A ceremony was held in southern Türkiye on Wednesday marking the anniversary of the death of Saint Nicholas, or "Noel Baba" in Turkish.
It was presided over by Bartholomew I of Istanbul's Fener Greek Orthodox Patriarchate at the Saint Nicholas Memorial Museum and Church in Demre district in Antalya province.
Saint Nicholas is believed to have died on Dec. 6 in the 4th century AD.
Speaking at the event, Bartholomew stressed that the ongoing wars in the Middle East and north of Türkiye have deeply affected all of humanity.
"We prayed for an immediate end to the wars and for the tearful people in both regions. We hope that mothers will no longer cry, children will no longer fear, young lives no longer wither away prematurely. Unfortunately, in the 21st century, issues such as war and displacement still emerge as the greatest problems facing humanity."
He also thanked government officials and local authorities including Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy and Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya for their permission and support in organizing the ceremony.
Representatives from the Istanbul Patriarchate of Fener as well as clergy from Greece and Türkiye participated in the ceremony along with numerous Orthodox believers.
During the ceremony, Orthodox followers prayed and lit candles. It was observed that many Russian and Ukrainian citizens who attended the ceremony were also praying at the same time.
