SOFIA, Bulgaria — Bulgarians lined the streets of Sofia on Saturday to bid farewell to the late Orthodox Patriarch Neophyte. The spiritual leader of Bulgaria’s Orthodox Christians died on Wednesday at the age of 78 after a long illness. Neophyte, who became patriarch in 2013, was the first elected head of the Bulgarian church after … Read more
WARSAW, Poland — A teenager has been arrested on suspicion of stabbing and critically wounding an Orthodox Jewish man on the streets of Zurich, Swiss police said Sunday. Zurich police said in a statement that they suspect antisemitism as the motive in the stabbing attack that occurred Saturday evening. Police said they received a report … Read more
Greece on Thursday became the first majority Orthodox Christian country to legalize same-sex marriage — a watershed moment for the country’s LGBTQ community, which has long fought for visibility and rights in the shadow of the highly influential Greek church. The bill also allows same-sex couples to adopt children and confers full parental rights on … Read more
ATHENS, Greece — Greece’s parliament is set to vote Thursday to legalize same-sex civil marriage, in a first for an Orthodox Christian country and despite opposition from the influential Greek Church. Opinion polls suggest that most Greeks support the proposed reform, and the issue has failed to trigger deep divisions in a country more worried … Read more
KYIV, Ukraine — The southern Ukrainian city of Kherson was subjected Sunday to numerous shelling attacks from Russian-occupied parts of the Kherson region, across the Dnieper River, local officials said. The head of the Kherson city administration, Roman Mrochko, said two people died in the shelling attacks and several others were wounded. Meanwhile, Russian military … Read more
Orthodox Christians packed churches Saturday night for Christmas Eve services, a holiday overshadowed for many believers by conflict. Traditions vary, but typically the main worship service for Orthodox Christians takes place the night before Christmas, which is Jan. 7. Patriarch Kirill, leader of the Russian Orthodox Church, the world’s largest Orthodox denomination, led elaborate and … Read more
Comment on this storyCommentAdd to your saved storiesSave JERUSALEM — The historic Church of St. Porphyrius, Gaza’s oldest active church, was struck Thursday as it sheltered hundreds of Palestinians displaced by the war, according to religious officials. The casualty count and extent of the damage were not immediately clear. The Washington Post geolocated the strike … Read more