Phanar: The celebration of the Patronal Feast of the Ecumenical Patriarch

On the commemoration of the Holy Glorious Apostles Bartholomew and Barnabas, the day of the venerable Patriarchal Name Day, His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew presided on Wednesday, 11 June 2025, at the Patriarchal Church during the Divine Liturgy, which was celebrated, according to order, by the Grand Protosyncellus Archimandrite Fr. Gregorios.

Also present and celebrating with His All-Holiness were Their Eminences, Elder Metropolitan Emmanuel of Chalcedon, Elder Metropolitan Apostolos of Derkoi, Elder Metropolitan Dimitrios of Princes’ Islands, Metropolitan Meliton of Philadelphia, Metropolitan Seraphim of Sevasteia, Metropolitan Damaskinos of Didymoteicho, Soufli and Orestiada, Metropolitan Panteleimon of Xanthi, Metropolitan Irinaios of Myriophytos and Peristasis, Metropolitan Chrysostomos of Myra, Metropolitan Theodoritos of Laodicea, Metropolitan Theoliptos of Iconium, Metropolitan Kyrillos of Rhodes, Metropolitan Chrysostomos of Patra, Archbishop Evgenios of Crete, Metropolitan Kyrillos of Krini, Metropolitan Nathanael of Kos and Nisyros, Metropolitan Stephanos of Kallioupolis and Madytos, Metropolitan Athenagoras of Kydonia, Metropolitan Panteleimon of Maroneia and Komotini, Metropolitan Job of Pisidia, Metropolitan Cleopas of Sweden and All Scandinavia, Metropolitan Maximos of Ioannina, Metropolitan Maximos of Selyvria, Metropolitan Gerasimos of Petra and Cherronesos, Metropolitan Chrysostomos of Symi, Metropolitan Prodromos of Rethymno and Avlopotamos, Metropolitan Andreas of Forty Churches, Metropolitan Ioakeim of Bursa and Metropolitan Theodoros of Seleucia.

Also present and joined in prayer during the Divine Liturgy were, Archimandrite Georgios Christodoulou, Chief-Secretary of the Holy Synod of the Church of Cyprus, representing His Beatitude Archbishop Georgios of Cyprus. As well as, His Eminence Metropolitan Joseph of Benos Aires, Their Graces, Bishop Adrianos of Halicarnassus, Bishop Ambrosios of Evdokia, Bishop Benjamin of Tralee, and Bishop Paisios of Xanthoupolis, Bishop of the Roman Catholics in Constantinople, Most Rev. Massimiliano Palinuro, monks and nuns, Archons of the Great Church of Christ, headed by the General Secretary of the Brotherhood “Panagia Pammakaristos”, Archon Didaskalos of the Nation, Mr. Konstantinos Delikostantis, Ambassador, Mr. Konstantinos Koutras, Consul-General of Greece in Constantinople, Mr. Roman Nedilskyi, Consul-General of Ukraine, students of the Greek Orthodox schools of Constantinople, together with their teachers, and a multitude of believers.

After the Dismissal, His All-Holiness was addressed on behalf of the venerable Hierarchy of the Throne by His Eminence Elder Metropolitan Emmanuel of Chalcedon.

His All-Holiness, in his speech, after thanking all the Hierarchs for their presence, stated:

“The feast is primarily a time of praise to the God of love for his saving gifts. “The essence of a feast is the remembrance of God,” notes Gregory the Theologian (Speech 19 on the Holy Lights, PG 36, 345). It is also an experience of life as communion, as a good and pleasant encounter face to face with our fellow human beings. As we celebrate, we celebrate together. The uncelebrated life is not consistent with the tradition of our faith, through which our life is a relationship, since we are beings created in the image of the Triune God, who is, as the late Metropolitan John of Pergamon writes, “the most anti-individualistic God, the most ‘social’ God, the God of relationships” (Kosmou Lytron, Megara 2014, p. 209). Saint Nicholas Cabasilas calls God “a common good”, the Church “a community of relationships” and “a community of deification”. In the Church, freedom is shared, obedience is shared, and salvation is shared. Life in Christ is a ‘culture of personhood and solidarity.’ Our salvation presupposes the salvation of the other – our neighbour, the entire world – and the world’s transformation. This lies at the heart of our faith (N. Berdyaev, The Divine and the Human, Thessaloniki 1982, p. 279).”

