I eagerly long to meet you all: Pope about his visit to Greece and Cyprus

Pope Francis. Photo: orthodoxtimes.com

On the eve of his visit to Cyprus and Greece, Pope Francis said that he was looking forward to meeting his “brothers" – the primates of the Greek and Cypriot Orthodox Churches. The epistle of the head of the Roman Catholic Church was published by Orthodox Times.

The Pope called the trip a pilgrimage to the ancient roots of the apostolic faith and fraternity, associating it with a global “synodal journey” of the Roman Catholic Church.

In addition to meetings with Catholics, on this path "there is also a meeting; I would call it ‘a synodal grace’, an apostolic fraternity that I wish with great respect: it is the visit to you, dear Chrysostomos and Ieronymos, Heads of the Orthodox Churches of Cyprus and Greece," the pontiff stressed.

Earlier, the head of the Vatican has repeatedly stated about the striving of Catholics for unity and "visible communion" with Orthodox brothers. The head of Phanar, Patriarch Bartholomew, also voiced mutual aspirations.

The current visit of the Pope to Greece and Cyprus will last from 2 to 6 December. During this time, the Pope intends to meet with Archbishop Chrysostomos of Cyprus and members of the Synod of the Church of Cyprus, and twice with Archbishop Ieronymos of Athens.

Read also

Gay pride march held in Kharkiv metro

Several dozen people held an LGBT event in the Kharkiv metro.

Serbian Patriarch offers condolences over murder of Sviatohirsk Lavra monk

The head of the Serbian Orthodox Church called Sviatohirsk Lavra a refuge for the displaced and urged that the monk’s violent death not be turned into anyone’s weapon.

“Never seen before”: Israel reports record number of Hasidim in Uman

According to an Israeli police representative, 52,000 pilgrims are currently in Uman – 10,000 more than last year. The city itself has a population of about 75,000.

UOC faithful hold prayer vigil outside Lavra for more than 1,000 days

For three and a half years, Orthodox Christians have continued praying for peace and for the preservation of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra.

Zelensky congratulates Jews on Rosh Hashanah

Volodymyr Zelensky wished Jews peace and the triumph of good over evil.

Kyiv Theological Academy publishes book on Orthodoxy in 17th-century Ukraine

With the blessing of the UOC Primate, the Kyiv Theological Academy and Seminary has published a textbook marking the 430th anniversary of the birth of St. Petro Mohyla.