On the eve of the feast, Tuesday, September 2, 2026, the Great Solemn Vespers with the blessing of bread was celebrated, at which His Eminence Metropolitan Job of Pisidia presided.

On the day of the feast, Wednesday, September 3, 2026, the solemn Divine Liturgy was presided over by His Eminence Metropolitan Job of Pisidia, concelebrating with His Grace Bishop Ambrose of Eudokiada, the clergy of the Metropolis and from abroad, in the presence of believers and pilgrims from the Metropolis and abroad.
In his theological homily, His Eminence referred to the miracles of the Most Holy Mother of God and the importance of celebrating her memory for strengthening the faith and unity of the Orthodox of the region.

The student choir of the Christian Student Action of Thessaloniki and the choir of Antalya, which sang during the Divine Liturgy gave particular splendor to the feast.

After the Divine Liturgy, a memorial service was celebrated for the repose of the soul of the founder of the church, Metropolitan Sotirios of blessed memory.

Subsequently, in the courtyard of the holy church, an agape meal was served for all the faithful who came to honor the Most Holy Mother of God.

After the meal, a festive concert was held with the participation of the children of Alania and the students of Thessaloniki.

The Holy Metropolis of Pisidia thanks everyone who contributed to the successful organization of the celebration.

The post The Feast of the Icon of the Mother of God of Pisidia in Alanya appeared first on Pisidia.

BY THE MERCY OF GOD

ARCHBISHOP OF CONSTANTINOPLE–NEW ROME
AND ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH

GRACE, PEACE, AND MERCY
UNTO THE ENTIRE PLENITUDE OF THE CHURCH
FROM THE FASHIONER OF ALL CREATION

OUR LORD AND GOD AND SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST

* * *

Most Reverend and Right Reverend Brother Hierarchs, and blessed children in the Lord,

By the grace of God, the giver of all good things, we enter today into the new ecclesiastical year, honouring and celebrating at its commencement, in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, the “Day of Prayer for the Protection of the Natural Environment.”

The multidimensional contemporary ecological crisis is a crisis of human freedom, of our religion and philosophy, of our ethos and our culture. What comes first is the “harmful alteration” of our freedom — our severance and alienation from the Source of Life; what follows is conduct destructive of the natural environment. We feel profound gratitude that the pioneering initiatives and interventions of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, carried out without interruption since 1989 have not only revealed the spiritual aspects of the ecological problem, but have also opened new paths and prospects for addressing it. The ecological symposia, the related inter-Christian and interreligious dialogues, the specific recommendations of the Great Church concerning environmental matters, the emphasis placed upon the social dimensions and consequences of the ecological crisis, and other such efforts together constitute a robust environmental proposal, which emphasizes the imperative need for a “Copernican Turn” in our understanding of the idea of progress and in humanity’s attitude towards nature, as well as in the actions of those engaged in political, economic, and social life, of the Churches and religions, of science and technology, and of those responsible for the education of the younger generation.

We shall continue, in word and deed, to promote the ecological vision of the Holy Great Church of Christ and the eco-friendly dynamism of the eucharistic, ascetic, and doxological relationship with creation, always underscoring that careful theological work is needed for the elucidation of the authentic ecological message of our Orthodox faith and tradition, for the benefit of creation, which is “very good.”

We are convinced that highlighting the religious and ethical dimensions of the ecological threat will lead to an awareness of the pivotal importance of “ecological responsibility.” Humanity must at last cease acting as though it does not know and definitively cast aside the illusion that planet Earth can in perpetuity withstand the burdens and destruction caused by human activity, or that nature has the power to renew itself of its own accord. The ethos of responsibility for the protection of the natural environment must find expression at the global, national, local, and personal levels. We reiterate once again that the cultivation of ecological responsibility is a “categorical imperative” for humanity as it confronts the greatest threat it has ever been called to face throughout the entire course of its history.

