Eastern Orthodox Church

The Istanbul-based Ecumenical Patriarchate has called for a dialogue among Orthodox churches regarding Holy Communion and how it should be administered amid the health concerns stemming from the coronavirus pandemic.

President Klaus Iohannis on Wednesday sent a letter to the Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church (BOR) Daniel saying that the demise of Archbishop Pimen of Suceava and Radauti brings great sadness upon the entire BOR and that he was "a gifted priest" who "dedicated his efforts to preserve the Romanian identity." "I want to express my sincere condolences to Your Beatitude, to the high hierar

The former bishop of Kalavryta Amvrosios on Thursday threatened to kick Education Minister Niki Kerameus out of the Greek Orthodox Church unless she takes back a statement suggesting that Holy Communion may be dangerous in the coronavirus pandemic.

The Turkish Red Crescent delivered 100 food packages to an Istanbul church as part of measures to combat the novel coronavirus, the aid agency said on April 30. 

Altimermer Greek Orthodox Church in Istanbul's historic Fatih district received the supplies of basic necessities that will be distributed to the city's Greek Orthodox minority community.

While unfathomable to some, among Orthodox Christians in Greece and elsewhere Dimitra's ambivalence is unsurprising given the mixed messages that came from church clergy.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic on Wednesday said there would be no relaxation of curfew rules in Serbia over Orthodox Easter this weekend - after the Church asked for the weekend curfew to be lifted on Sunday from 5am to 10am to let believers leave home and attend churches for the liturgy.

In Eastern Orthodoxy this day, known as Holy Saturday, is also called The Great Sabbath since it is on this day that Christ "rested" physically in the tomb. But it is also believed that it was on this day he performed in spirit the Harrowing of Hell and raised up to Paradise, having liberated those who had been held captive.

A priest at a Greek Orthodox church in Nea Kios in the northern Peloponnese conducts the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist at the Last Supper late on Wednesday night. The service was broadcast live online as it was conducted without a congregation, following the closure of all places of worship by the government on March 20 as part of efforts to contain the spread of the coronavirus.

Faith in the Resurrection helps us not lose hope in the face of adversity, but to ask the crucified and risen Christ for help, Patriarch Daniel of the Romanian Christian Orthodox Church (BOR) says in his Easter pastoral letter to the Christian Orthodox believers.

Although the Orthodox church hierarchies in Serbia and Romania have accepted a ban on worshippers gathering for religious services, some of their most prominent figures have been asking governments to make an exception and allow believers to take part in Easter ceremonies.