A fragment of the Head of St. John the Forerunner returns to Constantinople after 822 years

The Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew today, Friday, October 9, 2026, visited the Roman Catholic Cathedral of Our Lady in the city of Amiens, where he was warmly welcomed by the Bishop of Amiens, Gérard Le Stang.

The Ecumenical Patriarch, accompanied by Metropolitan Emmanuel of Chalcedon, Metropolitan Dimitrios of France, Bishop Ambrosios of Sinope, and the Grand Ecclesiarch Aetios, Director of the Patriarchal Private Office, venerated the head of Saint John the Forerunner, which is preserved in a special chapel within the magnificent cathedral. The holy relic was transferred to Amiens in 1206 from the Monastery of Stoudios in Constantinople, during the period of the Fourth Crusade (1204).

The Bishop of Amiens presented the Ecumenical Patriarch with a fragment of the head of Saint John the Forerunner. This sacred relic will be placed on display for veneration by the faithful at the venerable Patriarchal Church of St. George in Constantinople. The Ecumenical Patriarch and his delegation are scheduled to return to Constantinople this evening.

Photos: Ecumenical Patriarchate