As it has been known, the Holy Relics of St. Gregory the Theologian and St. John Chrysostom are returning to the City after 800 years.

His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew will depart for Rome tomorrow, Friday 26 November at 16:00 by a chartered flight in order to receive from the Roman Pontific, His Holiness Pope John Paul II, the Holy Relics of these two Saints who significantly affected Christian history with their lives and theology.

Members of the Entourage of the Ecumenical Patriarch are their Eminences Archbishop Gregory of Thyateira and Great Britain, Metropolitan Chrysostomos of Myra and Metropolitan Anthimos of Alexandroupolis, the Rev. Alex Karloutsos, the Rev. Deacon Andrew Sofianopoulos, Professor Dr. Gregory Skalkeas, member of the Academy of Athens and others.  Moreover, His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios of America will lead the group of representatives of the Greek-American orthodox faithful to be present during the ceremony in St. Peter’s Basilica.

On His trip to Rome the Patriarch will be escorted by His Eminence Cardinal Roger Etchegaray and His Excellency Archbishop Edmond Farhat, Apostolic Nuncio to Turkey.

The sacred bodies of the two Saints rested, until the year 1204, in the celebrated Church of the Holy Apostles of Byzantium where the tombs of the Emperors were also kept. During the pillage that followed the first conquest of the city by the Crusaders, the Holy Relics where taken to Venice and later to Rome, and were kept there in St. Peter’s Basilica until now.

Last June, during the official visit of His All Holiness to Rome (on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the first meeting of Patriarch Athenagoras and Pope Paul VI) the desire was expressed that the Holy Relics be returned to their rightful owner, the Church of Constantinople, the Throne of which both Saints glorified and served with zeal, becoming Great Doctors of the One, Holy and Undivided Church.

The Pope, having accepted the pan-Orthodox request expressed by the Ecumenical Patriarch, will personally hand over to the present successor of these Saints, Patriarch Bartholomew, the Holy Relics in a special ceremony in Vatican’s St. Peter’s Basilica on 27 November at 11:00 a.m.

The same day at noon His All Holiness will attend an official lunch hosted by His Holiness the Pope, and later he will depart for Istanbul at 16:00.

His All Holiness and the entourage, together with the Holy Relics, will arrive at the airport in Istanbul at approximately 19:00.  This time the Patriarch will be escorted by the official Delegation of the Church of Rome which, as every year, will be present at the Patron Feast day of the Ecumenical Patriarchate.  His Eminence Walter Cardinal Kasper will lead the Delegation.

The Holy Relics will be transferred from the airport to the Most Venerable Patriarchal Cathedral of St. George at the Phanar.  At approximately 19:30 Doxology will be served in the presence of the Hierarchs of the Throne, clergy and faithful, as well as Bishops of different denominations, participating in a conference held during these days in Istanbul.  After the Doxology and the speech of His All Holiness the Relics will be placed in the church for veneration, and later will be transferred temporarily to the private Patriarchal Chapel of St. Andrew.

On Sunday and Monday, 28 and 29 November, their Eminences Metropolitan Chrysostomos of the Senior See of Ephesus and Archbishop Demetrios of America will celebrate the Divine Liturgy respectively at the Patriarchal Cathedral.

On Tuesday, 30 November, the Feast Day of St. Andrew the First Called, the Patron Feast day of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the Patriarch and many other Bishops, as well as representatives of the local Autocephalous and Autonomous Orthodox Churches will celebrate the Divine Liturgy in the Most Venerable Patriarchal Cathedral.  The official Delegation of the Church of Rome will be present during the Divine Liturgy. Before the service the Holy Relics will be transferred in procession from the Patriarchal Chapel to the Patriarchal Cathedral.

The Ecumenical Patriarchate expresses once more its joy for the return of two of the Three Hierarchs after eight centuries as they will bless people in the place where they exercised their spiritual leadership.