Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew in Nicaea of Bithynia

His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, accompanied by members of the Holy and Sacred Synod, other hierarchs, and his staff, traveled to Nicaea in Bithynia on Monday, 10 February 2025, on the occasion of the 1700th anniversary of the First Ecumenical Council.

Upon arrival in the historic city, the Ecumenical Patriarch and his entourage visited the City Hall where they were warmly welcomed by the Mayor, Mr. Kağan Mehmet Usta, along with the Deputy Mayors and municipal officials.

During the meeting, the significance of the anniversary and the importance of the commemorations for the city of Nicaea were discussed.

At noon, the Mayor of İznik hosted a luncheon in honour of the Ecumenical Patriarch and his delegation. After the meal, he accompanied them on visits to the ruins of the Byzantine Palace, where the First Ecumenical Council was convened, and to the remains of the Basilica of St. Neophytos the Martyr.

During their stay in Nicaea, the Ecumenical Patriarch, the Hierarchs and the other members of the Patriarchal delegation visited the Basilica of Hagia Sophia, which today partially functions as an Islamic mosque, the ruins of the Church of the Dormition of the Theotokos and its nearby Holy Spring, the Archaeological Museum, as well as the Leukê and Constantinople Gates along the Byzantine walls of the city.

Source: orthodoxtimes.com