Constantinople

Martyr Aquilina of Byblos in Syria; Triphyllius the Bishop of Leucosia (Fish permitted)

Orthodox Calendar, June 13 Holy Martyr Aquilina Anative of the Phoenician city of Byblos, she suffered under the emperor Diocletian (284-305). Her parents raised her in Christian piety. When the girl was only twelve years old, she persuaded a pagan friend to convert to Christ. One of the servants of the imperial governor Volusian accused…

Jun 13, 2026basilica.ro

Romanian priest in Constantinople pays tribute to football coach Mircea Lucescu

Fr Sergiu Marcel Vlad, parish priest of the only Romanian Orthodox church in Constantinople, on Wednesday described Mircea Lucescu as a “successful sportsman, brilliant manager, refined intellectual and benefactor.” “The news of the passing into eternal life of Mr Mircea Lucescu has deeply saddened us, marking our separation from a complex personality,” the priest told…

Apr 8, 2026Aurelian Iftimiu

Ecumenical Patriarch to attend patronal feast of Romanian parish in Constantinople

On Friday, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople will participate in the patronal feast of the Romanian parish in Constantinople, celebrating Saint Paraskevi of Rome. “At 9:00 AM, the Matins Service will begin, followed by the Divine Liturgy. His Holiness Bartholomew I, the Ecumenical Patriarch, will be present at this moment of profound Christian experience,” announced…

Jul 25, 2024Aurelian Iftimiu

Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew meets with Romanian pilgrims in Constantinople

His Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew has received a group of Romanian pilgrims from the Archdiocese of Buzau and Vrancea led by His Eminence Archbishop Ciprian. Patriarch Bartholomew expressed his joy over the meeting and referred to his love for Romanian Orthodox believers as well as to his personal connection with the Romanian Orthodox Church and…

Sep 29, 2019Aurelian Iftimiu

Ecumenical Patriarch: There is a ‘virtual priesthood’ that wants more showing-off than self-sacrifice

Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew cautioned Tuesday the clergy of the Archdiocese of Constantinople that there is a ‘virtual priesthood’ that wants to show off rather than to sacrifice themselves. On Tuesday, April 17, His Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew convened for the first time the Synaxis (Conference) of priests and deacons in Turkey at the Balukli Monastery…

Apr 19, 2018Aurelian Iftimiu

In pictures: Ecumenical Patriarchate celebrates 1175th Sunday of Orthodoxy

His Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew Sunday presided over the Divine Liturgy celebrated at the St George Patriarchal Cathedral at the Phanar in Constantinople, the city where Orthodox hierarchs gathered in a Holy Synod and restored holy icons for the use in services and private devotional life of Christians after a century-long ecclesiastical differences. Bishop Adrian…

Feb 27, 2018Aurelian Iftimiu

In pictures: New Metropolitan of Symi ordained at the Ecumenical Patriarchate

His Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew celebrated Sunday the Divine Liturgy at the St George Cathedral in the Phanar, during which Metropolitan-elect Chrysostom of Symi was ordained to the episcopate. During its February 7 working session, the Holy Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate elected the Very Rev. Archimandrite Chrysostomos Pitsis, Chancellor of the Holy Metropolis of…

Feb 13, 2018Aurelian Iftimiu

A profile of Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and all Russia

His Beatitude Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia (secular name Vladimir M. Gundyaev) was born on November 20, 1946, in Leningrad. After graduation from school, he entered the Leningrad Seminary and later the Leningrad Theological Academy, from which he graduated cum laude in 1970. On April 3, 1969, Metropolitan Nikodim (Rotov) of Leningrad and Novgorod tonsured…

Oct 26, 2017Gheorghe Anghel

Romanians in Turkey offer prayers to Virgin Martyr Paraskeva on her feast day

Romanian Orthodox faithful living in Istanbul gathered Wednesday, 26 July 2017, at St Paraskeva – Pikridion Church to honour the feast of the Holy Virgin Martyr Paraskeva of Rome. On the patronal feast of the Romanian parish in Istanbul, His Eminence Elpidophoros, Metropolitan of Bursa, presided over the Divine Liturgy with Fr Sergiu-Marcel Vlad, rector…

Jul 27, 2017Aurelian Iftimiu

The visit of His Beatitude the Patriarch of Jerusalem to Constantinople and Cappadocia

The visit of His Beatitude our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos at the Ecumenical Patriarchate and later on to Cappadocia began on Friday, 16th June 2017. According to www.jp-newsgate.net, His Beatitude was invited by the All-Holy Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomeos for this visit, as the latter has undertaken pilgrimage tours to Churches and Holy Monasteries…

Jun 20, 2017Iulian Dumitraşcu

Metropolitan Rastislav of Czech Lands and Slovakia, on first irenic visit to Constantinople

Metropolitan Rastislav began Friday, 13 May 2016, his first irenic visit to the Orthodox Church of Constantinople, as Primate of the Orthodox Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia, the Press Office of the Ecumenical Patriarchate reported. The official reception of the delegation of the Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia took place the…

May 17, 2016Aurelian Iftimiu