Greek Orthodox Archives

Eastern Christians mark Easter in shuttered Jerusalem church

Apr 19, 2020

A handful of Eastern Orthodox priests held mass for the Christian holiday of Easter on Sunday in an empty Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem due to restrictions in place to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus.

By Associated Press

Cuomo: Rebuilding of church lost in 9/11 attacks to resume

Jan 3, 2020

Two years after a lack of funds halted construction of a marble-clad Greek Orthodox church at New York’s World Trade Center site, Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Greek Orthodox officials announced plans Thursday to resume construction with the goal of finishing the rebuilding by the 20th anniversary of the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

By Karen Matthews

Pope gives relics of St. Peter to Orthodox patriarch

Jul 2, 2019

In what Orthodox Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople described as a “brave and bold” gesture, Pope Francis gave the patriarch a famous reliquary containing bone fragments believed to belong to St. Peter.

By Cindy Wooden

Long home to vampire lore, Transylvania today has new Blesseds

Jun 2, 2019

On Sunday in Romania, Pope Francis beatified seven bishops of the Eastern rite church who refused to abandon their faith under the communist dictatorship, which wasn’t overthrown until 1989.

By Claire Giangravè

Orthodox Church to move forward with Ukrainian independence

Oct 12, 2018

Ukraine’s president on Thursday hailed the announcement by Orthodoxy’s Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople that it will move forward with granting Ukrainian clerics independence from the Russian Orthodox Church.

By Yuras Karmanu

Russian Catholics hope ties won’t be affected by inter-Orthodox tensions

Oct 2, 2018

As plans to establish an independent Ukrainian Orthodox Church encounter complaints from Russia, Catholic leaders hope ecumenical ties will not be affected.

By Jonathan Luxmoore