At the beginning of the week, Patriarch Kirill visited the Vladimir Metropolia. On September 27 in Suzdal, he consecrated the restored Sretensky Church of the Rizopolozhensky Convent and celebrated the Divine Liturgy.

The church, which had been damaged by fire and restored between 2022 and 2026, now has three altars. Patriarch Kirill presented the convent with an icon of the Mother of God of Tabynsk and gave Passion Gospels to churches of the metropolia.

The Patriarch also consecrated the foundation stone for a new Holy Trinity Cathedral, which is to be built on the site of a church demolished in 1934. At the Resurrection Cathedral in Suzdal, he venerated the relics of saints and addressed young people, urging them to preserve the Orthodox faith and historical memory.

In the cathedral courtyard, Patriarch Kirill consecrated a memorial bell bearing the names of residents of Suzdal and the surrounding district who died during the Russian military operation in Ukraine. During the visit, he also met with Vladimir Region Governor Alexander Avdeev.

Patriarch Daniel of Bulgaria concluded a visit to the Holy Land and Jordan. He arrived in Jerusalem on September 25, where he met with Patriarch Theophilos III of Jerusalem and visited Christian holy sites.

On September 27, the two patriarchs celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre on the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross. Patriarch Daniel also visited the Monastery of Saint Mary Magdalene in Gethsemane.

The Bulgarian Patriarch subsequently traveled to Jordan, where he visited the traditional site of Christ's Baptism and met with King Abdullah II. From September 28 to 30, he toured Christian sites and learned more about church life in the country.

During the trip, Patriarch Daniel spoke about the situation of Christian communities in the region, the preservation of holy sites, and the historical ties between the Bulgarian and Jerusalem Patriarchates.

Greece and Bulgaria have agreed to exchange historical and ecclesiastical relics. On October 3 in Thessaloniki, Greece handed over to Bulgaria remains identified as those of Tsar Samuel, discovered in 1965 during excavations at the Basilica of Saint Achilleios.

In return, Greece received 48 ecclesiastical relics that had been removed from monasteries and the Metropolis of Serres in 1917 during the First World War. Following a temporary exhibition in Thessaloniki, the relics are expected to be returned to their places of origin.

The remains attributed to Tsar Samuel were received in Sofia in a state ceremony. The agreement follows years of negotiations, while the two sides plan to continue discussions concerning other cultural and ecclesiastical treasures removed from their original locations.

Greek church authorities reported the discovery of the relics of two saints this week.

Near the ruins of an old church in Pella, remains of a young woman were discovered and identified by church authorities with the New Martyr Zlata of Meglen, who was killed in 1795. Research conducted in Germany indicated that the remains belonged to a woman approximately 17 years old and dated to roughly the same period.

On October 1 in Koronisia, Arta, the relics of Venerable Onuphrius, an 18th-century monk associated with the Koronisia Monastery, were transferred to a shrine. Following the opening of his tomb, the remains were placed in a reliquary and transferred to the Church of the Nativity of the Theotokos, where they will be available for veneration.

The Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia marked the 160th anniversary of its Cathedral of the Exaltation of the Cross in Geneva.

The jubilee celebrations were led by Metropolitan Nicholas, First Hierarch of ROCOR, who brought the Kursk Root Icon of the Mother of God to Geneva. Following the festive Divine Liturgy, a procession took place around the cathedral.

The church was consecrated on September 26, 1866, on the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross.

The Cathedral of Saint John Vladimir in Bar, Montenegro, celebrated the 10th anniversary of its consecration. The festive Divine Liturgy was led by Metropolitan Joanikije of Montenegro and the Littoral and Bishop Kirill of Buenos Aires and South and Central America.

Representatives of the Serbian and Bulgarian Orthodox Churches, as well as the Roman Catholic Church and Montenegro's Muslim community, took part in the celebrations.

Consecrated in 2016, the cathedral is regarded as a major landmark of Orthodox life in Bar. Its construction followed the restoration of the Church of the Holy Trinity on Mount Rumija.

A delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church led by Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk visited Tbilisi on September 30 and met with Patriarch Shio III of Georgia.

The sides discussed interchurch cooperation, issues of pan-Orthodox significance, and the situation in Abkhazia and South Ossetia. They also considered possible ways of maintaining contacts with Orthodox communities in those regions.

An international conference dedicated to the 1,700th anniversary of Christianity becoming the state religion of Georgia was held in Tbilisi on October 2.

Patriarch Shio III spoke about the historical role of Christianity in shaping Georgian culture and identity, as well as contemporary challenges involving family and demographics.

The conference was organized by the Parliament of Georgia and concluded with the adoption of the Tbilisi Declaration.