Head of Russian Orthodox Exarchate in Western Europe Retires

Archbishop Gabriel (de Vylder) of Comana, head of the Russian Orthodox Exarchate of Western Europe under the Church of Constantinople, has announced his retirement as ruling hierarch of the exarchate due to ongoing health issues. The archbishop's retirement is effective 15 January, although he will be commemorated by the Exarchate until the Ecumenical Patriarchate appoints a locum tenens. More here. Archbishop Gabriel's announcement of his retirement can be found here.

New ACROD Bishop Consecrated, Enthroned

Bishop-elect Gregory (Tatsis) of Nyssa has been consecrated to the episcopacy and enthroned as ruling bishop of the American Carpatho-Rusyn Orthodox Diocese (ACROD) in services led by Greek Orthodox Archbishop Demetrius (Trakatellis) of New York and concelebrated by Metropolitan Anthony (Scherba) of Hierapolis of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA (UOCUSA) and the Diaspora, Metropolitans Alexis (Panagiotopoulos) of Atlanta and Sabbas (Zembillas) of Pittsburgh of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, and Bishop Daniel (Zelinskyy) of Pamphilon of the UOCUSA. Axios! Bishop Gregory is the fourth hierarch of the ACROD. More here.

New ACROD Bishop Formally Elected in Constantinople

The Holy Synod of the Constantinopolitan Orthodox Church has formally elected Greek-American Archimandrite Grigorios (Tatsis) as Bishop of Nyssa and the American Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Diocese. Ordained to the priesthood in 2007, prior to his nomination and election to the episcopacy Bishop-elect Gregory served as a parish priest in the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Atlanta for a little under a year and a half.

The date of the bishop-elect's consecration, to be held at the diocesan cathedral in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, has yet to be determined. More here.

Serbian Orthodox Metropolitan Returns to Argentina

Metropolitan Amphilochius (Radovic) of the Orthodox Church in Montenegro has begun a pastoral visit to the Serbian Orthodox Diocese of Buenos Aires and South America, of which he is currently administrator per the decision of the Serbian Orthodox Holy Synod when it established the new diocese. Traveling with Metropolitan Amphilochius were two priests newly assigned to Serbian Orthodox parishes in Argentina.

In addition to his visits to Argentina's Serbian Orthodox parishes Metropolitan Amphilochius will also concelebrate at the consecration of a new auxiliary bishop for the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Buenos Aires. More here.

Future Bishop of Scopelos Formally Elected at the Phanar

Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew (Arhondonis) of Constantinople has received Bishop-elect Pancratius (Dubas) at the Phanar, where his formal election as Bishop of Scopelos was conducted in the patriarchal Church of St. George. Bishop-elect Pancratius will serve primarily Ukrainian-speaking faithful of the Metropolis of Mexico City. More here.

Chicago Priest Elected Bishop of Scopelos

The Holy Synod of the Constantinopolitan Orthodox Church has elected Archimandrite Pankratij (Dubas), rector of Chicago's Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral of St. Volodymyr, as Bishop of Scopelos and auxiliary to Metropolitan Athenagoras (Anastasiadis) of Mexico City. Axios!

Roughly 17,000 Ukrainians have immigrated to the countries comprising the territory of the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Mexico City in recent years and Bishop-elect Pancratius will be responsible for the Metropolis' outreach to them. Further information will be linked as it becomes available.

Istanbul Government Attempts to Divide City's Christians in Property Offer

It has emerged that the Istanbul city government, in an attempt to induce infighting between Turkey's Orthodox Christian minorities, has offered the Syriac Orthodox Church properties belonging to the Constantinopolitan and Armenian Orthodox Churches for the establishment of its first permanent parish church in Constantinople. More here.

ACROD Clergy Gather to Nominate New Bishop

Please keep the clergy of the American Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Diocese in your prayers today as they gather under their locum tenens, Archbishop Demetrius (Trakatellis) of New York and the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America to nominate a candidate for election by the Constantinopolitan Orthodox Holy Synod as their next bishop. The website for the nomination assembly can be found here.

Turkish Imam Calls for Reopening of Halki

Imam Mehmet Gormez, head of the Turkish government's Religious Affairs Directorate, has publicly called on the Turkish government to allow the Halki Theological Seminary to reopen during his visit today to the seat of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Constantinople. More here.

ACROD Announces Nomination Assembly

The American Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Diocese (ACROD) has announced that a special assembly of diocesan clergy will be held this July to nominate a candidate for election as bishop of the ACROD by the Holy Synod of the Constantinopolitan Orthodox Church. Several candidates have been nominated, but the press release from the ACROD only noted a Greek-American nominee, Archimandrite Grigorios Tatsis, by name. Fr. Grigorios is apparently the candidate approved by the ACROD's locum tenens, Archbishop Demetrios (Trakatellis) of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America. More here.

