Inauguration of the Church of St. Catherine in Amsterdam by the Ecumenical Patriarch

The Consecration of St. Catherine, in the suburb of Zandam, Amsterdam, was celebrated by Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, on Tuesday afternoon, November 5, 2019, after attending the Ecological Conference “Amsterdam International Water Week“.

The parish of St. Catherine is a continuation of the historic Amsterdam Orthodox Parish, founded in the 18th century by Greek merchants, and after an interruption of many years, it was re-established and acquired its own privately owned church in a suburb of the Dutch capital. The church was purchased by the Holy Metropolis of Belgium and the Exarchate of the Netherlands and Luxembourg two years ago, with the contribution of the flock of the Metropolis and the assistance of the Roman Catholic Church.

The Ecumenical Patriarch and his procession were welcomed to the church porch by the holy clergy and faithful from Amsterdam and the surrounding area, while Metropolitan Athenagoras of Belgium welcomed him officially in his address and thanked him for the great blessing to visit the small parish of St. Catherine and for his personal donation for the purchase of the temple.

Source: Metropolis of Belgium