The Sunday of Pascha at the Ecumenical Patriarchate
On the morning of the Sunday of Pascha, 5 May 2024, the Vespers of Love took place in a festive atmosphere.
His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, after vesting in the Hierarchical vestments in the Throne Room of the Patriarchate, surrounded by the Hierarchs, Metropolitan Athenagoras of Vize, Metropolitan Meliton of Philadelphia, Metropolitan Irinaios of Myriophytos and Peristasis, Metropolitan Theoliptos of Iconium, Metropolitan Theodoros of Seleucia and His Grace Bishop Tychon of Tiverioupolis, Hierarch from the Church of Bulgaria, as well as from the clergy of the Patriarchal Court, made his way down to the Patriarchal Church of Saint George and presided over the Vespers of Love.
The Patriarch, from the Synthronon, read the First Gospel in Greek and then it was read, by Hierarchs and clergy of the Throne, as well as representatives of other Christian communities of Constantinople, in various languages.
Also present for the Vespers were the Ambassadors of Greece and Ukraine in Ankara, Messrs. Theodoros Bizakis and Vasyl Bodnar, respectively, the Consuls General of these two countries in Constantinople, His Excellency Ambassador Mr. Konstantinos Koutras, and Mr. Roman Nedilskyi, with their families and associates, as well as representatives of the Consulates General of Bulgaria, Georgia, Sweden and Australia, Archons of the Ecumenical Throne, and a multitude of believers from Constantinople and abroad.
After the Dismissal of the Vespers, His All-Holiness distributed red Easter eggs to the crowded congregation.
At the reception that followed in the Throne Room, a delegation of the Official Opposition Party of Turkey, CHP, also came to express to His All-Holiness and the Greek Community of the Ecumenical Patriarchate their warm wishes for the Feast Day of Pascha. The delegation was headed by the President of the Local Organisation of the City Mr. Özgür Çelik, as well as the Mayors of Beyoğlu (Pera) Mr. İnan Güney, of Şişli Mr. Resul Emrah Şahan, and of Beşiktaş Mr. Rıza Akpolat, with their partners.