The Ecumenical Patriarch then referred to key events of the past year: “The year that has passed since our previous gathering here has been full of divine blessings and gifts from the omnipotent, all-seeing, and all-merciful God, who alone has performed and continues to perform wonders with us. We have ministered to the Mother Church, to her faithful children both in this City of Cities and throughout the Lord’s domain, striving – with divine aid – to safeguard the most precious inheritance we have received from our Fathers, remaining unwaveringly faithful to the doctrinal and canonical tradition of the Great Church of Christ, always seeking to highlight her offering and witness. We glorify the God of love who has deemed us worthy to solemnly celebrate the 1700th anniversary of the First Ecumenical Council held in Nicaea. We rejoice that together with the successor of the late Pope Francis of Rome – Pope Leo XIV – we will travel to Nicaea to commemorate this historic anniversary. The new Pope will also visit the See of the Church of Constantinople on its patronal feast day. We pray and labour that the unity of our Churches may be continually renewed, for the glory of God and the increase of divine knowledge.”

“A source of joy and good hope is also the progress being made on the vital issue of the reopening of the Theological School of Halki. We eagerly await the coming of that great and glorious day of the Lord.”

The Patriarch then referred specifically to his recent visit to Munich, where he was honoured by two Roman Catholic institutions. He noted that during the discussions held there: “There was widespread concern that today- 35 years after the pivotal geopolitical shift of 1989 and the hopeful expectations it brought – humanity faces man-made global climate catastrophe, ongoing economic crisis, war, violence, terrorism, dangerous geopolitical strategies, migration, and other great and intractable problems. The pressing need remains for social cohesion, solidarity, and peace. In light of all these, one question arises urgently: What must be the position and contribution of the Church and of religion?”

And the Patriarch continued:

“It is certain that our Orthodox faith, in the face of such complex issues, does not permit pessimism. We hold with unshakable conviction that the future belongs to Christ, who is ‘the same yesterday and today and forever’ (Hebrews 13:8), and that His Church will remain through the ages as the witness of the grace that has come and the foretaste of the fullness and brilliance of the Kingdom to come – the Kingdom of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. The Church will remain a testimony ‘to the mighty acts of God and the doctrines of the Trinity.’ This faith that Christ governs all does not, of course, mean that we Christians may remain spectators of human affairs. The word of Christ to His people is abundantly clear: ‘Blessed are the peacemakers… You are the salt of the earth… You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden… You shall love your neighbour as yourself.’

We are called to give a bold and constant witness to the hope that is within us. Clearly, the philosopher’s maxim “Live unnoticed” is not the proper response to God’s call. The Christian does not shut himself in, but steps forward dynamically into society and the world. As it has rightly been said, ‘We cannot journey toward God while turning our backs on our fellow human beings.’”

Concluding his address, the Patriarch thanked the Hierarchs and the faithful for their warm wishes and expressions of love, which give him strength to continue his ministry to the Church.

After the Divine Liturgy, the Ecumenical Patriarch received the greetings and festive gift of the esteemed Hierarchy of the Ecumenical Throne, as well as those of the clergy and lay members of the Patriarchal Court, led by the Grand Protosyncellus Archimandrite Gregorios, who offered words of greeting to which the Patriarch responded with paternal affection.

He also received a delegation from the Holy Eparchial Synod of the Church of Crete, led by Archbishop Evgenios, who conveyed the heartfelt wishes of the Hierarchy, clergy, and faithful of this province of the Throne.

On the eve of the Feast

On the eve of the feast, the Ecumenical Patriarch officiated at the Great Vespers, joined in prayer by a multitude of Hierarchs of the Ecumenical Throne, clergy, monastics, Archons of the Great Church of Christ, the Consuls General of Greece and Ukraine with their staff, and faithful from the City and abroad.

At the conclusion of Vespers, the Patriarch offered a Trisagion memorial service for the Teacher of the Nation, Hieromonk Bartholomew Koutloumousianos of Imbros (1772–1851).

Immediately afterward, a reception was held in the courtyard of the Patriarchate, during which His All-Holiness received the respects and congratulations of the large gathering of clergy and laity.

Later, in the Hall of the Panagia of the Patriarchal House, the official presentation took place of the program titled: “Model Interdisciplinary Development and Transfer of Expertise and Collaboration for the Restoration of Iconic Monuments and the Promotion of Christian Values in Dialogue with Society (‘Το Εύλογον’).”

The event was addressed by the Ecumenical Patriarch and, via recorded message, by Greece’s Minister of Development, Mr. Takis Theodorikakos. The program was presented by Emeritus Professor of the National Technical University of Athens, Ms. Antonia Moropoulou, and Archon Hieromnemon of the Ecumenical Throne and General Director of the Orthodox Academy of Crete, Mr. Konstantinos Zorbas.

Photographs: Nikos Papachristou