The head of the Church of Constantinople Patriarch Bartholomew answered to those who – as he stated – “forget the truth that Our Lord Jesus Christ is the greatest power of the Church”, and “dream of the Ecumenical Patriarchate somewhere abroad, as a Vatican of Orthodoxy, with worldly glory and power”.

In his speech after the Divine Liturgy in Ferikoy, the Patriarch said: “for the Church of Christ there are no worldly powers. Neither geographical extent, nor the multitudes of the followers, nor material wealth, can be forces for the Church of Christ. The greatest strength is our Lord Jesus Christ. And he was crucified.

By the power of the crucified Lord, the Holy Great Church of Christ survived so many bad moments in the historical life, gave the good witness to the world and worked miracles.”