Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew presided from the throne at the Divine Liturgy celebrated on Sunday, August 9, 2026, at the dependency (Metochion) of the Holy Monastery of Saint Panteleimon of Mount Athos in Galata, Constantinople, on the feast of Saint Panteleimon the Healer according to the Julian calendar.
The Divine Liturgy was celebrated by Grand Archimandrite Iakovos, assisted by Tritevon Epifanios, in the presence of a large congregation of Russian-speaking faithful.
In his address, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew expressed his joy at visiting the Metochion of Saint Panteleimon and celebrating the feast together with Constantinople’s Russian-speaking Orthodox community. He also highlighted the important place of monasticism in the life of the Orthodox Church.
“Mount Athos occupies a unique place within Orthodox monasticism,” the Ecumenical Patriarch said, describing the Holy Mountain as “a jewel in the mitre of the Ecumenical Patriarch.”
“We are proud that Mount Athos belongs to the spiritual jurisdiction and care of the Mother Church of Constantinople. It is a place of prayer and peaceful, fraternal coexistence, where Greeks, Russians, Serbs, Bulgarians and Romanians all live together as true brothers in Christ,” he added.
Patriarch Bartholomew also referred to the presence of three dependencies of Athonite monasteries in Constantinople, describing this as a great blessing. He characterized the Metochion of Saint Panteleimon in particular as “a true spiritual oasis, under the spiritual guidance of Fr. Nikolaos and his companions.”
The Ecumenical Patriarch thanked Fr. Nikolaos, who is responsible for the Metochion, for his warm welcome and asked him to convey his patriarchal greetings and blessings to Archimandrite Evlogios, Abbot of the Holy Monastery of Saint Panteleimon on Mount Athos, and to the entire brotherhood on the occasion of the monastery’s feast.
Addressing the faithful, Patriarch Bartholomew assured them that they would always be accompanied by the blessing of the Mother Church of Constantinople and his paternal love.
Earlier, Fr. Nikolaos warmly welcomed the Ecumenical Patriarch and thanked him, on behalf of the abbot and the faithful, for accepting the invitation to preside over the celebration.
Following the service, the Ecumenical Patriarch blessed the festive meal prepared by the fathers of the Metochion.
Photo: Nikos Papachristou, translated by: Konstantinos Menyktas
