Ecumenical Patriarch discusses Halki, religious freedoms with Trump

Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew discussed each the issues of interest to the Patriarchate, and particularly the extortion of its ecumenical relation and value of spiritual freedoms successful a gathering with US President Donald Trump successful Washington, DC, connected Monday, arsenic portion of his authoritative visit to the United States where helium will beryllium honored for his biology advocacy.

They besides discussed the Theological School of Halki, the situation of Christians successful Turkey and the Middle East, Ukraine and the ongoing interfaith dialogue, arsenic well arsenic the upcoming visit of Pope Leo XIV of Rome to Turkey to articulation the Ecumenical Patriarch successful celebrating the 1700th day of the First Ecumenical Council of Nicaea this year.

According to reports, Trump asked his associates to hole a briefing enactment to rise the contented of Halki with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan when helium meets him.

“Since past year, astatine the inaugural of President Erdogan, a dialog began betwixt the Patriarchate and the Turkish authorities connected the contented of Halki,” the Ecumenical Patriarch told journalists aft the meeting, elaborating connected the contented of the theological school. “President Erdogan assigned the Minister of Education to visit Halki and conscionable with the applicable officials of the Patriarchate. Thus began a dialog betwixt the Church and Ankara, which we want to expedite arsenic overmuch arsenic possible, so that successful September 2026 we tin judge the archetypal students.”

He besides spoke astir the theological dialog with Rome, describing it arsenic “particularly successful.”

“Next year we will erstwhile again person the wide assembly of the planetary associated theological committee for the dialog betwixt the two Churches. In parallel with this theological dialogue, we are besides cultivating and promoting the dialog of love, which began under my Blessed predecessor Athenagoras and Pope John XXIII.”

Bartholomew besides noted the Church’s involvement successful Ukraine. “We granted autocephaly to the Church of Ukraine astir six years ago. They had repeatedly asked us for it, we were convinced that it was their close to person this ecclesiastical independency from Moscow, which, arsenic we each know, has proven to beryllium an force of the Ukrainian people.” Trump, according to information, showed peculiar involvement successful the contented and expressed his admiration for the Patriarch’s decision.

Referring to the situation of Christians successful the Middle East successful wide and successful Turkey successful particular, helium said: “We are very fewer remaining Christians, not lone us Greek Orthodox, but each Christians surviving successful Turkey. It is possibly astir 1% of the colonisation of the country, which colonisation amounts to astir 84 million. We are a driblet successful the ocean.”

“I described to the president the difficulties we person gone done and that, contempt each these difficulties, by the grace of God, we exist. We proceed our tradition, our history.”

As for the Middle East, helium said helium told Trump that “the Christian colonisation is dwindling, successful what was erstwhile the cradle of Christianity successful the Middle East and the Holy Land,” and asked the US president to turn his attraction connected the matter.

The Patriarch expressed his pridefulness and admiration for the Greek Diaspora successful America and much specifically for those who excel and clasp precocious authorities positions. “I boasted to them astir the Greek Diaspora of America,” helium said.

Joining the president were Vice President JD Vance, Reince Priebus, a subordinate of the president’s advisory committee connected quality services, and Michael Kratsios, the president’s technological advisor.

“It was a very warm atmosphere. The president welcomed us with warmth and respect,” Bartholomew told journalists. “The vice president, who attended the meeting, was besides peculiarly warm.”

On Tuesday, Bartholomew will be events hosted by Sedat Onal, Turkey’s ambassador to the United States and a luncheon successful his grant hosted by Ekaterini Nassika, Greece’s ambassador to the United States. His itinerary besides includes a visit to Arlington National Cemetery, where helium will laic a wreath astatine the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

The patriarch will spend 12 days successful the United States, visiting Washington, DC, New York City, and Southampton, Long Island. While successful Washington, helium will be dinners successful his grant hosted by Speaker of the House Michael Johnson, Congressman Gus Bilirakis, and Deputy Secretary of State Michael Rigas.

The ceremonial for the Templeton prize will take spot connected September 24 astatine Lincoln Center, successful the beingness of distinguished guests, including British primatologist Jane Goodall, clime advocator and erstwhile US vice president Al Gore, and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.