Orthodox church

On September 17, Sofia will mark its city holiday with a diverse cultural program. The day celebrates both the Orthodox Church's honoring of the great martyrs Hope, Faith, Love, and their mother Sophia, and the church named "Saint Sophia," symbolizing divine wisdom.

The opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics contained "scenes of mockery of predominantly Christian religious symbols and persons" that "provoked the religious sentiment and faith of billions of people," the Orthodox Church of Greece has said. 

The church expressed its first opinions on the event at a meeting of its Holy Synod, under the chairmanship of Archbishop Ieronymos of Athens.

Today, the Orthodox Church celebrates Saint Peter's Day, honoring the apostles Peter and Paul, revered as supreme and universal teachers. These apostles fervently spread Christ's teachings and endured suffering, persecution, and martyrdom for their faith. They left behind messages that elucidate Christian values and the principles of church life.

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis arrived in Ankara for a one-day visit on May 13 for talks with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to further improve bilateral ties  in line with the ongoing normalization process.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan welcomed the Greek premier at Esenboğa Airport, followed by a bilateral meeting at the Presidential Complex with Erdoğan.

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Friday affirmed the amicable ties between his conservative government and the Orthodox Church.

"Our collaboration within the framework laid out by the institutions has been and remains exceptionally close," Mitsotakis said during a meeting with Archbishop Ieronymos in the town of Dilesi, in Greece's central Viotia region.

Archbishop Ieronymos, the leader of the influential Orthodox Church of Greece, on Friday denounced threats made by a nationalist party leader against deputies of the ruling New Democracy party.

Archbishop Ieronymos, the leader of the Orthodox Church of Greece, supposedly took a relatively soft stance on the issue of same-sex marriage.

Trifon Zarezan, also known as Vintner's Day, is a cherished Bulgarian national holiday celebrated on February 14th, coinciding with Saint Valentine's Day. While Saint Valentine's Day is widely associated with romance and love, Trifon Zarezan holds a unique place in Bulgarian culture, honoring Saint Tryphon, the patron saint of vineyards, winegrowers, and gardeners.

In 2019 the Greek Orthodox Patriarchs of Constantinople and Alexandria recognised the independence of the newly formed Orthodox Church of Ukraine. Since then, Moscow has attempted to undermine not only the Ecumenical Patriarchate, but also the Patriarch of Alexandria, which claims exclusive jurisdiction over Africa and accuses the Russian church of meddling in the continent.