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The Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem expresses its strongest condemnation of the Israeli airstrike that have struck its church compound in the city of Gaza. The Patriarchate emphasizes that targeting churches and their institutions, along with the shelters they provide to protect innocent citizens, especially children and women who have lost their homes due to Israeli airstrikes on residential areas over the past thirteen days, constitutes a war crime that cannot be ignored. Despite the evident targeting of the facilities and shelters of the Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem and other churches – including the Episcopal Church of Jerusalem Hospital, other schools,...

Moscow, June 13, Interfax - The Pan-Orthodox Council can only be legitimate if all local Churches without exceptions participate in it, the Moscow Patriarchate said. "Some people now say that it's their problem that they have refused, they don't have to participate, but we will go ahead anyway in the composition that will be there and will make decisions and they will become binding for everyone. It doesn't happen that way," Metropolitan Hilarion, the head of the Synodal Department for External Church Relations, told a briefing in Moscow on Monday. He said that all Churches have to participate in the...

An official says Turkish authorities have tightened security for the Istanbul-based Orthodox Patriarchate following allegations of a plot to attack the spiritual leader of the world's Orthodox Christians. Unconfirmed local media reports said Friday police briefly detained a man following a tip that he planned to assassinate Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I. Haberturk newspaper said prosecutors in Ankara were investigating the alleged plot. Police wouldn't confirm the reports, and the prosecutor's office did not immediately return calls.

Whereas Turkey began accession negotiations with the European Union on October 3, 2005; (Introduced in House) HRES 999 IH 109th CONGRESS 2d Session H. RES. 999Urging Turkey to respect the rights and religious freedoms of the Ecumenical Patriarch. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES September 12, 2006 Mrs. MALONEY (for herself, Mr. BILIRAKIS, Mr. ANDREWS, Mr. HINCHEY, Ms. WATSON, Mr. DOYLE, Mr. CROWLEY, Mr. ACKERMAN, Mr. MCGOVERN, Mrs. LOWEY, and Mr. BACA) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on International Relations RESOLUTIONUrging Turkey to respect the rights and religious freedoms of the Ecumenical Patriarch. Whereas Turkey...

24 July 2006 Patriarch hopes ROCOR reunites with the Moscow Patriarchate towards the end of the year Moscow, July 24, Interfax - The unity of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia and the Moscow Patriarchate may be completely re-established by the end of 2006, Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russia thinks. In the end of this year a joint liturgy may be celebrated by representatives of the two branches of the Russian Church in the Cathedral of the Assumption of the Moscow Kremlin, he said in his interview to Pervyi canal on Sunday. According to church canons...

29 May 2006, 15:27 Alexy II visit to Latvia is political signal - premier (updated) Riga, May 29, Interfax - The visit to Latvia of Patriarch of Moscow and all Russia Alexy II is a political signal, Prime Minister Aigars Kalvitis said after a Monday meeting with the patriarch in Riga. "This is a very important political signal in relations between Latvia and Russia," he said. Alexy II awarded the Order of St. Prince Daniil of Moscow, 2nd Degree, to Kalvitis. Later in the day, he met with Saeima Speaker Ingrida Udre and decorated her with the Order of St....

Russian Church abroad backs reunion with Moscow Patriarchate San Francisco, May 17, Interfax - A San Francisco session of the Bishops' Council of the Russian Orthodox Church abroad has approved a resolution proposing a reunion with the Moscow Patriarchate, the Russian Church abroad said on its official website. The council will also adopt an act on interaction with the Moscow Patriarchate. Last week's All-Diaspora Convention agreed that "this creative deed must culminate in the restoration of the long-sought unity of the Russian Church," the resolution reads.

A high-ranking Vatican envoy says Pope and Russian Orthodox leader unlikely to meet soon 21:08 2005-12-01 A high-ranking Vatican envoy on today praised progress in the Holy See's cooperation with the Russian Orthodox Church, but indicated that disagreements between the two churches were still preventing its leaders from holding a meeting any time soon. "We established a heartfelt mutual understanding between our churches, and we see in this a source for future cooperation," Cardinal Renato Martino, who heads the Vatican's Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, said of his talks in Moscow. However, asked whether a meeting between Pope Benedict...

Defiant to the end, the former head of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate in Jerusalem, Irenaios, yesterday asked Israeli police to bring him 14 bodyguards after an ecclesiastical tribunal officially defrocked him, demoting him to the rank of a simple monk. Meanwhile, Irenaios’s aide Meletios — a former Arab archimandrite who was deposed earlier this week — called for a “religious intifada” against Greek Orthodox authorities and for a stop to Greek administration of the Jerusalem Patriarchate’s property.

Turkey Policies on Minorities Spark Debate Fri Dec 3, 1:50 PM ET Middle East - AP By JAMES C. HELICKE, Associated Press Writer ISTANBUL, Turkey - A furor in Turkey ignited by the title of a Christian spiritual leader on a U.S. embassy invitation has underscored concerns about the largely Muslim country's treatment of minorities two weeks before the European Union (news - web sites) decides whether to open membership talks with Ankara. The problem revolved around the status of the spiritual leader of the world's Orthodox Christians, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, a Turkish citizen and ethnic Greek. He is...

FRIDAY, 3 DECEMBER 2004 THE US SUPPORTS THE ECUMENICAL PATRIARCHATE Istanbul, 3 December 2004 (14:09 UTC+2) The United States through their ambassador to Ankara expressed their support to Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew. The US ambassador asked from Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul that the Ecumenical Patriarchate should be respected and be allowed to function unhampered given the fact that Ankara questions the ecumenical character of the Patriarchate. At the same time, the United States have made it clear that they recognize the Ecumenical Patriarch as the spiritual leader of millions of Orthodox Christians around the world. According to a US official...