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 9.75 one way
6.20 am Departure from the Patmos harbour
23.10 pm Return to Patmos
Conference Programme
Day Theme: The Glory of God in Creation
Opening of the Conference
Plenary session at the Garden of Discovery Ecological Centre
10.30-10.40 am Morning Prayers
10.40-10.50 am Welcome Speech: Dr Olga Sevastyanova
10.50-11.00 am Welcome Speech: Dr Ioanna Knights
11.00-12.00 am Keynote speech: Dr Elizabeth Theokritoff (UK, Cambridge)
Doxology: How do we, Creatures, Give Glory to God?
12.00-1.00 Lunch at Villa Patinos
Conference Registration and Conference Photograph
1.45-2.30 am Plenary: Metropolitan Seraphim Kykkotis of Zimbabwe and Angola, Exarch of Southern Africa
Ecological Repentance in Genesis and in the Book of Revelation as a Condition for Participation in the Glory of God in Creation
2.30-2.45 pm Coffee Break
2.45 – 4.15 pm Short papers:
Chair: Joanne Ruth Saripanidis (Thessaloniki, Greece/UK)
2.45-3.15 pm 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
3.15-3.45 pm Dr Smilen Markov (Bulgaria, Veliko Tarnovo/Oxford)
Divine Glory and Ecological Fragility: Calibrating the Orthodox Theological Language for the Environment
3.45-4.15 pm Fr Bogdan Brinza
Exploring Ecological and Human Crisis Through the Lens of St. Maximus the Confessor
4.15-4.30 am Coffee Break at Villa Patinos
4.30 – 5.30 pm Short papers:
4.30-5.00 Dr George P. Nassos
Understanding the Current and Future State of the Global Environment
5.00-5.30 Dr Ksenia Medvedeva (Finland, Helsinki)
Environmental Engagement of Eastern Orthodox Churches and Orthodox Eco-Discourses
5.30- 7.00 pm Vespers at Evangelismos Monastery
8 pm Dinner at the Restaurant in Skala
Feast of St. Amphilochius
Day Theme: Humanity as a Bearer of Divine Glory
9.00-11.00 am Divine Liturgy at Evangelismos Monastery. Feast of St. Amphilichius
11.00-12.00 pm Coffee at Villa Patinos, followed by the Meeting with St Amphilochius’ Spiritual Children
12.00-1.00 Lunch at Villa Patinos
1.00-2.00 pm Plenary: Dr Ioanna Knights (UK, Cambridge/Patmos)
TBC
2.00-2.30 pm Coffee Break
2.30-4 pm Short Papers A
Chair: Pavel Ruzyak (Prague, Czech Republic)
2.30-3.00 pm Rev. Dr Stephen Headley (France, Vezeley)
Glory in St. Andrew of Crete’s Penitential Canon
3.00-3.30 pm Rev. Dr Dan Sandu (Romania, Iasi)
Reformation, Transformation and Transfiguration; on the way to holiness with Dumitru Staniloae, Romanian 21st Century
3.30-4.00 pm Dr Olga Sevastyanova (UK, Aberdeen)
In What Sense Does Humanity Become a Bearer of Divine Glory in the Theology of Gregory of Nyssa?
