Patriarch Bartholomew and His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the Laura of the Holy Trinity on Pentecost. They celebrated at the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour in Moscow on the commemoration day of Ss. Cyril and Methodius Equal-to-the-Apostles. That same day Patriarch Bartholomew attended the opening of the Days of Slavonic Literature and Culture. During his visit, Patriarch Bartholomew met with the Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov, visited the churches in Moscow, including the representations of the Patriarchates of Alexandria, Antioch, and Jerusalem.

The Primate of the Church of Constantinople venerated the precious relics of the founders of the Valamo Monastery, Ss. Sergius and Herman, and the holy sites of the monastery. He also visited the scetes of the Valamo Monastery of the Transfiguration.

While in Kronstadt, he visited the Naval Cathedral of St. Nicholas and met with the wife of the Russian President Ms. Svetlana Medvedeva, who is a member of the guardianship board of the Cathedral.

Patriarch Bartholomew is willing to advance convening of the All-Orthodox Coucil

Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople thinks it necessary to advance convening of the All-Orthodox Council with the participation of all local Orthodox Churches. "We decided to facilitate the process of convening the holy and great Council of all Orthodox Churches," Patriarch Bartholomew said in an interview to Vesti 24 TV which was recorded Sunday in the Constantinovsky Palace in Strelna near St. Petersburg.

Patriarch Kirill: Russian and Constantinople Churches are coming closer together

Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia states that relations between the Russian and Constantinople Churches are moving forward. "I am happy that every meeting brings us closer together," Patriarch stated on Saturday after the liturgy in St. Isaac's Cathedral in Saint-Petersburg served together with Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople.

Message of the Episcopal Assembly Of the Canonical Orthodox Hierarchs of North and Central America May 26-28, 2010

We glorify the name of the Triune God for gathering us at this first Episcopal Assembly of this region in New York City on May 26-28, 2010 in response to the decisions of the Fourth Pre-Conciliar Pan-Orthodox Conference held at the Orthodox Center of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Chambésy, Switzerland, from June 6-12, 2009, at the invitation of His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew.

Gathered together in the joy of the Feast of Pentecost, we humbly recognize our calling, in our unworthiness, to serve as instruments and disciples of the Paraclete, who "holds together the whole institution of the Church" (Hymn of Vespers of Pentecost).

Patriarch Bartholomew hails dialogue between church and state in Russia

Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople hails the Russian leadership's dialogue with the Russian Orthodox Church.

"We, as the Mother Church, welcome prospering cooperation between the Russian Orthodox Church and the State. The Russian leadership and the leaders of the Russian Orthodox Church are writing a new chapter in history," Patriarch Bartholomew told President Dmitry Medvedev in Moscow on Tuesday.

Patriarch Bartholomew thanks Russian authorities for open demonstration of their faith

Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople highly appreciated cooperation of Russia's President Dmitry Medvedev and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin with the Russian Orthodox Church.

"I express gratitude on behalf of the Constantinople Church and from myself personally to these great Christian heads. They are not embarrassed to publicly testify to their faith and piety," Patriarch Bartholomew said during his visit to the Antioch Patriarchate representation in Moscow.