Orthodox Churches

The day of Holy Saturday with the ceremony of the Holy Fire

The day of Holy Saturday with the ceremony of the Holy Fire is in the cycle of feasts of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem as one of the holiest, most emotionally moving and consequently, most participated in by numerous pilgrims. On this day from the early hours of dawn the pilgrims from every direction, eagerly arrive in crowds in front of the gates of the Church of Resurrection, which are closed until 10:30 am (summer time) according to the Status Quo.

His Beatitude Theodoros II visited the Orthodox School "Agios Athanasios" of the Metropolis, in Tembisa, Johannesburg

On 23 March 2010 His Beatitude Theodoros II, Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa, accompanied by His Eminence Seraphim Metropolitan of Johannesburg and Pretoria and His Eminence George Metropolitan of Zimbabwe and Archimandrite Panteleimon Arathymos, Director of His Beatitude's Private Patriarchal Office, visited the Orthodox School "Agios Athanasios" of the Metropolis, in Tembisa, Johannesburg, where two hundred children from poor African families are being educated.

Greek Orthodox and Roman Catholic pilgrims at the Phanar

On Wednesday, March 17, 2010, secondary school students from Italy and Greece visited His All Holiness at the Phanar.

Source: www.patriarchate.org

Metropolitan Hilarion completes his visit to France

Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate's department for external church relations, took part on 2 March 2010 in the inauguration of the Holy Rus exhibition at the Louvre, which was opened by the Presidents of Russia and France. The idea to organize this exhibition was supported by the late Patriarch Alexy II in 2008 during a visit of Louvre Director Henri Loyrette to Moscow.

Greek Orthodox Church Patriarch Expresses Appreciation To Religious Tolerance In Ethiopia

Greek Orthodox Church Patriarch, His Beatitude Teodros II expressed appreciation to religious tolerance in Ethiopia. The Patriarch who was here on an eight-day visit to Ethiopia said up on his departure to home at the Addis Ababa Bole International Airport that he was impressed with the tolerance in which the various religious sects live with in the country.

Patriarch of Constantinople’s new encyclical defends Catholic-Orthodox dialogue

Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople's newest encyclical encourages dialogue between the Orthodox Church and other Christian churches and laments those who are "unacceptably fanatical" in challenging such dialogue. He specifically condemned the false rumors spread about Catholic-Orthodox dialogue. Patriarch Bartholomew's patriarchal and synodal encyclical was dated Feb. 21, Orthodoxy Sunday, when the Orthodox Church celebrates the defeat of the iconoclastic heresy.