Orthodox Research Group St. John Chrysostom
Eighth International Theological Conference
The Glory of God in Creation
Patmos, 18-21 September 2025
Monday 15 September
Pilgrimage to Leros
Visit to the grave of Saint Gabriella
Transportation by Lefka Ori ferry, Eur 11 one way
6.20 am Departure from the Patmos harbour
11.10 pm Return to Patmos
Conference Programme
The Glory of God in Creation
Opening of the Conference
Plenary session at the Garden of Discovery Ecological Centre
9.20 am Bus from Skala to Chora
9.40-10.15 am Reception/ Coffee and Conference registration
10.15-10.30 am Morning Prayers
10.30-10.40 am Abbot and Patriarchal Exarch of Patmos, His Eminence Archimandrite of the Ecumenical Throne Kirill
Welcome Speech
10.50-11.00 am Dr Olga Sevastyanova
10.50-11.00 am Dr Ioanna Knights
Welcome Speech
11.00-12.00 am Keynote speech: Dr Elizabeth Theokritoff (UK, Cambridge)
Doxology: How do we, Creatures, Give Glory to God?
12.00-12.15 pm Coffee Break
12.15-12.45 pm Plenary Speech: Dr Fred Krueger (USA, San Francisco)
Opening the Book of Nature: The Rise and Fall of Christian Concern for Creation as a “Holy Book” and its Restoration in the 21st Century
12.45 – 1.45 pm Short papers A:
Chair: Rev. Dr Stephen Headley (Vezelay, France)
12.45.15-1.15 pm Dr Smilen Markov (Bulgaria, Veliko Tarnovo/Oxford)
Divine Glory and Ecological Fragility: Calibrating the Orthodox Theological Language for the Environment
1.15-1.45 pm Fr Bogdan Brinza (Iasi, Romania)
Exploring Ecological and Human Crisis Through the Lens of St. Maximus the Confessor
12.45 – 1.45 pm Short papers B:
Chair: Joanne Ruth Saripanidis (Thessaloniki, Greece/UK)
12.45.15-1.15 pm Dr George P. Nassos (USA)
Understanding the Current and Future State of the Global Environment
1.15-1.45 pm Dr Ksenia Medvedeva (Finland, Helsinki)
Environmental Engagement of Eastern Orthodox Churches and Orthodox Eco-Discourses
1.45 pm Conference Photograph
1.45-2.45 pm Lunch at Villa Patinos
3-4.30 pm Round Table: Chair Dr Fred Krueger (USA, San Francisco)
5.00- 5.30 pm Vespers at Evangelismos Monastery
5.45 pm Bus to Skala
6.30 pm Dinner at To Meloi Restaurant at Meloi Beach
Feast of St. Amphilochius:
Humanity as a Bearer of Divine Glory
The day will begin with the Liturgy at Evangelismos Monastery
8.00-10.00 am Divine Liturgy at Evangelismos Monastery
10.00-11.30 pm Coffee at Villa Patinos, followed by the Meeting with St. Amphilochios’ Spiritual Children
11.30-12.15 pm Plenary: Dr Ioanna Knights (UK, Cambridge/Patmos)
The Living Force of the Life of Holiness (with Special Reference to St. Amphilochios of Patmos)
12.15-12.45 pm Natalia Munataeva (Tallinn, Estonia/ London, UK), Nikolaos Tsirevelos (Thessaloniki, Greece)
The Legacy of St. Amphilochios of Patmos
12.45-2.15 pm Short Papers A
Chair: Rev. Dr Stephen Headley (Vezelay, France)
12.45-1.15 pm Archimandrite Hrisostom Rădășanu (Iasi, Romania)
The Glory of the First Adam as Depicted in a Fresco at Sucevița Monastery
1.15-1.45 pm Dr Olga Sevastyanova (Aberdeen, UK)
The Light Shining through the Thorny Flesh: The Mystery of the Virgin in Gregory of Nyssa’s The Life of Moses
1.45-2.15 pm Dr Alina Munteanu (Iasi, Romania)
The Eucharistic Incarnation of Glory: Saint Ignatius of Antioch on Man’s ‘Partake of Greatness’ in Christ’s Resurrected Body
2.30-4 pm Short Papers B
Chair: Joanne Ruth Saripanidis (Thessaloniki, Greece/UK)
12.45-1.15 pm Canon Dr Claire Amos (UK, Cambridge)
The Figure of Stephen: Bearer of Divine Glory
1.15-1.45 pm Dr Nikola Bakic (Serbia, Belgrade)
From Homo Creator to Homo Sanctus: Reframing Human Creativity as Participation in Divine Sanctity
1.45-2.15 pm Fr. Lucian-Mihăiță Filip
The Phenomenology of Spiritual Laziness as an Obstacle to the Call of the New Creation
2.15-3.15 pm Lunch at Villa Patinos
3.15-5.15 pm The Living Witness. Moderator: Dr Alina Muntenau (Iasi, Romania)
5.45 pm Bus to Skala
6.30 pm Dinner at Nettia Restaurant in Skala
Eschatological and Apocalyptic Dimension of Divine Glory
The day will begin with the Liturgy at the Cave of the Apocalypse
7.30-9.00 am Liturgy at the Cave of Apocalypse
9.00-10.45 pm Cave visit followed by Coffee at Villa Patinos
10.45-11.30 pm Plenary Speech: Rev. Dr Stephen Headley (France, Vezeley)
11.30-11.45 pm Coffee
11.45-13.45 pm Short papers A:
Chair: George P. Nassos (USA)
11.45-12.15 pm Rev. Dr Dan Sandu (Romania, Iasi)
Reformation, Transformation and Transfiguration; on the way to holiness with Dumitru Staniloae, Romanian 21st Century
12.15-12.45 pm Revd Canon Alan Amos (UK, Cambridge)
The Glory of God in the Writings of Saint Ephrem the Syrian
12.45-1.15 pm Dr Emil M. Mărginean (Romania, Cluj)
Discerning Divine Glory in an AI Deepfake World
1.15 pm-1.45 pm Rev. Dr Nishad Issac Chandy (Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church)
Creation Motifs in the St. James Liturgy and their Missional Emphases Today
11.45-1.45 pm Short Papers B
Chair: Joanne Ruth Saripanidis (Thessaloniki, Greece/UK)
11.45-12.15 pm Ralitza Dr Ralitza Bazaytova (Bulgaria)
St. Nicetas of Remesiana – Unitor of Europe
12.15-12.45 pm Slavisa Kostic (Belgrade, Serbia)
Theurgy as the Key Task for Human Life in George Florovsky
12.45-1.15 pm Guram Lursmanashvilli (Tbilisi, Georgia/ Vienna, Austria)
An Introduction to the Old Georgian Translations of the Exegetical Literature on Genesis
1.15-1.45 pm Paschalis Tsitsifyllas (Athens, Greece)
Creation Motif in St James Liturgy and its Missional Emphasis Today
1.45-3.00 Lunch at Villa Patinos
3.15-5.15 pm Round Table. Moderators: Dr Olga Sevastyanova. Outro.
5.45 pm Bus to Skala
6.30 pm Dinner at To Meloi Restaurant at Meloi Beach
Sunday 21 September
Exploring Patmos
8.30-1.30 pm Guided Tour Around the Island of Patmos
1.30-2.20 pm Lunch at Benetos Restaurant, Chora
3 pm Vespers at the Monastery of St. John the Theologian, followed by a visit to the Monastery Museum
8 pm Dinner at Aloni Restaurant in Chora with Greek Folk Music and Dancing (TBC)
