Patr. Bartholomew and Abp. John Lead Historic Cappadocian Pilgrimage
A joint Cappadocian pilgrimage brought the primates of Constantinople and Albania together in liturgy, prayer, and remembrance of early Christian heritage.
CAPPADOCIA — The Ecumenical Patriarchate and the Orthodox Church of Albania marked a joint pilgrimage and concelebration in Cappadocia over the weekend, highlighted by a Divine Liturgy at the historic Church of St. Theodore the Tyrian in Malakopi (Derinkuyu), a site deeply associated with the region’s early Christian heritage.
The main liturgical celebration was presided over by Patr. Bartholomew of Constantinople alongside Abp. John of Albania on May 17, 2026, during the Sunday of the Blind Man. In his homily, Patr. Bartholomew reflected on the spiritual legacy of Cappadocia, describing it as a “center of pious traditions in the East” and urging the faithful to “light a candle of faith and hope” in the memory of the region’s saints and martyrs.
The liturgy was concelebrated by hierarchs including Metr. Gregory of Ankara and Bp. Ignatius of Amantia, with additional clergy and pilgrims from Turkey, Greece, and abroad in attendance. Following the service, the Patriarch led a Trisagion prayer for the departed of Cappadocia, commemorating both saints and those who suffered persecution in the region’s history. Speaking of the holiness of their Cappadocian surroundings, Patr. Bartholomew exclaimed:
Here the divine teachings of the Great Fathers, the blood of the Martyrs, the tears of the Saints, the piety of the faithful people, the prayers of the Church, the Temples, the Monasteries, the hermitages, the carved chapels, the unique iconography and the pious traditions, have sanctified everything!
Earlier in the pilgrimage, the two primates visited local authorities in Nevşehir and toured historic churches, including the Church of the Holy Cross in Cemil. The program concluded with Vespers at the Church of the Virgin Mary in Nevşehir, where Patr. Bartholomew emphasized the enduring “Roman spirit” and the region’s legacy of coexistence, while Abp. John highlighted the resurrectional hope central to the Orthodox faith.
Video of the concelebrated liturgy can be viewed here.
Previously, the UOJ reported that Abp. John led the consecration of a new Bishop of Amantia.
