At the traditional New Year reception held in the Throne Hall of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, Metropolitan Emmanuel of Chalcedon addressed Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew on behalf of the revered Hierarchy of the Throne, setting a theological and ecclesiological tone for the significance of the day and highlighting the ministry, responsibility, and witness of the Mother Church in the contemporary world.
“The New Year of the Lord’s Goodness”
Reflecting on the change of the year, Metropolitan Emmanuel emphasized that the Great Church does not merely “welcome the turning of time,” but rather “opens its gates… in order to celebrate the mystery of eternity within the perishable world.” As he noted, clergy and faithful stand “as within an ark of salvation” beside the Patriarch on a day when the Church unites a “double feast”: the Circumcision of the Lord according to the flesh and the commemoration of St. Basil the Great.
Leadership and Ministry as Humility and Offering
The Metropolitan of Elder Chalcedon then highlighted the example of Christ, who “takes the form of a servant,” stressing that “the path to glory passes… through humility and self-emptying.” At the same time, he placed at the center the figure of St. Basil the Great, presented as a “model of a universal teacher,” who united “lofty theology with brotherly care” and “the defense of doctrine with concern for the unity of the Church.”
A Jubilee Milestone in 2026
Special reference was made to 2026 as a “milestone and jubilee year,” marking “sixty-five years since the entrance” of the Ecumenical Patriarch into the sacred clergy and “thirty-five years” since his elevation to the Ecumenical Throne. Describing the weight of this responsibility, Metropolitan Emmanuel noted that the Patriarch “bears… not only the omophorion of the episcopacy but also the Cross of the entire Nation and of the whole inhabited world.”
The Holy and Great Council and the Witness of Synodality
Metropolitan Emmanuel made particular mention of the convening of the Holy and Great Council in Crete, calling it a “pivotal event” of the Patriarchate and noting that a “dream of predecessors… became reality” through the perseverance and wisdom of the Ecumenical Patriarch. He recalled the declaration that “the Orthodox Church… is the Church of Councils,” emphasizing that Orthodoxy was thus shown not to be “a museum relic, but a living organism,” capable of transcending inward-looking attitudes.
Ukraine and “Canonical Sensitivity”
With clarity, the Metropolitan also addressed the issue of the Church in Ukraine, underlining the “boldness and canonical sensitivity” with which it was approached. As he stated, “canonical order” was restored and “millions of faithful were integrated into ecclesial communion,” despite “unjust attacks” and the spread of “fake news.”
Ecological Witness and the “Green Patriarch”
A prominent place in the address was given to the global resonance of the Patriarch’s voice on the protection of creation. Metropolitan Emmanuel noted that “the world has rightly recognized you as the ‘Green Patriarch,’” stressing that the ecological crisis is “primarily a spiritual crisis,” rooted in “greed” and humanity’s estrangement from the Creator.
“You Do Not Bear It Alone”: Assurance of Support and Wishes
Concluding his address, Metropolitan Emmanuel stressed that in an era marked by “uncertainty, wars, and upheavals,” the Phanar “remains the safe vessel of hope.” He assured the Ecumenical Patriarch that the Hierarchy does not stand merely “as admirers,” but “as fellow soldiers and companions,” affirming that although the Cross is heavy, “you do not bear it alone.”
Source: Ecumenical Patriarchate, Photo: Nikos Papachristou, Translated by: Konstantinos Menyktas
