Bp. Emmanuel Participates in Ecumenical Service at Würzburg Cathedral

Photo: eeod.gr

WÜRZBURG, GERMANY — As reported by UOJ-Greece, Bp. Emmanuel of Christoupolis of the Ecumenical Patriarchate participated in an ecumenical worship service alongside Catholic and Protestant leaders during the Catholic Conference held in Würzburg on May 15.

The service took place at Würzburg Cathedral under the theme “Have courage, arise!” and brought together representatives from several Christian traditions. Among those participating were Catholic Bishop Dr. Gerhard Feige, Anja Goller, Anna-Nicole Heinrich, and Rev. Christopher Easthill. The sermon was delivered by Prof. Dr. Cornelia Richter, a bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Austria, who spoke about the importance of Christian hope and vision as positive influences within society.

The service concluded with the distribution of safety carabiners to worshippers as a symbolic reminder of support and trust, accompanied by the repeated message, “Have courage, stand up, you are being held.” The event also served as a fundraiser for a project supporting children with albinism in Tanzania and for the Malteser ambulance ministry in the Diocese of Würzburg.

The participation of an Orthodox hierarch in a jointly conducted service with Roman Catholic and Protestant clergy is likely to prompt further discussion within Orthodox theological and ecclesiastical circles, where ecumenical engagement remains a carefully scrutinized issue. While such encounters are often framed as gestures of dialogue, they also continue to raise questions about liturgical boundaries and the appropriate forms of inter-Christian participation.

Previously, the UOJ reported that the ROCOR Synod opened a centenary assembly in Germany.

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