Speaking about the sacrificial character of the Mother Church and her saving mission, as well as her enduring journey through the centuries, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew addressed the faithful while presiding at the Patriarchal Divine Liturgy at the Church of Holy Wisdom.
Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew underlined the Church’s profound spiritual and apostolic mission, noting that she “does not merely live from the past, but is inspired by it and bears witness to the Light of Christ - a Light that reveals the past, illumines the present, and guides the future.”
In this context, he conveyed messages drawn from the opening of the Triodion and the Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector.
“Here is the first teaching of the Holy Triodion: not fasting alone, not achievements alone, but humility. Fasting without repentance becomes Pharisaism… Humility is grace, it is wisdom, it is strength, it is peace,” the Ecumenical Patriarch emphasized.
He also recalled historical moments in which the Church upheld the faithful, keeping them steadfast during times of uncertainty, upheaval, and danger.
“The spread of the faith of the Great Church was carried out as an act of preservation and transformation, not as conquest or subjugation of the Christianized Slavic peoples. When the Empire fell, the Great Church remained as the spiritual and national guiding force of the Orthodox peoples. Imperial splendor was lost, yet the blessing of trial was gained. It remains a mystery how she wept, how she gave voice to her pain, how she built her homes and churches, how she organized education, and how she struggled…”
Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew went on to offer high praise for his predecessor, Joachim III of Constantinople, whose bust was unveiled later at the premises of the Metropolis of Thessaloniki by the Ecumenical Patriarch himself.
He noted that in difficult times for the Church, Joachim III shepherded the flock with exemplary devotion, combining “theology with practical wisdom, ascetic life with pastoral care,” while giving particular emphasis to education and learning.
“He understood that the Church does not exist in order to rule, but to serve, as her Lord does. She does not exist to erect walls, but to open paths of salvation. She does not exist merely to preserve institutions, but to save persons,” the Ecumenical Patriarch stated, adding:
“The Church does not erect monuments to glorify individuals, but to set before future generations examples to be remembered. In times of confusion, when many seek certainty without truth and peace without God, the figure of Joachim reminds us that only the Wisdom of God builds a house that stands firm.”
Metropolitan Filotheos of Thessaloniki, also representing Archbishop Ieronymos of Athens and All Greece, addressed the Ecumenical Patriarch, stressing that the Mother Church is characterized by an “ethos of humility and patience,” which “does not seek human vindication,” but “places unshakable trust in the mercy of God.”
He continued: “Even when certain voices, driven by a spirit of Pharisaic self-justification and religious fanaticism - belligerent in attitude and slow of heart to believe in the paternal and fraternal love of the Mother Church - recklessly hurl accusations against their timeless benefactor, the Church of Constantinople, and against her visible expression in the venerable person of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew.”
At the conclusion of the Patriarchal Divine Liturgy, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew elevated the Mayor of Thessaloniki, Stelios Angeloudis, to the dignity of Archon of the Ecumenical Patriarchate.
He thus became a member of the Brotherhood of the Officials of the Ecumenical Throne.