The following English-language summary and full Greek text of Patriarch Bartholomew’s letter to Patriarch Theophilus appeared on February 26, 2020 on the website of the Ecumenical Patriarchate Permanent Delegation to the World Council of Churches. See Press Release: The Amman Fraternal Familial Gathering of the Orthodox Primates and Delegates,  Moscow’s “Third Rome” Pretensions Fail in Amman, and the extensive Ukraine section in Orthodoxy in Dialogue’s Archives 2017-19 and Archives 2020 for additional context.

Patriarch Theophilus of Jerusalem (L) and Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople (R)

His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew sent an austere letter to Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem, a few days after the meeting with the delegation of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem at headquarters of the Ecumenical Patriarchate at the Phanar (Istanbul), and on the eve of the “fraternal gathering of primates and delegates” taking place in Amman (Jordan) on 26 February 2020 with the participation of the primates of the Churches of Jerusalem, Russia, Serbia and of the Czech Lands and Slovakia, and of the delegates of the Churches of Romania and Poland. Read More

The following report appeared on the Religious Information Service of Ukraine on February 29, 2020. See the extensive Ukraine section in Orthodoxy in Dialogue’s Archives 2017-19 and Archives 2020 for additional context.

RISU is a valuable English-language resource for news and commentary on Ukraine’s religious scene.

Patriarch Kirill of Moscow (centre left) and Patriarch Theophilus of Jerusalem (centre right). Primates Council. Amman, Jordan.

The Russian Orthodox Church suffered defeat at a pan-Orthodox meeting in Amman, which was attended only by representatives of the Churches that depend on Moscow.

Patriarch Theophilus III of Jerusalem convened the meeting after his visit to Moscow. This means that the Moscow Patriarchate does not dare to initiate pan-Orthodox meetings on its own, journalist Vitaly Pornikov wrote in his column for Grani.ru, reports Obozrevatel. Read More

The following brief report appeared on Pravmir on February 26, 2020. For additional context see the extensive Ukraine section in Orthodoxy in Dialogue’s Archives 2017-19 and Archives 2020; Putin Gets Red Carpet Treatment in Serbia, a Fulcrum Once More (The New York Times, January 2019); Serbian President Accuses Russia of Spy Plot Involving Army (The Guardian, November 2019); and “Financing” in Church of Saint Sava (Wikipedia). 

Patriarch Kirill of Moscow (L) and Patriarch Irinej of Serbia (R)

Patriarch Irinej of Serbia said that such great personalities like His Holiness Patriarch Kirill are needed now not only by the Russian Orthodox Church, but also by the entire Orthodox world, reports Foma.

“Thanks to the Lord that such personality appeared in his place in our time, when great and holy personalities are so essential for heading the Church,” said the Serbian Patriarch in a sermon at the church of the Metochion of the Russian Orthodox Church in Belgrade on February 2, 2020. Read More

Christ the Bridegroom

Behold the Bridegroom comes at midnight,

And blessed is the servant whom He shall find watching.

And again, unworthy is the servant whom He shall find heedless.

Beware, therefore, O my soul, do not be weighed down with sleep,

Lest you be given up to death and lest you be shut out of the Kingdom.

But rouse yourself crying: Holy, Holy, Holy art Thou, O our God!

Through the Theotokos, have mercy on us.

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