On Sunday of the Myrrh-Bearing Women, April 26, 2026, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew presided over a Patriarchal and concelebrated Divine Liturgy at the Patriarchal Church in Constantinople, joined by several hierarchs of the Ecumenical Throne.
Among those present was Pope and Patriarch Tawadros II of the Coptic Orthodox Church, who attended the service from the synthronon, as part of his official visit to the Ecumenical Patriarchate. He was accompanied by a delegation including bishops, clergy, and lay representatives, as well as Egypt’s Ambassador to Turkey. During the service, Patriarch Tawadros recited the Lord’s Prayer in Arabic, while the sermon was delivered by Metropolitan Alexios of Dryinoupolis, Pogoniani, and Konitsa.
The liturgy gathered numerous faithful, clergy, dignitaries, and pilgrims from Constantinople and abroad. At its conclusion, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew warmly addressed his Coptic counterpart, who responded in a spirit of brotherhood and unity.
In his address, the Ecumenical Patriarch highlighted the significance of the Myrrh-Bearing Women, noting that they were the first to receive the message of the Resurrection. Their example, he said, calls all believers to move “from fear to faith, from despair to hope.”
Referring to the presence of Patriarch Tawadros, he described the encounter as a blessing and a sign of divine providence, emphasizing the importance of strengthening relations between the Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox Churches. While acknowledging historical and cultural differences, he stressed that their shared faith in the mystery of the Incarnation forms a strong foundation for unity, calling for this theological convergence to be lived out through deeper cooperation and common witness.
Turning to contemporary global challenges, the Ecumenical Patriarch underlined that the Church cannot remain silent in the face of suffering. He referred to the lasting consequences of the Chernobyl disaster, even decades later, as a reminder of humanity’s responsibility toward creation.
Speaking specifically about Ukraine, he expressed deep concern over the ongoing war, stating that the conflict has caused immense suffering for the Ukrainian people. He also warned that attacks on nuclear facilities raise serious risks not only for Ukraine but for all of Europe and the wider world.
Concluding his message, Patriarch Bartholomew called for a “just and lasting peace,” urging an end to hostilities, the protection of civilians, and the safeguarding of the environment. He emphasized that human dignity and the care of creation are sacred responsibilities shared by all.
Following the service, the two Primates exchanged the kiss of peace and blessed the faithful, while a formal luncheon was later hosted in honor of Patriarch Tawadros. The day concluded with the Ecumenical Patriarch visiting the Monastery of Balıklı, where he offered prayers for his predecessors and all the departed.
Read Bartholomew’s full address below:
Χριστὸς Ἀνέστη! Christ is Risen!
On this radiant Sunday of the Myrrh-Bearing Women, we offer thanksgiving to the God of life, who chose to reveal the mystery of the Resurrection first not to the Apostles, but to His faithful disciples, the holy Myrrh-Bearing Women—those steadfast servants who came bearing myrrh in devotion to the Lord. These blessed women became the first heralds of the empty tomb, the first recipients of the wondrous revelation that unites suffering with glory, the Cross with the Resurrection. Their example resounds through the ages as a summons to us all: to pass from fear to faith, from despair to hope, from estrangement to fellowship.
As the Psalmist proclaims: “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!” (Psalm 133:1). This ancient hymn of concord finds a living echo in our gathering today, as we stand together in brotherly affection and in the shared joy of the Risen Christ.
It is therefore not by chance, but by Divine Providence, that we welcome Your Holiness and the honourable members of your delegation to the Ecumenical Patriarchate. Your presence among us is a true blessing, manifesting the abiding work of the Holy Spirit, who continues to guide our Churches toward the fullness of the apostolic faith and toward the restoration of that visible unity for which our Lord Himself prayed: “that they all may be one” (John 17:21).
Indeed, the relationship between the Eastern Orthodox and the Oriental Orthodox Churches occupies a unique and privileged place within the broader ecumenical endeavour. Through decades of patient and sincere theological dialogue, we have come to recognize with increasing clarity that our confession of the mystery of the Incarnation is, in its essence, one and the same. The divisions that have endured for centuries do not arise from a divergence of faith in Christ, but rather from historical circumstances, linguistic differences, and cultural misunderstandings.
