The hierarchs of the eight Local Orthodox Churches celebrated a joint Liturgy in Greece

On June 29, 2026, a solemn divine service was held in the Greek city of Veria, bringing together representatives of eight Local Orthodox Churches. The culmination of the annual international forum “Pavlia-2026” was the Divine Liturgy in honor of the Apostles Peter and Paul, which, according to Vima Orthodoxias, became a symbol of the Orthodox world’s call for unity around the apostolic tradition.

The service was presided over by Metropolitan Cleopas of Sweden, representing the Patriarchate of Constantinople. Hierarchs from the Orthodox Churches of Alexandria, Antioch, Jerusalem, Serbia, Romania, Bulgaria, and Georgia concelebrated the service. Representatives of the Churches of Greece and Cyprus, clergy, and hundreds of pilgrims also participated in the prayer service.

In his sermon, Metropolitan Cleopas emphasized the need to overcome contemporary social conflicts and wars through Christian unity, citing the apostles Peter and Paul as models of missionary service. In turn, Metropolitan Panteleimon of Veria expressed gratitude for the delegations’ participation, emphasizing that their presence is “a vivid testimony to the unity of Orthodoxy.”

During the event, the faithful had the opportunity to venerate a relic of St. Paul the Apostle. The celebrations concluded with a memorial service for the late Metropolitans Paul of Veria and Paul of Drama.