At today’s joint liturgy of the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and the Archbishop Stefan in Phanar, Istanbul, the patriarch held a sermon in Greek.

We believe that this event means your full understanding of the greatness of the gift of the Mother Church to your people, but also of the responsibility you bear, entering the All-Orthodox World from today. he said.

The handing over of the Patriarchal and Synodal Act for the removal of the schism does not mean giving a tomos for autocephaly which officially regulates the international name and status of our church, but is an expression of paternal love and care by the Ecumenical Patriarchate and is an announcement that it no longer is in schism with the entire Orthodox Church and its clergy can officiate with priests from other local Orthodox churches.