This recognition is not merely an academic conclusion; it is a theological reality that must find expression in the life of the Church. The agreements reached by our theologians cannot remain confined to texts and commissions; they must be received, embodied, and lived within our Churches—both in our historic homelands and throughout the diaspora, where so many of our faithful share common challenges, aspirations, and hopes. For if these agreements remain unreceived, our continued separation risks bearing false witness to the very convictions we have jointly affirmed.
The significance of your visit today, dear brother in Christ, lies precisely here: that we have been called to move from agreement to reception, from dialogue to life, from theological convergence to sacramental and pastoral cooperation. For in the Orthodox understanding, theology is never abstract; it is inherently doxological, ecclesial, and incarnational. What we confess must also be what we celebrate; what we proclaim must become what we live.
In this spirit, we reaffirm with conviction the urgency of deepening the reception of our theological dialogues within the context of the ecclesial heritage we share, as well as the distinct traditions entrusted to each of our Churches. This mutual movement from consensus to reception will entail a renewed commitment on the part of our theological institutions to form future generations in the substance of our common faith; it will call our clergy to reflect this convergence in their preaching and pastoral ministry; and it will invite our faithful to encounter one another no longer as strangers, but as members of one extended family in Christ. We must also acknowledge, with honesty and responsibility, that certain obstacles still hinder our progress toward full communion—among them, the enduring question of the anathemas preserved within our respective ecclesial traditions, which continue to require careful and prayerful resolution.
As the Holy Apostle Paul exhorts us: “speaking the truth in love, αληθεύοντες εν αγάπη, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ” (Ephesians 4:15). This apostolic word of wisdom illumines our course: truth without charity fragments, while truth embraced with charity builds up the Body of Christ.
Consequently, we are called to overcome not only theological misunderstandings, but also the spiritual, historical, and emotional burdens that have accumulated over the centuries. This great undertaking requires humility, patience, and a sacrificial readiness to bear the weight of history in order to open the way to a future of communion.
The Myrrh-Bearing Women did not remain at the tomb; they were sent forth as apostles to the Apostles. In like manner, we too are sent forth from this sacred assembly with a mission: to become servants of reconciliation, to translate theological agreement into lived reality, and to prepare, by the grace of God, the day when we shall stand together around the one Eucharistic Table.
Yet as we look toward that blessed day, we cannot remain silent before the wounds of the world in which our Christian witness must be offered. Today also marks the fortieth anniversary of the tragedy of Chornobyl—a wound in the memory of humanity and a sober reminder that creation, entrusted by God to our stewardship, can never be subjected to reckless disregard or made an instrument of destruction. Forty years later, that wound has not fully healed. Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine has brought new peril to places already marked by suffering. Through attacks upon nuclear facilities and related infrastructure, including sites connected to Chornobyl, it has renewed anxieties over nuclear safety, imposed immeasurable suffering upon the Ukrainian people, and threatened consequences that would not be confined to Ukraine alone, but would endanger Europe and the entire world. We therefore raise our voice in prayer and in earnest appeal for a just and lasting peace: for an end to hostilities, for the protection of civilian life, and for the safeguarding of creation from every form of wanton destruction. Consequently, the integrity of the created world and the dignity of the human person are not secondary concerns, but sacred responsibilities before God and before one another.
In this regard, the joint celebration of the Resurrection that we experienced last year stands as a tangible milestone in our movement toward reconciliation, a luminous sign of what becomes possible when faith is matched with perseverance and courage. Thus, we pray that our growing ability—and sincere willingness—to share in the feast of Christ’s Resurrection may become an enduring and visible testimony to the world.
Your Beatitude and Holiness, dearly beloved brother,
Your presence today strengthens our hope and renews our resolve. Together with your venerable delegation, we affirm that our goal is not partial or symbolic unity, but full communion in the Body and Blood of Christ. This is not a secondary aspiration, but a sacred obligation arising from the very nature of the Church as the one Body of Christ.
As we press forward on this path of healing, we entrust our efforts to the Risen Lord, who alone heals divisions and makes all things new. May He grant us the courage to remain faithful to the truth we have received and the grace to embody that truth in our common life.
Χριστὸς Ἀνέστη! Christ is Risen!