Australian PM Visits the Phanar

Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard has visited the Ecumenical Patriarchate as part of her recent state visit to Turkey, meeting with Patriarch Bartholomew (Arhondonis) during her time at the Phanar. During their meeting the two discussed interreligious and inter-cultural dialogue worldwide as well as the environmental work of the Ecumenical Patriarchate. More here.

Halki Seminary to Reopen

According to US President Barack Obama the Turkish government has committed to reopened the Holy Trinity Theological Seminary on Halki, used by the Constantinopolitan Orthodox Church to train clergymen in Turkey until the Seminary's closure in 1971. The Seminary's reopening is a key step towards Turkish membership in the European Union. More here.

First Metropolitan of Singapore Consecrated in Constantinople

Patriarch Bartholomew (Arhondonis) of Constantinople has consecrated Archimandrite Constantine Tsilis as the first Metropolitan of Singapore. Axios! Metropolitan Constantine will oversee the Constantinopolitan Orthodox Church in the East Indies and South Asia. More here.

New Greek Orthodox Auxiliary Bishop for the USA Elected in Constantinople

The Holy Synod the Constantinopolitan Orthodox Church has elected Archimandrite Sevastianos (Skordallos) as Bishop of Zela and auxiliary to Archbishop Demetrios (Trakatellis) of New York of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America. Axios! Bishop-elect Sevastianos, a native of Cyprus, is to be consecrated to the episcopacy this coming Saturday by Archbishop Demetrios and other hierarchs of the Constantinopolitan Orthodox Church in North America. More here and here.

Hong Kong Metropolis Marks 15 Years

The Metropolis of Hong Kong and Southeast Asia of the Ecumenical Patriarchate has marked the 15th anniversary of its foundation by the Holy Synod of the Constantinopolitan Orthodox Church. Since its establishment the Metropolis has grown to include 47 parishes, missions, and monasteries in Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, and Taiwan. More (in Greek) here.

Patriarch of Constantinople Celebrates 20th Anniversary of Election

Patriarch Bartholomew (Arhondonis) of Constantinople has marked the 20th anniversary of his election to the throne of St. Andrew, with Catholicos-Patriarch Ilia II (Gudushauri-Shiolashvili) of the Georgian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Irinej (Gavrilovic) of the Serbian Orthodox Church, and Archbishop Anastasios (Yannoulatos) of the Albanian Orthodox Church and hierarchs from the Constantinopolitan Orthodox Church in Greece, Western Europe, and North America and the Russian Orthodox Church participating in the celebrations organized at the Phanar. More (in Greek) here.

In Memoriam: Metropolitan Michael of Vienna

Metropolitan Michael (Staikos) of Vienna has fallen asleep in the Lord at the age of sixty-five. Metropolitan Michael, a native of Athens, was educated in Athens, Vienna, and Thessalonica. From 1965 onwards he served in various capacities in the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Vienna, being elected an auxiliary of the metropolis in 1985 and in late 1991 being elected Metropolitan of Vienna by the Holy Synod of the Constantinopolitan Orthodox Church. May his memory be eternal! More (in Bulgarian) on his life and recent repose can be found here.

Paris Cathedral Celebrates 150th Anniversary

The Cathedral of St. Alexander of the Neva in Paris has celebrated the 150th anniversary of its consecration this past Sunday. The celebratory services were led by Archbishop Gabriel (de Vylder) of Comana, ruling hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Exarchate of Western Europe, and concelebrated by four other ruling and auxiliary hierarchs of the Constantinopolitan, Antiochian, and American Orthodox Churches and the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad. Four other hierarchs of the Constantinopolitan, Serbian, and Romanian Orthodox Churches were also present at the services.

The celebrations were well attended, and following the Sunday Liturgy the ruling metropolitan of the Constantinopolitan Orthodox Church in France, Metropolitan Emmanuel (Adamakis) of Paris, read a congratulatory message to the cathedral parish from Patriarch Bartholomew (Arhondonis). More (in French) here.

In Memoriam: Metropolitan Emilianos of Kos

Retired Metropolitan Emilianos of Kos and Nisyros of the Constantinopolitan Orthodox Church in Greece fell asleep today at a nursing home in Athens. Metropolitan Emilianos was a graduate of the Halki Theological Seminary and in addition to a number of assignments served as the first Metropolitan of Brussels of the Church of Constantinople. More on his life can be found here. May Metropolitan Emilianos' memory be eternal!

Brusa Metropolitan Elected Abbot of Halki Monastery

At today's meeting of the Holy Synod of the Constantinopolitan Orthodox Church Metropolitan Elpidophoros of Brusa was elected abbot of the Monastery of the Trinity on Halki. The decision was taken in the hope that the Halki Monastery will soon be able to reopen its theological seminary as the Turkish government has begun significantly easing the restrictions previously placed on Turkey's religious organizations. More (in Greek) here.