On April 30, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, who holds a primacy of honor among the Orthodox churches, spoke about his predecessor Cyril VI of Constantinople (1769-1821). Recently canonized by the Ecumenical Patriarchate, Cyril VI was slain by order of the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire.

During his address, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew spoke about the war in Ukraine and, without naming Russia, denounced Russian actions.

“In our difficult days, in which Orthodox Christians massacre Orthodox Christians in Ukraine, torch cities, plunder houses and castles, expel and force to expatriation of millions of people, energetically exclude countries and peoples, threaten with nuclear destruction the world, and generally completely overthrow the Gospel and the ethos of Christianity in a demonic way, we appeal to the help of St. Cyril, to stop the devastating war and to give His peace to the long-suffering country and the whole world!”