FacebookTwitter

The Sunday of Orthodoxy visit of Metropolitan Tikhon to the Ecumenical Patriarchate

March 19, 2016 to March 20, 2016

As reported earlier, His Beatitude, Metropolitan Tikhon had accepted the invitation of His All-Holiness, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople to concelebrate at the Divine Liturgy in the Patriarchal Church of Saint George in the Phanar district here on the Sunday of Orthodoxy—March 19-20, 2016.

Earlier, Metropolitan Tikhon had accepted similar invitations from Patriarch Bartholomew. In December 2014, he visited the Holy Theological School of Halki and the Patriarchate with Archpriests John Jillions, OCA Chancellor, and Archpriests John Behr and Alexander Rentel of Saint Vladimir’s Seminary, Yonkers, NY. In June 2015, Metropolitan Tikhon and Father Alexander traveled to the Patriarchate in connection with the meeting of the Executive Committee of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the USA.

Accompanied by Father John Jillions, Metropolitan Tikhon arrived in Istanbul on Saturday, March 19, shortly after a terrorist bombing had killed and wounded over 30 people in the city’s tourist district. They were met by Deacon Nephon, an American-born monk serving the Patriarchate as head of its English language secretariat since 2008. On Saturday evening, they attended Vespers at the Patriarchal Church of Saint George, at which Patriarch Bartholomew presided.

After Vespers, Metropolitan Tikhon and Father John were invited to meet with Patriarch Bartholomew in his office.

“Metropolitan Tikhon offered greetings on behalf of the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Orthodox Church in America,” said Father John. “He and His All-Holiness discussed the approaching Great and Holy Council, His Beatitude’s recent visit to His Eminence, Archbishop Leo and the Church of Finland—an autonomous Church under the Ecumenical Patriarchate—the work of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the USA, and prospects for renewed formal dialogue with the Patriarchate with regard to Orthodox unity and regularizing the canonical situation of the church in North America.

“His All-Holiness, in turn, welcomed the discussion, recalling his involvement with these matters with the late Protopresbyter John Meyendorff and His Eminence, the late Archbishop Peter [L’Huillier],” Father John added. “It was understood that, while differences in understanding remain with regard to the nature of autocephaly, this does not present an impediment to communion and concelebration.”

After an exchange of gifts, Patriarch Bartholomew encouraged Metropolitan Tikhon to visit again in the future.

After the meeting, Metropolitan Tikhon and Father John dined with Patriarch Bartholomew and some of the members of the Ecumenical Patriarchate’s Holy Synod, including His Eminence, Metropolitan John [Zizioulas] of Pergamon, before celebrating the Service of Preparation for Holy Communion.

On the Sunday of Orthodoxy—March 20—Metropolitan Tikhon concelebrated the Divine Liturgy with Patriarch Bartholomew and the members of the Ecumenical Patriarchate’s Holy Synod, a number of whom serve in the United States and are well known to Metropolitan Tikhon through the Assembly of Bishops.

In addition to Patriarch Bartholomew and Metropolitan John, serving in order of their ordination date, were His Eminence, Metropolitan Isaiah of Denver; His Eminence, Metropolitan Alexios of Atlanta; His Eminence, Metropolitan Iakovos of the Prince Islands; His Eminence, Metropolitan Joseph of Prikonisos; His Eminence, Metropolitan Meliton of Philadelphia; His Eminence, Metropolitan Emmanuel of France; His Eminence, Metropolitan Nikitas of the Dardanelles [Patriarch Athenagoras Institute, Berkeley, CA]; His Eminence, Metropolitan Gerasimos of San Francisco; Metropolitan Tikhon; His Eminence, Metropolitan Maximos of Selymbria; and His Eminence, Metropolitan Amphilochios of Adrianopolis. Also in attendance in the altar were His Eminence, Metropolitan Stefanos, Chancellor; His Eminence, Metropolitan Elpidophoros; His Grace, Bishop Adrianos of Halicarnassos, who was recently ordained to oversee 14 parishes in the Phanar.  Father John served with the Grand Archimandrite Bessarion and Father Ambrosias, the Grand Syngellos.

After the Patriarchal Liturgy, a Memorial was celebrated for those who had suffered and died for the faith. The procession with icons, during which Fathers Bessarion and John carried the icon of the Seventh Ecumenical Council.

On Sunday afternoon, Patriarch Bartholomew and Metropolitan Tikhon drove to a local parish for the celebration of Orthodoxy Sunday Vespers. A brief concert, performed by a group of singers and musicians from the northern Aegean region, followed in the parish hall.

Patriarch Bartholomew offered a warm farewell to Metropolitan Tikhon and Father John before their departure on Monday morning, March 21.

A gallery of photos is now available on the OCA web site and Facebook page.

The following statement was issued by Metropolitan Tikhon on Wednesday, March 23. It is also available in PDF format.