Papst Franziskus hat erneut der orthodoxen Kirche Reliquien geschenkt. Diesmal ließ er der bulgarisch-orthodoxen Kirche durch den Apostolischen Nuntius in Sofia, Erzbischof Anselmo Guido Pecorari, Reliquien des Heiligen Papstes Klemens (gestorben um 97) sowie des Märtyrers Potitus (gestorben im Jahr 160) überreichen. Das berichtete die in Wien beheimatete kirchliche Stiftung Pro Oriente. Clemens war einer der ersten Päpste, Potitus erlitt im 2. Jahrhundert unter Kaiser Antoninus Pius den Märt...

Fr Prof. Ioan Sauca has been appointed acting World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary beginning 1 April. Sauca, who currently serves as deputy general secretary for the WCC programme on Ecumenical Formation and Bossey Ecumenical Institute, will hold the general secretary post until the WCC Executive Committee meets in June. The leadership of the WCC Central Committee decided to postpone the full WCC Central Committee meeting, once slated for 18-24 March, along with the Executive Com...

In the Holy Synod convened on Friday, February 21 2020, by His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos III various matters relating to the Patriarchate’s ministry were discussed, including the pending matter with the Patriarchate of Antioch relating to Qatar. It was asserted by Patriarch Theophilos that since the two Primates met together mid last year in Cyprus dialogue has been taking place between the two Patriarchates on the matter. In yesterday’s Synod, Patriarch Theophilos positively commended ...

On Saturday, February 29, 2020, His Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople celebrated his 80th birthday. Born Demetrios Archondonis on 29 February 1940 on the island of Imvros (today, Gökçeada, Turkey), His All-Holiness Bartholomew was elected in October 1991 as the 270th Archbishop of the 2000-year-old Church founded by St. Andrew, serving as Archbishop of Constantinople-New Rome and Ecumenical Patriarch. The personal experience and theological formation of the Ecu...

This morning, at 09:15 Italian time, Pope Francis met with His Beatitude Sviatoslav. The meeting was held at St. Martha's House in the Vatican, in the Holy Father's private office. Secretariat of the Head of the UGCC in Rome report. His Beatitude Sviatoslav informed the Holy Father Francis about the preparation for the Patriarchal Sobor of the UGCC on the subject of emigration, settlement, and global unity of the UGCC. He also told the Pope about the implementation of the decisions of last ye...

A new Orthodox TV station, NIKA TV, will soon be launched in Moldova for the edification of the faithful and general public. More than 95% of Moldovans identify as Orthodox Christians. The Metropolis of Chișinău and All Moldova of the Russian Orthodox Church announced on Monday that “a local Orthodox Christian TV station will soon start its activity on the territory of the Republic of Moldova.” The license for NIKA TV was approved by the Broadcasting Council of the Republic of Moldova last we...

A new online project presents 2.2 million digital records from the spiritual and cultural treasures of Mt. Athos. The site Athos Digital Heritage presents an estimated 200,000 documents (556,795 digital records), 3,300 manuscripts (908,336 digital records), and 1,512 incunabula—early printed books (450,473 digital records). The collection also includes high quality photos of embroideries, portable icons, metalwork art, architectural designs, sculptures, coins, ceramics, folklore items, postag...

Der Ökumenische Patriarch Bartholomaios hat gegenüber einer Delegation des Patriarchats von Jerusalem erneut seine Ablehnung eines Treffens der orthodoxen Oberhäupter in Amman bekundet. Die Delegation hatte versucht, Bartholomaios von der Wichtigkeit eines Treffens zu überzeugen, das Theophilos III. von Jerusalem angeregt hat. Dieser hat die Leiter der Lokalkirchen eingeladen, vom 25. bis 27. Februar in Jordanien die Ukraine-Frage zu diskutieren.

Der polnische Primas und Delegierte der Polnischen Bischofskonferenz (KEP) für den Schutz der Kinder und Jugendlichen, Erzbischof Wojciech Polak, hat die Öffentlichkeit über die aktuellen Aktivitäten der Kirche bei der Verhinderung von sexuellem Missbrauch durch Geistliche unterrichtet. Im Mittelpunkt standen dabei die Tätigkeiten der neu gegründeten St. Joseph-Stiftung, die landesweit durchgeführten Schulungen, die Unterstützung der Diözesen bei der Erarbeitung von Grundsätzen der Prävention...