Free Republic

Calling for Patriarch Kirill's resignation, Patriarch Bartholomew has accused the Russian Church head of supporting the alleged "political crimes" of the Moscow government. According to a recent report, he said it would be better to resign than to support the war. He urged Patriarch Kirill to "separate himself" from Moscow authorities, "even if this means stepping down from the episcopal throne." Meanwhile, many clergy in Ukraine have openly condemned Patriarch Bartholomew's attack on the Ukrainian Orthodox Church over the past several years, noting that his divisive actions have contributed in part to the current hostilities between Russia and Ukraine. Metropolitan...

On November 12, Patriarch Bartholomew participated in the Vespers service at the Catholic Abbey of Our Lady of St. Rémy in Rochefort, Belgium, together with Archimandrite Alexios, the abbot of Xenophontos Monastery, and Hieromonk Theophilos of Pantocrator Monastery, both on Mt. Athos. According to a new report from the Union of Orthodox Journalists, during his trip to Mt. Athos the previous month, Pat. Bartholomew attempted to convince several Athonite abbots and monks that there are no dogmatic differences between Orthodoxy and Catholicism, and that reunion with the Catholic church is inevitable. Pat. Bartholomew expressed his personal convictions during a private...

On Wednesday, February 6, 2019, His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras met at the Halki Theological School and issued a strong call for the reopening of the School, as His All-Holiness spoke of the “high symbolism” of the presence of the Greek Prime Minister. “We welcome you with joy and exultation in this historic place and thank you for your participation in this meeting,” said His All-Holiness, who attended the Halki Theological School, as he welcomed Tsipras there. Tsipras became the first serving Greek Prime Minister to visit the seminary. The visit fell on the...