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In response to inquiries coming to the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate, the department clarifies that, in keeping with the Holy Synod Statement of October 17, 2019 (Minutes No. 125), no blessing is given upon the Russian Orthodox Church’s pilgrims’ visits to the following dioceses of the Orthodox Church of Greece, whose ruling bishops have entered in church communion with the Ukrainian schismatics:

  1. Metropolis of Athens headed by Archbishop Ieronimus II of Athens and All Greece, under whose direct authority are the following districts of the Greek capital city: the center of Athens, Ano Petralona, Koukaki, Kato Petralona, Tavros, Keramikos, Votanikos. Akadimia Platonas, Kolokinthous, Skouze, Aharnes, Patisia, Sepolia, Kato Patisia, Ano Patisia, Galanchi, Kypseli, Kuzi, Ambelokipi, Goudi, Zografou, Pankration, Ilissos, Agios Dimitrios, Ilioupoli, Kallithea, Moschato, Ginzifies, Papagou, Psychiko, Chalandri, Vrilissia, Cholargos, Agia Paraskevi, Kato Chalandri. The major churches in the Archdiocese of Athens are the Cathedral of the Annunciation, the Church of St. Dionysius the Areopagite, and the Church of the Holy Protomartyr Panteleimon Acharnai. These restrictions do not involve dioceses that include suburban parts and districts of Athens and the whole region of Attica. These are the Metropolises of Piraeus, Mesogeia, Ilion, Peristeri, Kythira, New Smyrna, Kifissia, Kessariani, Glyfada, Nicaea, Megara, Hydra, and Philadelphia.
  2. Diocese of Langada; ruling bishop – Metropolitan Ioannis of Langada;
  3. Diocese of Veria; ruling bishop – Metropolitan Panteleimon of Veria, Naoussa and Campania;
  4. Diocese of Arta; ruling bishop – Metropolitan Kallinikos of Arta;
  5. Diocese of Trikki (city of Trikala) ruling bishop – Metropolitan Chrysostomos of Trikki and Stagon;
  6. Diocese of Demetrias (city of Volos) – Metropolitan Ignatios of Demetrias.

Upon receiving new information on individual hierarchs’ entering in church communion with the Ukrainian schismatics, their dioceses will also be included in the above list.

The list is available at the website of the Pilgrimage Center of the Moscow Patriarchate.

DECR Communication Service