Archbishop Joan's Visit/Meetings in the Bosphorus Community and the Holy Church of Taxiarches

2025-06-17 11:20:00, Aktualitet CNA

Archbishop Joan's Visit/Meetings in the Bosphorus Community and the Holy

As part of his official visit to the Ecumenical Patriarchate, His Beatitude, Archbishop of Tirana, Durrës and All Albania, Bishop Joani, held two significant meetings with the Orthodox communities of Megalo Reuma and Neohori of the Bosphorus.

On Sunday, June 15, 2025, at 6:30 p.m. , Archbishop John visited the Holy Church of the Great Taxiarchs in Megalo Reuma (Arnavutköy), a neighborhood known for its early ties with the Albanians of Epirus, settled there by Sultan Mehmet II after the fall of Constantinople. At the entrance to the church, he was received with honors by His Grace, Metropolitan of Kydonia, Mr. Athinagoras, ecclesiastical head of the community and supervisor of the Bosphorus Prefecture.

The Archbishop was accompanied by the Metropolitan of Dherkon, Mr. Apostolos, the Great Ecclesiarch, Father Aetios, the Undersecretary Oikoumenios and Deacon Evlogios, Codicographer of the Holy Synod. After the service and greetings in the holy church, at 20:30, the Community of Megalo Reuma hosted an official dinner in the community hall in honor of His Beatitude, which was also honored with the presence of His All-Holiness, the Ecumenical Patriarch, Mr. Bartholomew.

Archbishop Joan's Visit/Meetings in the Bosphorus Community and the Holy

On Monday, June 16, 2025, Archbishop John continued his visits to the Bosphorus communities with a stop in Neohorion (Yeniköy), another important center of Orthodox believers. At 09:00, he departed from his hotel for the respective area, accompanied by the Metropolitan of Kydonia, Mr. Athinagoras and his Evloggios. At 09:30, the Neohorion Community hosted a warm breakfast at the “464 Yeniköy” restaurant, in honor of His Beatitude, with the special participation of Patriarch Bartholomew.

These symbolic visits to two of the oldest Orthodox communities of the Bosphorus reinforced the sense of ecclesiastical brotherhood, connecting history with the present and testifying to the mutual care between the Mother Church of Constantinople and the Autocephalous Church of Albania.

Archbishop Joan's Visit/Meetings in the Bosphorus Community and the Holy

On Monday evening, June 16, 2025, at 7:00 PM, His Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew hosted a dinner at the patriarchal residence in Phanar, in honor of His Beatitude, Archbishop of Tirana, Durrës and all Albania, Bishop Ioannis, and the delegation accompanying him.

Archbishop Joan's Visit/Meetings in the Bosphorus Community and the Holy

This dinner concluded with fraternal warmth a series of important official meetings, which further deepened the historical and spiritual ties between the Autocephalous Orthodox Church of Albania and the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople./CNA