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The ecumenical patriarch of the Eastern Orthodox Church, based in Istanbul, fulfilled a 10-year promise to mark Easter on the Turkish island of Gokceada where he was born.
In candle-lit masses held over three days, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I presided over services that brought together Orthodox Christian believers from the Aegean island and abroad.
About 200 visitors and locals attended the services. Many of them were returning Greeks whose families lived on the island in the past but had since left. Others had also traveled from abroad while a few lived on the island.
Chants and hymns reverberated and two golden candles were lit at the Cathedral of St. George where the midnight Easter Mass was held. Fireworks accompanied the patriarch’s sermon. Sunday’s final ceremony was held at the Cathedral of the Dormition of Virgin Mary in the morning.
