Vartholomaios

Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomaios fulfilled a 10-year promise to mark Easter on the Turkish island of Imvros (Gokceada) where he was born.

In candle-lit masses held over three days, Vartholomaios presided over services that brought together Orthodox Christian believers from the island and abroad.

In what is seen as a blow to Moscow, Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomaios stated on Tuesday that he will cooperate with Lithuanian authorities to establish a new branch in the Baltic country to ensure that people of faith are no longer only under the supervision of the Russian church.

Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomaios said on Tuesday he would work with Lithuanian authorities to establish a new branch in the Baltic nation to ensure that believers are no longer under the sole supervision of Moscow.

Greek President Katerina Sakellaropoulou held a telephone call with Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomaios on Friday whom she thanked for wishing her well in her new post.
Sakellaropoulou also expressing her solidarity with the Greek diaspora and the Church amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomaios gave his blessings to Greek medical staff that are fighting the Covid-19 pandemic in a phone call on Friday with infectious disease expert and government adviser on the crisis Sotiris Tsiodras.

Education Minister Niki Kerameus paid a visit to the Istanbul-based Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomaios on Friday and also visited the Greek Orthodox Lyceum in the Phanar (known in Greek as the Great School of the Nation), the Zappeion School, as well as the Zografeion Lyceum.

Kerameus told Vartholomaios she visited the schools in order to express the support of her ministry.

Greek Archbishop Ieronymos informed the Holy Synod on Friday that he has refused an invitation from Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem to attend a meeting of Orthodox leaders.
According to a statement issued by the Holy Synod, Ieronymos refused the invite because the calling of such meetings of Orthodox leaders is the sole privilege of the ecumenical patriarch based in Istanbul.