« To the attention of pilgrims from the Russian Orthodox Church traveling to Greece, Cyprus and other countries »
12-09-2023 
In 2018, as a result of the recognition by the Patriarchate of Constantinople of schismatic communities in Ukraine and the establishment of communion with them, the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church stated the impossibility of "continuing Eucharistic communion with its hierarchs, clergy and laity. For all clergy of the Russian Orthodox Church, it is impossible to co-serve with the clerics of the Church of Constantinople, and for the laity - to participate in the sacraments performed in its churches" (Statement of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church of October 15, 2018).
In 2019, the Russian Orthodox Church, with deep sorrow, was forced to terminate "prayerful and Eucharistic communion with those bishops of the Church of Greece who have entered into or will enter into such communion with representatives of the Ukrainian non-canonical schismatic communities" (Statement of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church of October 17, 2019).
In accordance with these decisions of the Holy Synod, the faithful children of the Russian Orthodox Church are not blessed to visit for pilgrimage purposes the parishes and monasteries of the dioceses of the Patriarchate of Constantinople, as well as parishes and monasteries on the territory of the dioceses of Alexandrian Orthodox Church, Greek Orthodox Church, Cypriot Orthodox Church and the Orthodox Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia, whose hierarchs allowed concelebration with Ukrainian schismatics:
GREECE
List of metropolises of the Greek Orthodox Church undesirable for visiting by pilgrims from the Russian Orthodox Church
In response to incoming requests, the Pilgrimage Centre of the Moscow Patriarchate explains that at present, based on the statement of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church dated October 17, 2019 (Journal No.125), pilgrims’ visits to the following dioceses of the Greek Orthodox Church are not blessed:
1. Athens, headed by Archbishop Hieronymus II of Athens and All Hellas, whose direct subordination includes the following districts of the Greek capital: the center of Athens, Ano Petralona, Koukaki, Kato Petralona, Tavros, Kerameikos, Votanikos, the Academy of Platonas, Kolokinthos, Skouse, Aharne, Patisia, Sepolia, Kato Patissia, Ano Patisia, Galanchi, Kipseli, Kuzi, Ambelokipi, Gudi, Zografou, Pankrati, Ilisos, Agios Dimitrios, Ilioupoli, Kallithea, Moschato, Dzinzifies, Papagu, Psychiko, Halandri, Vrilissia, Holargos, Agia Paraskevi, Kato Halandri. The most famous and largest churches of the Archdiocese of Athens are Annunciation Cathedral, Church of St. Dionysius the Areopagite and Church of the Holy Great Martyr Panteleimon Acharnon.
These restrictions do not apply to dioceses, which include the outskirts and suburbs of Athens and the whole region of Attica. These include the metropolises of Piraeus, Mesogean, Ili, Peristeria, Cythyra, Neosmyrna, Cythysia, Caesaria, Glyfada, Nicaea, Megara, Hydra and Philadelphia.
2. Verian (Veria), ruling bishop is Metropolitan Panteleimon of Veria, Naus and Campania.
3. Artan (Arta), ruling bishop is Metropolitan Callinicus of Arta.
4. Trikkian (Trikkala), ruling bishop is Metropolitan Chrysostomos of Trikkala and Stagon.
5. Dimitriadian (Volos), ruling bishop is Metropolitan Ignatius of Demetriad and Almir.
6. Phocis (Amthyssa), ruling bishop is Metropolitan Theoktistus of Phocis.
7. Zakynthos (island Zakynthos), ruling bishop is Metropolitan Dionysius of Zakynthos and Strofad.
8. Kitra (Katerini), ruling bishop is Metropolitan George of Kitra and Katerini.
9. Xanthian (Xanthy), ruling bishop is Metropolitan Panteleimon of Xanthy.
10. Edessian (Edessa), ruling bishop is Metropolitan Joel of Edessa and Pella.
11. Grevenian (Grevena), ruling bishop is Metropolitan David of Grevena.
12. Maronian (Komotini), ruling bishop is Metropolitan Panteleimon of Maronia and Komotini.
13. Philippian (Kavala), ruling bishop is Metropolitan Stephen of Philippi, Naples and Thassos.
14. Didymotychian (Didymotichon), ruling bishop is Metropolitan Damascene of Didymotychon, Orestiad and Suflia.
15. Kastorian (Kastoria), ruling bishop is Metropolitan Kalinnik of Kastoria.
16. Elevferupolian (Elevferupolis), ruling bishop is Metropolitan Chrysostom of Elefferupolis.
17. Thessaliotis (Karditsa), ruling bishop is Metropolitan Timothy of Thessaliotis and Phanariofersal.
18. Stagonian (Kalambaka), ruling bishop is Metropolitan Theoclitus of Stagon and Meteora.
19. Nea-Krinian (Thessaloniki), ruling bishop is Metropolitan Justin of Nea-Krini and Kalamari.
20. Ioanninian (Ioannina), ruling bishop - Metropolitan Maxim of Ioannina.
21. Kilkisian (Kilkis), ruling bishop - Metropolitan Bartholomew of Kilkis and Poliyani.
Upon receipt of updated information about the entry of individual hierarchs of the Greek Orthodox Church into church communion with Ukrainian schismatics, the dioceses headed by such bishops will also be included in the above list.
