On June 11, the feast of the Apostles Bartholomew and Barnabas (New Style), His Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew celebrated his namesday. His Holiness celebrated the festal Matins and Divine Liturgy in the ancient St. George Cathedral in the Fener. 

With the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and all Russia, the Administrator of the Patriarchal Parishes in the USA, His Grace Bishop John of Naro-Fominsk along with Priest Michael Asmus and Deacon Feodor Shul'ga represented the Russian Orthodox Church during the celebrations. Other Local Churches were represented by: Metropolitan Seraphim of Zimbabwe (Antiochian Patriarchate); Bishop Nekatrios of Anthedon (Jerusalem Patriarchate); Bishop Irinej of Bačka (Serbian Patriarchate) and Metropolitan Theolog of Serres (Church of Greece). Joining their Primate in his namesday celebrations were members of the Holy Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate; Metropolitan of Switzerland Jeriemiah; Metropolitan of Austria Arseny; Rector of the Educational Centre of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Chambesy, Bishop Makarios and Archbishop Job of Telmessos Ecumenical Patriarchal Exarch for Orthodox Parishes of Russian Tradition in Western Europe. Pilgrims flocked from Greece and Serbia joined by clerics of the metochions of the St. Panteleimon and Andrew monasteries in Constantinople and their Russian parishioners.

At the end of the Canon at Matins, His Holiness venerated the Holy Relics of Apostle Bartholomew. He then proceeded to the left kliros and sang antiphonally with the choir the Magnificant and the ninth ode of the Canon to the Apostles. During the Divine Liturgy, His Holiness stood at the Patriarchal High Place and read the Symbol of Faith and the Lord's Prayer.

At the end of the Divine Liturgy, the senior member of the Holy Synod Metropolitan Constantine of Nicaea read aloud the namesday greetings from the entire episcopate of the Ecumenical Patriarchate. Bishop John then read aloud the greetings from His Holiness Patriarch Kirill and presented Patriarch Bartholomew with an enameled icon of St. Equal-to-the-Apostles, Cyril. Patriarch Bartholomew expressed his gratitude to all the primates of the Orthodox Churches for sending representatives for his namesday and to all those gathered for their prayers.

Afterwards on the Bosphorus Straight, Patriarch Bartholomew hosted a reception for all the guests where brotherly interaction continued.