Patriarch Bartholomew and the Archbishop of Albania will celebrate a joint liturgy in Cappadocia

In mid-May 2026, Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople and Archbishop John of Albania will lead solemn services in the historic churches of Cappadocia. The joint liturgy of the Primates will be the central event of the pilgrimage to the holy places of Asia Minor, which will be held with the support of the Turkish authorities. This is reported by Orthodoxia News Agency.

It is reported that the visit of the delegations of the Constantinople and Albanian Orthodox Churches is scheduled for May 16-18, 2026. The main solemn service will be held on May 17 in the Church of St. Theodore of Malakopi in Derinkuyu. It is reported that the Liturgy will begin at 9:30 a.m. on Sunday and will last three hours, with four bishops participating in addition to the Primates.

The program of events will begin on May 16 at the Church of Saints Constantine and Helen in Mustafapasha, where Patriarch Bartholomew will lead Great Vespers. This pilgrimage is positioned as one of the most significant events of the Patriarchate of Constantinople in 2026. Cappadocia, which is the cradle of many Christian traditions, will again become a meeting place for the highest clergy to pray together and discuss current church issues.

Earlier, the Primate of the Albanian Orthodox Church His Beatitude Archbishop John expressed his views on the Ukrainian Church issue. The First Hierarch drew attention to the fact that the establishment of the PCU has split world Orthodoxy, noting that the Synod of the Albanian Church expressed its position on this issue and it remains unchanged.