In accordance with the decision of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church of October 15, 2018 on the cessation of Eucharistic communion with the hierarchs, clergy and laity of the Patriarchate of Constantinople, we remind you of the impossibility of visiting the dioceses of the Patriarchate of Constantinople in Greece, including on the Dodecanese and Cyclades islands:
1) Rhodes metropolis (island Rhodes), ruling bishop is Metropolitan Cyril of Rhodes.
2) Kos metropolis (Kos Island, Nisyros Island), ruling bishop is Metropolitan Nathanael of Kos and Nisyros.
3) Leros metropolis (Leros Island, Kalymnos Island, Astypalea Island), ruling bishop is Metropolitan Paisius of Leros, Kalymnos and Astypalea.
4) Karpathos metropolis (Karpathos Island, Kasos Island), ruling bishop is Metropolitan Ambrose of Karpathos and Kasos.
5) Simi metropolis (islands Simi, Tilos, Halki, Fr. Kastellorizon), ruling bishop is Metropolitan Chrysostomos of Simi, Tilos, Halci and Kastellorizon.
Dioceses of the Patriarchate of Constantinople on the Crete island:
6) Crete archdiocese (Heraklion), ruling bishop is Archbishop Eugene of Crete.
7) Gortyna metropolis (Gortyna), ruling bishop is Metropolitan Macarius of Gortyna and Arcadia.
8) Rethymno metropolis (Rethymno), ruling bishop is Metropolitan Prodrom of Rethymno and Aulopotam.
9) Kydonia metropolis (Chania), ruling bishop is Metropolitan Damascene of Kydonia and Apokron.
10) Lambis metropolis (village Spili), ruling bishop is Metropolitan Irenaeus of Lambis, Sivrit and Sfakia.
11) Hierapetr metropolis a (Hierapetra), ruling bishop is Metropolitan Cyril of Hierapetra and Sitia.
12) Petra metropolis (Napoli), ruling bishop is Metropolitan Gerasimos of Petra and Herronis.
13) Kissamos metropolis (Kissamos), ruling bishop is Metropolitan Amphilochius of Kissamos and Selina.
14) Arkalochorion metropolis (Arkalochorion), ruling bishop is Metropolitan Andrew of Arkalochorion, Kastellia and Vianna.
CYPRUS
In connection with the decision of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church of March 16, 2023, pilgrims’ visits to the following dioceses of the Cypriot Orthodox Church are not blessed:
1. Archdiocese of Cyprus (Nicosia) headed by Archbishop George of New Justiniana and all Cyprus.
2. Metropolis of Constantius (Paralimni), ruling bishop - Metropolitan Basil of Constantius and Ammochost.
Part of the territory of the metropolis, including its centre, the city of Famagusta, is located on the occupied part of the island, and therefore the see of the Metropolitan of Constantius was temporarily moved to the city of Paralimni.
3. Metropolis of Kyrenia (city of Kyrenia), ruling bishop - Metropolitan Chrysostomos of Kyrenia.
The territory of the metropolis is entirely located on the occupied part of the island, and therefore the residence of the Metropolitan of Kyrenia is temporarily located in Nicosia.
4. Metropolis of Kitia (Larnaca), ruling bishop - Metropolitan Nektarios of Kitia.
5. Metropolis of Tamassos (Episkopio), ruling bishop - Metropolitan Isaiah of Tamassos and Orinia.
Upon receipt of new information about the entry of individual hierarchs of the Cypriot Orthodox Church into church communion with Ukrainian schismatics, the dioceses headed by such bishops will also be included in the above list.
OTHER COUNTRIES
In accordance with the decision of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church of December 26, 2019, we also remind you of the impossibility of participating in divine services celebrated by those bishops of the Alexandrian Orthodox Church or other Local Orthodox Churches who have entered into communion with Ukrainian schismatics:
Alexandrian Orthodox Church
1. Patriarch Theodore of Alexandria and All Africa
2. Metropolitan George of Guinea
3. Bishop Nikodim of Nilupoli
4. Metropolitan Theophylact of Tripoli
5. Bishop Theodore of Babylon
6. Metropolitan Gabriel of Leontopolis
7. Metropolitan Nicodemus of Memphis
8. Metropolitan Narcissus of Pilus
9. Metropolitan Panteleimon of Naucratis
10. Metropolitan Herman of Tamiath.
Orthodox Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia
1. Bishop Isaiah of Šumperk, vicar of the Olomouc-Brno diocese.
“The sacred canons condemn those who enter into prayerful communion and concelebration with those defrocked and excommunicated” (Apostles 10, 11, 12; 1 Univers. 5; Antioch. 2, and others.).