“Saint Kyriaki, who through her steadfastness and patience in her ‘faith’ inherited ‘the everlasting glory’ of Christ her bridegroom, is an example for all of us to follow. For our own life, too, is and must be a testimony of our faith in Christ, of our faith in the glory bequeathed to us by our fathers, so that we may preserve it as it was handed down to us and as it has been kept to this day by the generations before us,” Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew noted, among other things, in his address during the Divine Liturgy which he presided over today, Tuesday, July 7, 2026, for the feast of the Holy Great Martyr Kyriaki, at the namesake parish church of the Community of Kontoskali, which was celebrating its feast day.
“The Holy Martyrs and Confessors of our faith, like our fathers, received and handed down to us the faith and our sacred and holy things. It is our duty and responsibility to safeguard them, often setting aside our own interest. And not only this, but it is also our duty to further advance their work, so that we may daily prove ourselves worthy descendants of glorious ancestors. For us, our ‘faith’ must be, and is, our unshakeable faith in Christ, our devotion to His Church, and our care and concern for communal affairs, for our churches and our institutions,” the Patriarch added, congratulating all those who work and labor for the progress of the Community of Kontoskali, “and for the preservation, even today, of its greatness to the extent possible,” particularly the Metropolitan of Selybria, Maximos, “for his tireless zeal and moving devotion in carrying out his duties as Overseer of this District.” He also thanked the Board of Trustees of the Community of Kontoskali and their associates for the work they carry out.
Warm Welcome for the Official Delegation of the Patriarchate of Bulgaria
The Ecumenical Patriarch warmly welcomed a three-member official delegation from the Church of Bulgaria, which attended the celebratory church service as part of its visit to the seat of the Ecumenical Patriarchate.
“With feelings of sincere love and great honor, we welcome to the city of the Supreme General and of the Akathist Hymn, the city of the Wisdom of God, an official delegation of the Most Holy Church of Bulgaria, comprising His Eminence Metropolitan Naum of Ruse, His Grace Bishop Gerasimos of Melnik, Chief Secretary of the Holy Synod of the Church of Bulgaria, and the Most Honorable Mr. Alexander Smochevski, Patriarchal Counselor, who have come bearing an official and honorable invitation on behalf of the Holy Synod of the Church of Bulgaria to Our Moderation, to preside over the festive events in memory of Saint John of Rila at the eponymous Holy Monastery this coming October.
Most Honorable Brothers,
In your persons we greet the entire Most Holy Church of Bulgaria and we embrace fraternally its beloved and Blessed Primate, Metropolitan of Sofia and Patriarch of All Bulgaria, Mr. Daniel, whose recent visit to our native Imvros, on the occasion of our name day, filled us with spiritual joy, emotion, and gladness, and the memory of which remains ever vivid and sweet to us. For our two Churches are bound by sacred and indissoluble ties, ties of common faith and love, which, according to the Apostle Paul, ‘never fails.’ And today our Churches are fighting the good fight to preserve sound and healthy ecclesiology undiluted, which is being attacked and threatened in various ways on the altar of political ambitions and geostrategic designs, even though this spiritual struggle of ours is harsh and difficult, since ‘our struggle is not against blood and flesh.'”
The Ecumenical Patriarch then presented Archbishop Sotirios of Canada, whom he praised for his many years of faithful ecclesiastical service, and announced His Eminence’s intention to retire from active service.
With warmth and particularly cordial words, the Patriarch welcomed Metropolitan Damaskinos of Aitolia and Akarnania, a Hierarch of the Church of Greece, who is visiting the seat of the Ecumenical Patriarchate and Asia Minor with a large group of pilgrims.
“Most Holy brother and beloved children,
Welcome to the City of Cities! We believe that your stay here will be pleasant and beneficial, and that during it you will hear the voice of history and see also the unseen beyond the seen, which likewise form part of our weighty heritage and legacy. In particular, we urge you to visit and venerate the tomb of the great Ecumenical Patriarch Athenagoras, who fell asleep in the Lord on this very day exactly 54 years ago, and who now rests in the grounds of the Holy Monastery of Balukli, together with other ever-memorable predecessors of Our Moderation. Today, his soul hovers here especially and rejoices together with us. He created a new era for the Mother Church of Constantinople, and indeed for all of Orthodoxy, through so much labor, so much prayer, so much patience, and for this we remain ever grateful in his memory.”
Earlier, the Ecumenical Patriarch was addressed by Metropolitan Maximos of Selybria.
During the Divine Liturgy, the sermon was delivered by the Deuterevon, Fr. Barnabas.
At noon on the same day, the Ecumenical Patriarch went to the Holy Monastery of the Life-Giving Spring at Balukli and performed a memorial service (Trisagion) at the tomb of his late predecessor, Patriarch Athenagoras, on the occasion of the 54th anniversary of his repose.
