Ukrainian Orthodox Patriarch Visits Chicagoland

Patriarch Philaret (Denysenko), first hierarch of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Kiev Patriarchate, has completed a pastoral visit to the exarchate of the Kiev Patriarchate in the United States. During his time in the USA the Ukrainian Orthodox patriarch, once a frontrunner in the USSR for election as head of the Russian Orthodox Church, visited Ukrainian Orthodox churches in the Chicago area. More here.

Echmiadzin Catholicos Visits the Eastern USA

Catholicos-Patriarch Karekin II (Nersessian) of the Armenian Orthodox Church of Echmiadzin has begun a pastoral visit to the Armenian Orthodox Diocese of New York and Eastern America. More here.

Armenian Orthodox Echmiadzin Catholicos Visiting Italy, Romania

Catholicos-Patriarch Karekin II (Nersessian) of Echmiadzin has begun a pastoral visit to the Armenian Orthodox Church in Italy and Romania. More here.

Alexandrian Orthodox Pope Visiting Russia

Pope Theodore II (Horeftakis) of Alexandria has begun a visit to Russia at the invitation of the Russian Orthodox Church. After meeting with Patriarch Cyril (Gundyayev) of Moscow prior to the latter's departure for Ukraine the pope will travel to southern Russia to visit the communities of the Russian Orthodox Church in that region. More here.

Russian Orthodox Patriarch Begins Visit to Kiev

Patriarch Cyril (Gundyayev) of Moscow has begun a pastoral visit to the autonomous Church of Ukraine, flying into the Ukrainian capital, Kiev, earlier today and meeting with Metropolitan Volodymyr (Sabodan) of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and Ukrainian Prime Minister Mykola Y. Azarov at the Kiev Caves Lavra shortly after his arrival in the city.

Patriarch Cyril is opening a session of the Russian Orthodox Holy Synod at the Kiev Caves Lavra today, and on Saturday will lead the celebrations of the feast of St. Vladimir and the Baptism of Rus'. More here.

Prague Metropolitan to Visit Alaska

It has been announced that Metropolitan Christopher (Pulec) of the 'Czechoslovak' Orthodox Church will begin a visit to the American Orthodox (OCA) Diocese of Sitka and Alaska at the end of this month. The visit will be the second to Alaska by a first hierarch of one of the Local Orthodox Churches. More here.

Russian Orthodox Patriarch Completes Visit to Bulgaria

Patriarch Cyril (Gundyayev) of Moscow has completed a visit to Bulgaria. During his time in Bulgaria the Russian Orthodox patriarch met with Patriarch Maxim (Minkov) of Sofia and other members of the Bulgarian Orthodox Holy Synod to discuss relations between the Russian and Bulgarian Orthodox Churches as well as with the President of Bulgaria. More here and here.

Alexandrian Orthodox Pope Visits Nigeria

Pope Theodoros II (Horeftakis) of Alexandria has begun a pastoral visit to the Alexandrian Orthodox Church in Nigeria. The papal delegation traveled first to Lagos, Nigeria's largest city, where it was met by Metropolitans Alexandros (Gianniris) of Lagos and Gregory (Stergiou) of Yaounde, the Greek ambassador to Nigeria, and the Egyptian consul in Lagos.

The day after his arrival in Nigeria Pope Theodoros visited Lagos' Cathedral of the Resurrection, where he concelebrated a thanksgiving with Metropolitan Alexandros and the cathedral's clergy. From the cathedral the papal delegation went to the nearby Monastery of St. Anthony, an outpost of Orthodox monasticism in West Africa and seat of the Nigerian Orthodox Church's seminary.

During his time in Nigeria Pope Theodoros will visit a number of the country's parishes, celebrate his nameday with the consecration of a new church in eastern Nigeria, and lay the cornerstone for the new cathedral in Lagos. More here and (in Greek) here.

Serbian Orthodox Patriarch Visits Western United States

Patriarch Irinej (Gavrilovic) of Pech has undertaken a pastoral visit to the Serbian Orthodox Eparchy of Alhambra and Western America, celebrating the feast of the Entrance of the Mother of God into the Temple at St. Sava's Church in Phoenix, Arizona, and also visiting the Monasteries of Sts. Paisius and Anthony in Safford and Florence respectively. More here.

Russian Orthodox Patriarch Visits Armenia

Patriarch Kirill (Gundyayev) of Moscow has completed his second visit to Armenia as head of the Russian Orthodox Church. During his time in Armenia Patriarch Kirill met with Catholicos-Patriarch Karekin II (Nersessian) of the Armenian Orthodox Church and Armenian President Serzh Sargsian. He also participated in meetings with other Transcaucasian religious leaders and in a session of the Interreligious Council of the Commonwealth of Independent States. More here and here.