2.30-4 pm Short Papers B
Chair: Joanne Ruth Saripanidis (Thessaloniki, Greece/UK)
2.30-3.00 pm Dr Stefan Zelifkovic (Serbia, Belgrade)
The Glory of God Reflected in Creation: The Response of the Serbian Orthodox Church to Contemporary Ecological Challenges
3.00-3.30 pm Nikola Bakic (Serbia, Belgrade)
Theological and Anthropological Perspectives on Creativity – From Divine Creation to Human Innovation
3.30-4.00 pm Paschalis Tsitsifyllas (Greece, Athens)
The Glory of God in the Holy Sacrament of Marriage
4.00-4.30 pm Coffee at Villa Patinos
Chair: Joanne Ruth Saripanidis (Thessaloniki, Greece/UK)
4.30-5.00 pm Canon Dr Clare Amos (UK, Cambridge)
The Figure of Stephen: Bearer of Divine Glory
5.00-5.30 pm Revd Canon Alan Amos (UK, Cambridge)
The Glory of God in the Writings of Saint Ephrem the Syrian
4.30- 5.30 pm Short Papers B
Chair: Dr Alexey Sevastyanov (UK, Aberdeen)
4.30-5.00 pm Slavisa Kostic (Serbia, Belgrade)
Theurgy as the Key Task for Human Life in the Theology of Fr. Pavel Florensky
5.00-5.30 pm Viktar Niachayeu (Estonia/ Germany)
Holy Men and Modern Minds: From Egoic Drive to Edenic Calling
5.30-7.00 Free time
7 pm Dinner at the Restaurant in Skala
Saturday 20 September
Day Theme: Apocalyptic Dimension of Divine Glory
The day will be concluded with the Vespers at the Cave of the Apocalypse
10.00-10.15 am Morning Prayers at Villa Patinos
10.15-11.45 pm Short papers A:
Chair: Joanne Ruth Saripanidis (Thessaloniki, Greece/UK)
10.15-10.45 am Dr Emil M. Mărginean (Romania, Cluj)
Discerning Divine Glory in an AI Deepfake World
10.45-11.15 am Dr Elena Narinskaya (UK, Oxford)
Suffering Spirit: Theological Contemplation on the Mystery of the Double-Edged Sword and Sorrow in Mother Maria’s Poem Duhov Den
11.15-11.45 am Rev. Dr Nishad Issac Chandy (Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church)
Creation Motifs in the St. James Liturgy and their Missional Emphases Today
10.15-11.45 pm Short papers B
Chair: Dr. Alexey Sevastyanov (UK, Aberdeen)
10.15-10.45 am Dr Ralitza Bazaytova (Bulgaria)
St. Nicetas of Remesiana – Unitor of Europe
10.45-11.15 am Dr Nelia Titova (Poland, Krakow)
Philosophy of Participation of Gregory Palamas through the prism of the Philosophy of Process of Alfred North Whitehead
11.15-11.45 am Dr Raul Ovidiu Bodea (Belgium, Leuven)
The Eschatological Transfiguration of Creation in the Theology of John Zizioulas
11.45-12 pm Coffee break
12.00-1.30 pm Short papers A
Chair: Viktar Niachayeu (Estonia/ Germany)
12.00-12.30 pm Archimandrite Hrisostom Rădășanu (Romania, Iasi)
The Glory of the First Adam as Depicted in a Fresco at Sucevița Monastery
12.30-1 pm Fr. Lucian-Mihăiță Filip (Romania, Iasi)
The Phenomenology of Spiritual Laziness as an Obstacle to the Call of the New Creation
1-1.30 pm Dr Sotiris Mitralexis (Greece/UK)
TBC
12.00-1.30 pm Short papers B
Chair: Pavel Ruzyak (Prague, Czech Republic)
12.00-12.30 pm
12.00-12.30 pm Dr Alina Munteanu (Romania, Iasi)
The Eucharistic Incarnation of Glory: Saint Ignatius of Antioch on man’s ‘partake of greatness’ in Christ’s Resurrected Body
12.30-1 pm Natalia Munataeva (Estonia, Talinn)
TBC
1-1.30 pm Prof. Dr Jeffrey J. Niehaus (USA, South Hamilton, Massachusetts)
1.30-2.30 pm Lunch
3.00 pm Visit to the Cave of Apocalypse
3.30 or 4 pm Vespers at the Cave of Apocalypse
6.30 pm Dinner
Sunday 21 September
Liturgy at the Monastery of St. John the Theologian
12.00-2.00 Lunch
2 pm Tour Around the Island of Patmos
8 pm Dinner in Hora with Greek Folk Music and Dancing
