New “barbs” from Bartholomew against Moscow: Russia’s church leadership speaks of a “holy war” in Ukraine

Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew presided over the Divine Liturgy on Sunday, July 26, 2026, at the feast of St. Paraskevi in the historic Church of St. Paraskevi in Hasköy (Pikridion), where he reflected on the witness of Christian martyrs throughout history and warned that Christians continue to face persecution in many parts of the world today.

The church, which was completely restored in 2008 through the generosity of Captain Panagiotis Tsakos, an Archon of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, now serves the Romanian-speaking Orthodox community of Constantinople. The church courtyard is also home to the tomb of St. Argyri the New Martyr.

In his homily, the Ecumenical Patriarch spoke of the countless martyrs and confessors of the faith, including St. Paraskevi, whose feast was being celebrated.

“Truth is under attack. The followers of the Risen Lord are once again being persecuted, especially in the Middle East, the cradle of Christianity, which continues to give birth to new martyrs of the faith in our own time,” the Patriarch said.

He recalled that from the very beginning of Christianity, opponents of the Resurrection sought to suppress the Gospel through intimidation,…