Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew
Émigré Russian Orthodox inch toward a return to Moscow Patriarchate
By Tom Heneghan — September 10, 2019
PARIS (RNS) — A decision seemed to be made, but as with most émigré politics and disputes among Eastern Orthodox churches, it got complicated.
Official recognition for Ukrainian church roils Orthodox world
By Nikolia Apostolou — January 2, 2019
ATHENS, Greece (RNS) — Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople Bartholomew's decision to recognize an independent Ukrainian Orthodox Church has led to fears of a schism among Orthodox Christians.
Eastern Orthodoxy risks split over independence for Ukraine’s church
By Tom Heneghan — October 31, 2018
(RNS) — The political significance of the decision was immediately clear. 'The (Russian) empire is losing one of the last levers of influence on its former colony,' Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said.
Russian Orthodox Church calls boycotted Crete council ‘an important event’
By Tom Heneghan — July 20, 2016
(RNS) The Russian synod also said the summit in Crete could not be called “pan-Orthodox” because four of the 14 independent Orthodox member churches did not attend.
Overcoming estrangement: How Orthodox churches came together
By Charles C. Camosy — June 29, 2016
(RNS) There was no shortage of controversy leading up to the Pan-Orthodox Council. In the end, cooler and more charitable heads prevailed.
Pan-Orthodox Council turns into cliffhanger over boycott threats
By Tom Heneghan — June 15, 2016
(RNS) The Russian Orthodox Church cast a pall over the planned June 20-26 meeting on the Greek island of Crete by calling for the session to be postponed.
Pope Francis makes overtures to Orthodox and Muslims, but steep challenges remain
By Josephine McKenna — December 1, 2014
VATICAN CITY (RNS) “I want to assure each one of you here that, to reach the desired goal of full unity, the Catholic Church does not intend to impose any conditions except that of the shared profession of faith," Pope Francis told Orthodox leaders.
3 things Pope Francis hopes to accomplish in Turkey
By Josephine McKenna — November 26, 2014
VATICAN CITY (RNS) There are so few Christians in this overwhelmingly Muslim country that Pope Francis is leaving the armored popemobile at home. So why is he going at all?
Pope Francis calls for ‘courage’ toward peace between Israel, Palestine
By Josephine McKenna — June 9, 2014
VATICAN CITY (RNS) “Peacemaking calls for courage, much more so than warfare," Pope Francis told the Israeli and Palestinian presidents. "It calls for the courage to say yes to encounter and no to conflict, yes to dialogue and no to violence."
Turkish leaders want to convert the Hagia Sophia back into a mosque
By Jacob Resneck — December 4, 2013
(RNS) Recent conversions of former Byzantine-era churches from museums into mosques, encouraged by religious and political leaders, have caused alarm among religious minorities and Turkey's Christian neighbors.
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