Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew on the Birthday of Constantinople

On May 12, 2010, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, after the Divine Liturgy in the Church of Saint George at the Phanar, referred to the anniversary of the Birthday, or Dedication, of Constantinople, in which he stated the following:

"During these days we also have other celebrated events. Yesterday, May 11, was the Dedication or Birthday of Constantinople. This our City, the great City, the historical, the beautiful City of our fathers, also has like each of us a birthday. Constantine the Great dedicated it in 330 A.D., and it continues to be one of the largest and most important cities in the world. It has a long and inexhaustible history, particularly from the point of view of our own race, in terms of Christianity. This City, with its memorials and memories, with so many grand events of our ecclesiastical history that took place here, celebrated her birthday yesterday, and we are glad that God has made us worthy that we live here and fulfill the ecumenical mission of our Patriarchate from this City, where the Patriarchate has been based since its inception, for about 1,700 years."

Translated by John Sanidopoulos.