Eastern Christianity

Pope Francis and Russian Orthodox Patriach Kirill called for restoring Christian unity and preserving the traditions of Christianity in a historic meeting held in Cuba on Friday.

This was the first meeting between a pope and the head of the Russian church since the Great Schism of 1054, which resulted in the split of the Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic churches.

It was an emotional celebration by a congregation of a few hundred of Orthodox Christians who gathered last Saturday, Feb. 6, in the recently restored 19th century church of Voukolos (the Shepherd) in the old neighborhood of Fournaradika (the Bakers' district). It is the only Christian Orthodox church still standing in Izmir.

Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew has called a meeting – Synaxis – of the heads of Orthodox Churches around the world at the Orthodox Centre of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Chambesy, Geneva from January 21 until January 28, the Ecumenical Patriarchate announced.

The head of the Catholic Church is very interested in resolving the controversial issue of the canonization of Croat WW2-era Catholic cleric Alojzije Stepinac.

The Russians have built an Orthodox Church overlooking the Russian Antarctic base. Father Benjamin Maltzev offers regular services at the Holy Trinity church of Antarctica to the 15 or so Russian speakers who spend winter at the base. It is large enough, however, to accomodate more than 30 visitors per service.

Israeli photographer Dafna Tal’s work is to be featured at the Byzantine and Christian Museum in an exhibition, titled The Orthodox of the Holy Land, that is set to run from December 8 through to January 21.

Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I is expected to arrive on his four-day visit to Bulgaria on Saturday.

The Archbishop of Constantinople will visit Bulgaria at the invitation of Bulgarian Patriarch Neophyte and the bishops of the Holy Synod.

Bartholomew I of Constantinople, the Orthodox Church's Ecumenical Patriarch, is to arrive in Bulgaria on November 7, the Bulgarian Orthodox Church has announced.

Bartholomew I will stay in the country until November 10.

The Bulgarian Orthodox Church has announced it will help migrants who have arrived in Bulgaria, but has urged authorities not to let any more migrants in.

People in a village near the Crimean city of Sevastapol are flocking to see two orthodox icons that are reportedly bleeding. The two icons were handed to the local church by the mother of a young man who participated in the Donbas conflict. Drops of blood reportedly started appearing on the icons when the young man was killed in combat.