In Germany, a Bishop of Constantinople Prayed with Catholics and Lutherans
The ecumenical concelebration concluded with the distribution of safety carabiners to all those present as a symbol of support and trust.
Bishop Emmanuel of Christoupolis from the Patriarchate of Constantinople attended an ecumenical liturgy at the Catholic Congress in Würzburg, Germany on May 15, 2026. This is reported by UOJ in Greece.
The service took place in the city's cathedral under the motto "Take courage, arise!" The representative of the Phanar prayed together with representatives of various denominations, including Dr. Gerhard Feige and Pastor Christopher Easthill.
The sermon at the event was delivered by Professor Cornelia Richter, who holds the title of bishop in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Austria. In her address, she emphasized the importance of Christian stories of hope as positive models for society.
The service concluded with a symbolic act of distributing climbing carabiners to those present. The organizers called the mountaineering equipment a symbol of support and trust from the community.
This event is characterized as proof that ecumenism flourishes in shared experience and belief in faith's ability to unite people. The organizers emphasized the social nature of the action and the absence of deep dogmatic content in it.
The participation of an Orthodox hierarch in joint prayer with Catholics and Protestants has once again raised questions about the boundaries of the ecumenical movement in the Orthodox world.
As UOJ reported, Patriarch Bartholomew attended a mass in honor of the anniversary of Pope Leo's election.
