International

Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew calls Resurrection message a ‘gospel of peace’ in Easter address

“The message of the Cross and the Resurrection resounds today as a Gospel of peace, reconciliation, and justice,” Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I said in his Easter pastoral message. His All-Holiness stressed the profound significance of the Resurrection, describing it as “the manifest victory of life over death, renews all creation, and opens to humanity the…

Apr 11, 2026Aurelian Iftimiu

Greek Orthodox Church reiterates opposition to same-sex marriage and adoption after court ruling

The Holy Synod of the Orthodox Church of Greece has reiterated its position on the recognition of civil same-sex marriages and the possibility for such couples to adopt children, the Orthodoxia News Agency reported. The statement comes after Greece’s Supreme Administrative Court ruled in March that the right of same-sex couples to adopt children is…

Apr 6, 2026Aurelian Iftimiu

Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew admitted to French Academy, warns on risks of AI to truth

Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I was admitted on Monday as an associate member of the French Academy, where he said the institution “places itself at the service of the principles of ethics and the common good.” The induction ceremony took place under the dome of the Académie Française, where His All-Holiness was formally received as an…

Apr 3, 2026Aurelian Iftimiu

Antioch Patriarchate urges Syrian authorities to act after attack on Christian city in Hama

The Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East has called on Syrian authorities to take action following an overnight attack on March 27–28 in the city of Al-Suqaylabiyah, in Syria’s western Hama region. Attack in Al-Suqaylabiyah The city was subjected to attacks and intimidation from surrounding areas, including acts of violence and vandalism…

Apr 3, 2026Aurelian Iftimiu

Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew says Akathist Hymn is ‘magnificent ode to freedom’ at Constantinople Conference

Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I said the Akathist Hymn is “a magnificent ode to freedom” at the opening of a conference marking 1,400 years since its first chanting. The event took place on Thursday, March 26, at the Marasli Patriarchal Urban School in Istanbul, Turkey, and was attended by hierarchs of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, clergy, diplomatic…

Apr 2, 2026Aurelian Iftimiu

Orthodox Churches and EU Officials mark 1,400 years of Akathist Hymn at Brussels event

Representatives of the Orthodox sister Churches and European Union institutions on Wednesday marked the 1,400th anniversary of the first chanting of the Akathist Hymn of the Mother of God at an event in Brussels. The gathering was organised by the Committee of Representatives of the Orthodox Churches to the European Union (CROCEU) and took place…

Apr 1, 2026Aurelian Iftimiu

Jerusalem Christian leaders issue Easter appeal for peace amid Middle East conflict

Leaders of the Christian communities in Jerusalem, including the Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem, issued a Paschal message calling for peace amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. The Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in Jerusalem underscored the gravity of the situation, stating that “a new and devastating regional war has once again plunged the…

Apr 1, 2026Aurelian Iftimiu

Georgian Church marks nine-day memorial for Patriarch Ilia II, highlights role in autocephaly recognition

Patriarch Ilia II of Georgia was commemorated on Wednesday, nine days after his repose, during a memorial service at the Patriarchal Sioni Cathedral in Tbilisi. The service was officiated by Metropolitan Shio of Senaki and Chkhorotsku, together with members of the Holy Synod of the Georgian Orthodox Church, in the presence of Georgia’s president, prime…

Mar 28, 2026Aurelian Iftimiu

Ecumenical Patriarchate issues encyclical for 1,400-Year Jubilee of Akathist Hymn: The sweetest delight of Christians

The Holy and Sacred Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate has issued an encyclical marking the 1,400th anniversary of the Akathist Hymn to the Theotokos, regarded as the first such hymnographic composition in the history of the Church. The hierarchs described the Akathist as “the most beloved hymn of our liturgical life, the sweetest delight of…

Mar 26, 2026Aurelian Iftimiu

Romanian pilgrims mark 1,400 years of Akathist Hymn at Blachernae Church in Constantinople

A group of Romanian pilgrims prayed on Wednesday at the Church of the Virgin Mary of Blachernae in Constantinople, marking 1,400 years since the first chanting of the Akathist Hymn to the Mother of God. The pilgrimage, organised by the Romanian Patriarchate’s Basilica Travel Agency, is taking place over four days and includes visits to…

Mar 26, 2026Aurelian Iftimiu

Ecumenical Patriarch says no one identified more with Georgia than Patriarch Ilia II

His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I said on Sunday in Tbilisi that no one had identified more closely with Georgia than Patriarch Ilia II of blessed memory. In his address at the funeral service for Patriarch Ilia, His All-Holiness underscored the magnitude of the loss, stating: “How could we not deeply mourn the departure of…

Mar 26, 2026Aurelian Iftimiu