It is abundantly clear that, so long as the dominant anthropological model is represented by the “foolish rich man” of the Gospel (Luke 12:17–21), with his declaration, “I will pull down my barns and build greater; and there I will store all my crops and my goods,” and his words, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease, eat, drink, and be merry,” humanity will continue to undermine its future and annihilate its own “home.” The “sins of modernity” have created—and continue to create—new divisions and ruptures between humanity and nature. The contemporary “man-god” persists in geocide, disregarding every measure and limit in the name of geopolitical designs and economic interests, of consumerism and of the satisfaction of essentially insatiable needs, but also, on a deeper level, because of an overturning of inner lived experience and values. The consequences of the global dominance of the desire to manipulate, instrumentalize, and exploit nature will prove to be tragic for life on our planet.

The growing acceptance and official establishment of 1 September as the Day for the Protection of the Natural Environment throughout the Christian world bears particular significance today as a symbol and practical promotion of the unity of Christians. Moreover, the glorification of the “Fashioner of all creation” at the beginning of the Indiction in our liturgical tradition constitutes a precious inheritance, as an invitation and exhortation to respect creation, which suffers the consequences of an unseemly, human-caused assault.

Most Honourable Brethren and dearly beloved children,

Respect for the core pillars of ecological civilization can restrain environmentally destructive tendencies and open the “sole ecological path,” that of sustainable development. More broadly, humanity needs to reach agreement upon a body of common fundamental values which, in a world marked by conflict and polarization, will serve as a compass for the journey towards the future. We regard the principle of solidarity as the central axis of this body of values: solidarity as a source of shared responsibility, dialogue, and sincere reciprocity, together with collective responsibility for the protection of the natural environment. Respect in practice for the sacredness of the human person and care for the integrity of creation are, from a Christian perspective, vital manifestations of the eucharistic realisation of the Church and of human being’s call to become the “priest” of creation.

In this spirit, as we pray that the new ecclesiastical year may be favourable and fruitful in works that are good and pleasing to God, we invoke upon all of you, through the intercessions and mediation of the Most-Holy Theotokos Pammakaristos—whose most sacred icon we reverently keep in the Venerable Patriarchal Church and embrace “with mouth and heart and will”—the grace and mercy of our Lord and God and Saviour Jesus Christ, Whose All-Holy Name be blessed and glorified, now and ever, and unto the endless ages. Amen!

1 September 2026

† Bartholomew of Constantinople

Your fervent supplicant before God

The post Patriarchal Message for the Beginning of the Ecclesiastical Year appeared first on Pisidia.

Synaxis of Saints who have shone in Pisidia, Side and Antalya. This feast is celebrated every year on the Sunday closest to July 16, when the Church celebrates the memory of the 15,000 holy martyrs of Pisidia.

In the church of Saint Alypios the Stylite in Antalya, His Eminence Metropolitan Job of Pisidia, on the eve of the feast, presided at the festive vigil and on the day of the feast at the Divine Liturgy, with the participation of the clergy and many faithful of the local Church and from abroad.

In his homily, the Archpastor emphasized that “the land of Pisidia became that good land, which is spoken of in the well-known evangelical parable of the Sower and which depicts the heart of those who hear the Word of God, put it into practice and with patience and perseverance bear spiritual fruit”. He also reminded that “the two thousand year history of our holy Church has shown that Pisidia is a “Saint-bearer” land, since it has produced an abundant harvest of saints”.

The Metropolitan concluded by emphasizing: “This numerous multitude of saints from different eras unites the historical past of our land with our present, with our everyday life. In this land of Pisidia, regardless of the circumstances we live in, whether we are alone or going through various trials, we are never alone, because around us there is a “cloud of witnesses” (Heb. 12:1), who remind us with their lives of the main thing: Christ and the essence of the Gospel, calling us to overcome the difficulties of life and follow Christ.”

The post The Synaxis of Saints who have shone in Pisidia, Side and Antalya appeared first on Pisidia.

