Washington, D.C., October 26, 2021
Photo: romfea.gr
Following his release from George Washington University Hospital yesterday, Patriarch Bartholomew resumed his schedule of political meetings, including with President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Joe Blinken.
Pat. Bartholomew was feeling unwell on Sunday morning and was taken to the hospital, where he stayed overnight.
He then met with Sec. Joe Blinken yesterday afternoon, accompanied by Archbishop Elpidophoros of America, Metropolitan Emmanuel of Chalcedon, and senior members of the Patriarchate and the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, the Archdiocese reports.
Pat. Bartholomew spoke about “the vision and ministry of the Ecumenical Patriarchate to promote inter-religious dialogue and environmental awareness,” and about the plight of Christians in the Middle East and North Africa.
He also thanked the Secretary for the U.S.’s support for the Patriarchate’s policies: “We’re grateful to the United States Government for its continued support of the Ecumenical Throne, the ideas and principles we seek to uphold, and at the same time our survival in our historic headquarters in Istanbul.”
The delegation then met with Pres. Biden in the Oval Office. According to the GOARCH press release, they discussed the climate, the COVID pandemic, and the Patriarch’s hope for the reopening of Halki Seminary in Turkey, “which was forcibly closed fifty years ago.”
Speaking with journalists after the meeting, the Patriarch praised the President as “a man of faith and man of vision,” adding that “we know that he will offer to this wonderful country and to the world, the best leadership and direction within his considerable powers.”
Pres. Biden has described himself as “a strong supporter of the Ecumenical Patriarchate … in its role as the center of the Greek Orthodox Church.”
Interestingly, the Patriarch also declared to journalists that “we cannot allow any shortsighted political agendas to interfere with our relationships that are through and in Christ Jesus the Lord and Savior of the world.”
On the other hand, it is well know that the Patriarchate, in fact, cooperated with the Ukrainian and American governments to claim ecclesiastical authority over Ukraine and create a schismatic organization there in hopes of driving out the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church with its millions of Ukrainian faithful.
Pres. Biden’s support of Constantinople has included trying to pressure His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem into recognizing the Ukrainian schismatics.
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