His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew presided in chorostasia over the Patriarchal Divine Liturgy at Saint George Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Stockholm on Sunday, August 24, 2025. Then he proceeded to Uppsala for the final Ecumenical Prayer Service of Ecumenical Week, a series of ecumenical anniversary celebrations commemorating the hundredth anniversary of the historic Stockholm Conference of 1925.
At that Ecumenical Prayer Service, His All-Holiness led the assembled clergy, dignitaries, and other participants in the recitation of the Nicene Creed, a fitting commemoration of the 1700th anniversary of the First Ecumenical Council, which was held in Nicaea in 325 A.D. He also prayed with the Most Reverend Martin Modéus, Archbishop of Uppsala and Primate of the Lutheran Church of Sweden. A delegation of Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate from the United States was present, and had the opportunity to meet with Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson of Sweden.
In his homily, His All-Holiness hailed the Cathedral of Saint George in Stockholm as a “model parish of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, a living center of worship, learning, and diakonia.” He noted that it “forms the nucleus of a community that gathers people of various backgrounds languages and cultures, and through deliberate commitment to accessibility and belonging, ensures that all are fully included. Children and youth, students and young professionals, families, newcomers and inquirers, as well as the elderly and the sick, receive attentive pastoral care, while those in hardship are supported through charitable work.”
The Ecumenical Patriarchate observed that the parish “safeguards the dignity of each person, and serves all without distinction. In its governance the parish models healthy collaboration between clergy and laity, with sound safeguarding and accountability. In its outreach it engages respectfully with Swedish society and other Christian communities. In all these ways this parish demonstrates the Ecumenical Patriarchate’s vision of a missionary multilingual and compassionate community that looks after everyone and their spiritual well-being.”
His Holiness expressed the “satisfaction of the Mother Church of Constantinople” at the successful completion of the renovation of Saint George Cathedral, and offered his “personal thanks to all of those who contributed to this good work.” He stated that “our holy churches are the goal par excellence, where the truth of the salvation of man and the world in Christ is represented and expressed in all its depth the holy name.” He reminded those present that the architecture of each Orthodox church “is a theological language which clearly and authentically narrates the saving presence of our Lord Jesus Christ in the world.” His All-Holiness also pointed out that “the divine service reveals that Christian existence is communal and social. It is life in the Church and as a Church, a life of relational freedom in all its dimensions.”
As at all of the events of Ecumenical Week, Christian religious leaders and dignitaries from various nations, as well as the Archon leadership and other Archons from the United States, were present as His All-Holiness bestowed his wisdom upon those who were present.
