September 1st, 2016: Patriarchal Encyclical for the Protection of the Environment
The corruption or destruction of a single cultural monument in any country wounds the ecumenical legacy of all humankind.
Patriarchal Encyclical for the Ecclesiastical New Year
We have come to September 1st, the beginning of the ecclesiastical year, which the Ecumenical Patriarchate and subsequently the entire Orthodox Church designated as a day of prayer for the natural environment. Since then, as a result of this initiative, the interest in protecting the natural environment has expanded more broadly and numerous measures are now taken for the sustainability and balance of the earth’s ecosystems as well as for all related problems.