The Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew led the Divine Liturgy on December 6, 2024, in honor of Saint Nicholas, Archbishop of Myra in Lycia, the Wonderworker, at the church named after him in the Balat district of Constantinople. This church serves the spiritual needs of the Ukrainian-speaking community in Constantinople.
In his sermon, the Patriarch referred to the significant announcement made by his predecessor, Patriarch Athenagoras, on December 6, 1963, from the same church. Patriarch Athenagoras had announced his intention to meet Pope Paul VI in Jerusalem the following month. Reflecting on this historic moment, Patriarch Bartholomew spoke about the progress made in the relations between the Orthodox and Roman Catholic Churches over the past six decades.
He mentioned upcoming joint celebrations with the Church of Rome to mark the 1,700th anniversary of the First Ecumenical Council of Nicaea and expressed hope for a unified Easter celebration date between the Orthodox and Roman Catholic Churches. The Patriarch also addressed concerns from Orthodox Christians regarding this proposal, emphasizing that it would only involve the date of Easter and not a liturgical concelebration.
The Patriarch also offered prayers for the Russian clergy and laity supporting persecuted Orthodox in Ukraine, urging for peace and justice in the region. He thanked Archimandrite Methodios for his dedication to the Ukrainian-speaking community in Constantinople and praised Bishop Adrianos of Alicarnassos for his support.
In conclusion, the Patriarch remembered the late Nikolaos Petropellis and Nikolaos Manginas, honoring their contributions to the Church, and acknowledged Deacon Epiphanios Kamyanovich for delivering the homily during the Divine Liturgy.
Among the attendees at the event were Metropolitan Joachim of Bursa, the Consul General of Ukraine in Constantinople Roman Nedilskyi, Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, members of the Ukrainian community, and pilgrims from abroad.
Photo credit: Nikos Papachristou