Patriarch Kirill visited Saint Petersburg at the start of the week, where on June 14 he celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the Ioannovsky Monastery on Karpovka for the feast of St. John of Kronstadt. He also blessed the foundation stone of a new church dedicated to the saint, recalling his personal connection to the site during years of religious persecution. According to local reports, the church will become part of the monastery complex and will be funded through private donations.

On June 16, the Patriarch chaired a meeting of the Supreme Church Council in Moscow focused on spiritual and social support for participants in the ongoing special military operation and their families. The council discussed a new pastoral handbook titled “Return”, prepared by the Patriarchal Humanitarian Mission, offering practical guidance for clergy, volunteers, and Orthodox psychologists involved in rehabilitation and social care.

A missile strike on June 15 that damaged the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra complex, including the Dormition Cathedral, prompted a wave of international reactions. The Ukrainian Orthodox Church called the event a tragedy and urged prayers for peace. UNESCO expressed readiness to assess the damage to the World Heritage Site, while Greece’s Ministry of Culture announced potential funding for future restoration efforts.

The World Council of Churches and several Local Orthodox Churches, including representatives from Bulgaria, the United States, and Estonia, sent messages of support to Metropolitan Onuphry. Metropolitan Onuphry Russian defense officials later suggested the incident may have been caused by a malfunction in a Patriot missile system.

Mass public demonstrations in support of traditional family values took place in both Bulgaria and Greece. In Sofia, Bulgarian Patriarch Daniel led the annual “March for the Family,” emphasizing support for young and large families amid demographic concerns. In Thessaloniki, clergy and lay activists held a rally titled “Respect for the Greek Orthodox Family,” opposing same-sex marriage legislation and broader social reforms.

In Georgia, a five-day cross procession was held from June 15–19 to mark the 1,700th anniversary of Christianity becoming a state religion. The pilgrimage route stretched from Goridzhvari to Mount Tkhoti in the Shida Kartli region, concluding at a site associated with the conversion of King Mirian III. Clergy and faithful from multiple dioceses participated in liturgies and prayers along the route.

Metropolitan Constantine ordained five new priests from Kenya, Malawi, Uganda, and Zimbabwe on June 17, following their theological training in Moscow under the Patriarchal Exarchate of Africa. One of the newly ordained clergy became the first Russian Orthodox priest in Zimbabwe. The multilingual liturgy underscored the growing global reach of the Church’s African mission, with services conducted in Church Slavonic, English, Swahili, Chichewa, and Shona.

The Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem accused Israeli authorities of seizing church-owned land in the Silwan area of East Jerusalem. According to the Patriarchate, fencing was installed near the ancient Monastery of St. Onuphrius, trees were removed, and access restricted. The World Council of Churches supported the Patriarchate’s position, calling for respect of religious property rights.

In Crete, the local Church launched a campaign against violence and vigilante justice following a fatal shooting linked to a long-standing personal grievance. Archbishop Evgenios of Crete led a memorial service for the victim and announced the formation of a commission to combat violence. The initiative will include educational outreach programs aimed at youth and local communities, addressing broader concerns about social cohesion and justice.