Bartholomew, the universal patriarchThe spiritual leader of Orthodox Christians is visiting the United States for the first time in four years, and he met with President Donald Trump on Monday afternoon and plans to receive honors for his environmental advocacy.
Bartholomew Arrived in Washington on Sunday and planned to make various appearances in the United States by September 25.
Bartholomew is considered first of all the patriarchs of Constantinople, the ancient capital now known as Istanbul in Turkey. In churches with various autonomous jurisdictions, this role makes him important, but without the power of the Pope. He oversaw the small Orthodox population of most Muslim Türkiye. He also oversees some foreign communities, such as the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese and some smaller U.S. jurisdictions.
Bartholomew’s The meeting with Trump was held in the Oval Office on Monday afternoon.
Bartholomew praised Trump for his “in general, efforts to build peace in the world, especially in Ukraine.”
Trump, as a candidate, promised a quick end to the Russian-Ukrainian war, but the conflict still persisted, even outside Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in August. Trump said last weekend that he believes he will end the war if all NATO countries stop buying oil from Russia.
Bartholomew It was a staunch supporter of Ukraine and recognized an independent Orthodox jurisdiction in 2019, leading to the Russian Orthodox Church’s announcement that its exchanges with Constantinople were broken. Bartholomew also strongly criticized Moscow patriarch Kirill for his blessing on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The patriarch also announced that the patriarch also assassinated Trump by conservative activist Charlie Kirk, a close ally of the president.
Leaders discussed the status of Christians in the Middle East. Although the announcement did not provide specific information, Bartholomew’s office had previously raised concerns about the status of Christians during the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza and after the overthrow of former Islamic insurgent President Bashar Assad last year.
Bartholomew It was also mentioned that he will meet with Pope Leo Xiv in Turkey in November to mark the 1,700th anniversary of the ancient council of Nicaea, which defines key teachings in the still widely used creed.
The announcement did not say whether leaders discussed the status of Christians in Türkiye, who are minorities. Orthodox churches have long called for the reopening of the seminary that the Turkish government closed in 1971 and lamented that the conversion of the Byzantine-era churches will be transformed into a mosque.
While in Washington, Bartholomew also planned to attend other events with his honor, hosted by Turkish and Greek ambassadors in the United States, and his schedule also includes a visit to Orthodox churches in the Washington and New York areas.
Bartholomew, known as the “Green Patriarch”, is scheduled to win the prestigious Templeton Award in New York on September 24. It respects achievements in the fields of science, spirituality and human purpose. Bartholomew According to the John Templeton Foundation, it has been a strong advocate for environmental protection and condemns pollution, deforestation and other “ecological crimes.”
When he last visited the United States in 2021 Bartholomew Meeting with then-President Joe Biden and discussing issues such as climate change and religious freedom. During this visit, the clan leader was also treated for blocking the artery after being hospitalized earlier.
It is estimated that the Orthodox Orthodox Orthodox is probably the second largest Christian Communion, second only to the Roman Catholics.
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