LATEST UPDATE: 14:57
The Ecumenical Patriarchate received the permission for the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew to perform the Divine Liturgy at the Sumela Monastery on August 15.
The Turkish authorities gave verbal approval to the Ecumenical Patriarchate on Monday night, and then a written permission followed, so that the Ecumenical Patriarch will be in Trabzon on August 15 and perform the Divine Liturgy.
It is recalled that a few days ago, the Turkish authorities took the decision not to allow the Divine Liturgy to take place at the Sumela Monastery for the feast of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary.
According to a former announcement made by the Ecumenical Patriarchate, this year there would be no Divine Liturgy on the feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos (August 15) in the historic Monastery of Panagia Sumela, “because the required permission” had been not given “by the competent government authorities”.
The Ecumenical Patriarchate also published a relevant announcement about the persmission to perform at the Divine Liturgy at the Sumela Monastery: “We are happy to announce, following a new decision taken by the Turkish authorities, that we received the permission to perform the Patriarchal Divine Liturgy on the feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos (15 August) at the Sumela Monastery.”