In his homily, the Metropolitan emphasized that Antioch of Pisidia became the epicenter of the spread of Christianity “to all nations” because here the Apostle of the Gentiles preached the universality of salvation in Christ Jesus. “The universality of salvation in Christ means that salvation is intended for all people, regardless of nationality, social status, or their previous sins,” said the Metropolitan, adding that “today, almost two thousand years later, the Church of Pisidia continues to proclaim the good news of the universal salvation of humanity to those far and near.” And he concluded: “Today, the Church of Pisidia is neither a national club nor a political party, but a spiritual source of salvation, a place of reconciliation and union of man with God through the participation in the holy mysteries, through which the faithful partake of Divine grace and become the Body of Christ, uniting people of different origins in their common effort for spiritual perfection in Christ.”

At the end of the Divine Liturgy, a Memorial Service was celebrated for the repose Metropolitan Sotirios Trampas of blessed memory, founder of the holy churcg, whose memory is honored and preserved with love and respect. After the service, a reception was offered to the pious assembly in the church’s hall. 

The church of the Holy Apostle Paul was built near the ancient city of Side in the municipality of Manavgat by the will of Metropolitan Sotirios Trampas of blessed memory and with the approval of the local authorities. The church has been operating normally since Pascha 2022 and was inaugurated in July of the same year.

The post The Holy Metropolis of Pisidia Honors Its Founder appeared first on Pisidia.

The post ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE HOLY METROPOLIS OF PISIDIA REGARDINGTHE CANCELLATION OF PILGRIMAGE TO ANTIOCH OF PISIDIA appeared first on Pisidia.

The pilgrims visited the church of Saint Alypios during the evening worship, where they were welcomed by His Eminence Metropolitan Job of Pisidia. After the worship and the visit of the church, His Eminence offered them a treat in the hall of the Metropolis.

The Holy Metropolis thanks the Union of Smyrnaeans for their visit and wishes everyone health and God’s blessings.

The post The Union of Smyrnaeans at the Holy Metropolis of Pisidia appeared first on Pisidia.

The Roman Catholic co-president is His Eminence Cardinal Kurt Koch. 

The Coordinating committee, composed of 10 Roman Catholic and 10 Orthodox theologians, examined a document on the theme of infallibility in preparation for the next plenary meeting of the commission.

The post Metropolitan Job of Pisidia led the theological dialogue with the Roman Catholic Church appeared first on Pisidia.

The post The fourth anniversary of the repose of Metropolitan Sotirios Trampas of blessed memory (1929-2022) appeared first on Pisidia.

The reception took place at the Church of Saint Alypios in Antalya, where the pilgrims venerated the holy icons with devotion. Afterwards, His Eminence had a cordial conversation with the members of the group in the headquarters of the Metropolis, while refreshments were offered to all those present.

The meeting was held in a climate of spiritual joy, emotion and love, highlighting the unbreakable ties of the Greeks with their homeland of Pisidia. The pilgrimage group then continued its journey towards the historical and ancestral land of Sparta in Pisidia.

The post Cordial welcome of Spartan pilgrims by Metropolitan Job of Pisidia at the Church of Saint Alypios appeared first on Pisidia.

On the first day of his visit, His Eminence sailed to the Holy Monastery of Xenophon. He reverently venerated the holy relics and icons of the Monastery and attended the sacred services that were held in the main church of the monastery. He had the blessing of meeting and having an ecclesiastical conversation with the Very Reverend Abbot of the Holy Monastery, Elder Alexios, drawing spiritual benefit from his Athonite wisdom and experience.

The next day, His Eminence went to the Holy Great Monastery of Vatopedi. There, he presided over the Divine Liturgy and concelebrated with the Very

Reverend Abbot of the Monastery, Elder Ephraim, on the feast of the Holy Glorious and Equal-to-the-Apostles Emperors Constantine and Helen, according to the old calendar. He had the blessing of having a spiritual conversation with Elder Ephraim, drawing lessons from his Athonite experience.
The pilgrimage was completed in a warm atmosphere and His Eminence Metropolitan Job of Pisidia thanks the Very Reverend Abbots of the Holy Monasteries of Xenophon and Vatopedi for the cordial welcome and hospitality.

The post Pilgrimage of Metropolitan Job of Pisidia to Mount Athos appeared first on Pisidia.