Elder Metropolitan of Chalcedon celebrates Divine Liturgy in Budapest (PHOTOS)

A Hierarchical Divine Liturgy was celebrated on Sunday, September 6, at the newly built Church of the Three Hierarchs in Budapest, presided over by Elder Metropolitan Emmanuel of Chalcedon.

Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and the visiting hierarchs prayerfully attended the service from within the Holy Altar.

In his homily, Metropolitan Emmanuel reflected on the Gospel parable of the wedding banquet, noting that the image of the table prepared by the host for his son reveals the mystery of God’s invitation to humanity. He stressed that this invitation is addressed to all, while the Church goes out into the world to encounter different peoples, cultures, traditions and religious communities.

Against this background, the Metropolitan highlighted the significance of the “Fanarion – Orthodox Christian Center for Dialogue,” describing it as a new place of Orthodox presence and witness in the heart of Budapest. He noted that the Phanar has historically represented both a place and a way through which Orthodoxy engages with the contemporary world while preserving its identity and tradition.

Metropolitan Emmanuel also reflected on the “wedding garment” of the Gospel parable,…