With solemn reverence and in accordance with centuries-old tradition, the Sunday of Orthodoxy was celebrated on March 1, 2026, at the Patriarchal Cathedral of the First-Throned Church of Constantinople.
The Divine Liturgy was presided over by Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, concelebrating with numerous hierarchs from the Ecumenical Throne and other Orthodox Churches.
During the Liturgy, the ordination to the diaconate of Subdeacon Vladimir Konichshev took place. The Patriarch gave him the name Platon, in honor of the Holy Hieromartyr Platon, Bishop of Estonia, who was martyred in 1919. The newly ordained deacon will serve in the Exarchate of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Lithuania.
The festal homily was delivered by Elder Metropolitan Emmanuel of Chalcedon.
Among those in attendance were Archbishop Nectarios of Anthedona, Commissioner of the Holy Sepulchre in Constantinople, several hierarchs of the Ecumenical Throne, Cardinal Blase Joseph Cupich, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Chicago, bishops from the Church of Ukraine leading a group of Ukrainian pilgrims, clergy, Athonite monks, Archons of the Great Church of Christ headed by Archon Exarch Athanasios Martinos, the Consul General of Greece in Constantinople, the Civil Administrator of Mount Athos Alkiviadis Stefanis, and a large number of faithful from the City and abroad.
In his address prior to the ordination, the Ecumenical Patriarch emphasized that on this day “we especially pray to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for the prevalence of peace in our deeply troubled world, which is tragically afflicted by war, conflicts, violence, and bloodshed. May the Prince of Peace hear our prayer, strengthen those who struggle for the restoration of peace, and have mercy on us all.”
Elsewhere in his homily, he referred to the struggles of the Mother Church of Constantinople to safeguard the Orthodox faith, noting that she bears the heavy cross of responsibility for the stability and well-being of the Churches of God.
He also highlighted the newly established Patriarchal Exarchate in Lithuania, describing it as “an act of spiritual emancipation,” affirming that the Orthodox faithful of the Baltic countries have found in the Ecumenical Patriarchate “their true spiritual heart, a paternal home that remains wide open, ready to offer the freedom of life in Christ, far from ethnophyletism.”
Addressing the newly ordained deacon, the Patriarch invoked the grace of the Holy Spirit, praying that he may become “an instrument of divine good pleasure and a humble servant of the people of God.”
At the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, the Patriarch and the concelebrating hierarchs offered the customary Trisagion service for the repose of the souls of all who struggled and reposed in defense of the Orthodox faith. This was followed by the traditional procession of the holy icons in the courtyard of the Patriarchate, during which the Ecumenical Patriarch blessed the faithful from the balcony.
In the afternoon, the Patriarch presided at the Lenten Vespers service at the Church of the Dormition of the Theotokos in Exo Marmara. The sermon was delivered by Archimandrite Lazaros Theodosiou of the Archdiocese of Constantinople.
Photos: Nikos Papachristou, translated by: Konstantinos Menyktas