Montenegrin Orthodox Metropolitan Visits Argentina

Metropolitan Amfilohije (Radovic) of the Orthodox Church in Montenegro has begun a pastoral visit to Argentina in his capacity as administrator of the newly established Serbian Orthodox Eparchy of Buenos Aires and Latin America. The new diocese encompasses all of Latin America (with the exception of Mexico), with parishes and missions in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Venezuela. More (in Serbian) on Metropolitan Amfilohije's ongoing visit to South America can be found here.

Maronite Catholic Patriarch Attends Reception Hosted by Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese

As part of his ongoing visit to the United States the head of the Maronite Catholic Church, Patriarch Beshara Rai of Antioch, has attended a reception in his honor hosted by Metropolitan Philip (Saliba) of the Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese of North America and attended by the Archdiocese's auxiliary bishops as well as several Maronite Catholic hierarchs and Muslim ulama (clergymen). More here.

Update (29/10/2011): The next day Metropolitan Philip, Metropolitan Mor Cyril (Karim) of the Syriac Orthodox Archdiocese of the Eastern United States, and Antiochian Orthodox auxiliary Bishop Antoun (Khouri) of Miami attended the Sunday Liturgy celebrated by Patriarch Bechara at the Maronite Catholic cathedral in Brooklyn. More on that here.

300,000 Venerate Sash in St. Petersburg

Since the arrival of the Sash of the Mother of God in St. Petersburg earlier this month over 300,000 people have venerated it despite the waiting line, which is generally 10 to 15 hours long. The Sash is due to remain in St. Petersburg until 19 November, after which it will be transferred to Moscow before its return to Mount Athos on 23 November. More here.

Serbian Orthodox Patriarch Visits Halki

As part of his recent visit to Turkey Patriarch Irinej (Gavrilovic) of the Serbian Orthodox Church paid a visit to the campus of the Halki Theological Seminary near Constantinople accompanied by Patriarch Bartholomew (Arhondonis) of Constantinople and the closed seminary's rector, Metropolitan Elpidophoros (Lambriniadis) of Brusa. More here.

Pope Theodoros Begins Visit to Romania

Pope Theodoros II (Horeftakis) of Alexandria has begun a visit to the Romanian Orthodox Church, being received in the Romanian capital by Patriarch Daniel of Bucharest. The texts (in Romanian) of the first hierarchs' speeches at the reception can be found here.

Catholicos Aram Blesses Church Foundation Stone in Las Vegas

As part of his ongoing pastoral visit to the western United States Catholicos Aram I (Keshishian) of the Armenian Orthodox Church of Cilicia has participated in the blessing of the foundation stone of the new church of the Armenian Orthodox parish in Las Vegas, Nevada. The service was concelebrated by Archbishop Moushegh (Mardirossian) of the Western American Prelacy of the Church of Cilicia. More here.

Syriac Orthodox Patriarch Visiting Jordanian Capital

Patriarch Moran Mor Ignatios Zakka I (Iwas) of Antioch has begun a pastoral visit to the Syriac Orthodox Church in Jordan, meeting with representatives of the Suryoyo community in the Jordanian capital, Amman, and consecrating the city's large new Church of St. Ephraim, which was filled to capacity. More (in Arabic) on the patriarch's visit can be found here.

Catholicos Aram Visits USA, Leads Ecumenical Service in Los Angeles Area

Catholicos Aram I (Keshishian) of the Armenian Orthodox Church of Cilicia has begun a pastoral visit to the western United States, meeting with clergy and representatives of the various Orthodox churches in the region and leading a prayer service for peace in Egypt and the Middle East with representatives of the Antiochian, Armenian, Coptic, and Syriac Orthodox Churches as well as Evangelical Protestant and Roman Catholic churches at Sts. Mary and Athanasius' Church in the Los Angeles area. More here.

Relic of St. Andrew to Visit Romania

Preparations are being made for the visit of the head of St. Andrew the Apostle from its resting place in Greece to Romania. During its time in Romania the relic will make stops in Bucharest, Sibiu, and Alba Iulia. More (in Romanian) here.

Sash of the Mother of God Visiting Russia

The Sash of the Mother of God has left Mount Athos to make its first visit to Russia. The sash normally leaves the Holy Mountain once a year to visit different cities in Greece, but this year the abbot of the Vatopedi Monastery where it is kept blessed the request of the Russian Orthodox Church to have the relic visit Russia for the next month. More here.