The Second Assembly of the Exarchate of the Ecumenical Patriarchate was Held in Vilnius

On April 5, 2025, the second annual gathering of the Exarchate of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Lithuania took place in Vilnius. Laity and clergy gathered from across the country for a day of prayer, fellowship, and administrative reflection. This information was reported by the Orthodox Times website.

The assembly, which took place at the Church of the Dormition of the Mother of God, began with a divine liturgy. Following this, the Exarch of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Lithuania delivered a speech. The participants were also presented with a welcome message from Patriarch Bartholomew.

During the conference portion, two main lectures were presented: Dr. Saulius Rumšas OP gave a lecture on «The First Ecumenical Council at Nicaea and its Significance» in celebration of its 1700th anniversary. The second lecture, dedicated to the 20th anniversary of Lithuanian Orthodox services (2005–2025), was delivered by Vitalijus Mokkus, emphasizing the importance of Orthodox liturgical life in the Lithuanian language.

In the final session, the participants heard reports on activities and finances from the past year. Exarch Justinas Kivilo presented the annual report, followed by financial reports from Financial Director Gitana Jonynė and Auditor Nikita Ananiev. The Director of the «Koinonia» Fund, Vladimir Selyavko, also shared updates on the financial state and progress of the construction of the new church.

Earlier, it was reported that nationalist circles in Turkey had called for the withdrawal of Turkish citizenship from Archbishop Elpidophoros of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople. The Turkish nationalists were upset by the Archbishop’s use of the former name of Istanbul – Constantinople – in an unacceptable historical context.