News Releases

The Vice President of the United States Joseph Biden and his wife hosted a formal dinner yesterday Nov. 4, at the Vice Presidential Residence to honor His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew who during this third leg of his trip to the United States is visiting Washington, DC.

His All Holiness, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew was received today at the White House in the Oval Office by President Barack Obama. This reciprocal visit to the one paid by President Obama earlier this year (April 7, when he made his first overseas visit to a Muslim country, Turkey) followed up on their conversations at that time on the subjects of the recently concluded environmental symposium on the Mississippi River and the re-opening of the Theological School of Halki.

Come Receive the Light, the only nationally syndicated Orthodox Christian radio broadcast, is a weekly program that features interviews with noted Orthodox Christian clergy, theologians, and lay leaders on theological, spiritual, pastoral, and modern social issues.

Archbishop Demetrios of America welcomed His All Holiness to a unique session of the Archdiocesan Council yesterday morning, attended by more than 100 members, all the Metropolitans of the Holy Eparchial Synod, the Auxiliary Bishops and Metropolitans Athanasios Geron of Chalchedon and Emmanuel of France accompanying His All Holiness.

“It was a prayer for peace,” said His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew yesterday, following the conclusion of a concert entitled “Tribute to Peace Makers” at the renowned Alice Tully Hall in Manhattan’s Lincoln Center.

Over twelve hundred people, including dignitaries and distinguished guests, gathered with His Eminence Metropolitan Alexios of Atlanta to welcome His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew to the Cathedral of the Annunciation in Atlanta, Georgia, for a unique and spiritually uplifting “Ecumenical Gathering of Peace.”

His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew as part of his Patriarchal and Apostolic Visit to the United States met yesterday, Wednesday, October 28, with U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon at the United Nations Headquarters.

On this day when we commemorate the Holy Unmercenaries Cosmas and Damian, we are reminded by the lives and deeds of these two saints of the beautiful parable of our Lord concerning the Good Samaritan. In the Gospel of Luke we read of the compassion of the Samaritan who tended the wounds of the injured traveler and arranged for his care until he was healed.

Fordham University conferred yesterday its highest honor, the Honorary Doctorate of Laws, to His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew “for his remarkable service to the world community and for the principles that he continues to uphold.”

This year’s annual Staff-Development Seminar of the Direct Archdiocesan District will be held under the auspices of His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios of America on Tuesday, November 3, 2009 (Election Day), at the High School of St. Demetrios Cathedral in Astoria.

Last evening, Monday, October 26, His All Holiness, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew presided over the Ninth Annual Orthodox Prayer Service for the United Nations Community, at the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Archdiocesan Cathedral, the traditional site when the service is hosted by an Eastern Orthodox Church. The Ecumenical Patriarch was accompanied to the Service by Metropolitan Geron Athanasios of Chalcedon, Metropolitan Emmanuel of France, Metropolitan Ambrosios of Korea, and clergy and lay leaders of the Church of Constantinople.

In the Byzantine Cathedral of the Holy Trinity of New Orleans, the oldest Orthodox Christian Community in America, established in 1864, orthodox faithful had gathered early Sunday morning, Oct. 25, waiting for His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew to arrive for Matins service and the Divine Liturgy.

On the occasion of the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew's visit to the United States (October 20 - November 6, 2009), and especially the Greek American School of St. Demetrios, Astoria, the Direct Archdiocesan District Office of Education developed a lesson for the upper grade students of the community day and afternoon schools (grade 5 and up).

His All Holiness, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew was published this morning on the editorial page of the Wall Street Journal in an op-ed piece entitled: "Our Indivisible Environment."

His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew made a return visit to the Lower Ninth Ward District today to survey the recovery and restoration efforts of the wetland area in Bayou Bienvenue.

His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew officially opened today the Eighth Religion, Science and the Environment (RSE) Symposium, entitled “Restoring Balance: The Great Mississippi River,” which takes place here for the next five days under his high patronage and includes a large and diverse group of theologians, scientists, policymakers, environmentalists, representatives of business and NGOs, and media.

His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew arrived today in New Orleans, as he begins a 15-day Apostolic and Patriarchal Visit to the United States. “We welcome you, Your All Holiness with deep reverence and respect, total dedication and plenty of love,” said Archbishop Demetrios of America, welcoming the Ecumenical Patriarch at Louis Armstrong Airport along with Metropolitan Alexios of Atlanta, members of the local clergy, local officials, a small group of Orthodox faithful from this area and two-dozen children dressed in traditional costume.

With gracious hearts for our blessed faith and heritage, we observe the annual commemoration of OXI Day once again. The significance of our remembrance of this special day originated in a firm stand against the forces of tyranny and oppression that threatened Greece and the world in 1940. It is also inextricably linked to our identity as Hellenes and Orthodox Christians.

Archbishop Demetrios of America, in consultation with the Holy Eparchial Synod, has appointed His Grace, Bishop Andonios of Phasiane to be the Chancellor of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, effective October 1, 2009.