The meeting of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew with US President Donald Trump, at the White House, at noon on Monday (local time) was completed. The Patriarch condoled the U.S. President for the murder of his friend and associate Charlie Kirk and thanked him for his warm welcome, while their discussion was dominated by the situation of Christians in the Middle East.
Eva Metis Koutoumanou
"We are and will remain there (in Constantinople). We had a hard time. And after the Asia Minor Catastrophe, when the Turkish authorities wanted to expel the Patriarchate from Constantinople, the Great Powers supported the continuation of our presence, starting with the delegation of Great Britain, which was obviously affected. We have been there for 1700 years," said Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, marking the tone of the talks he had in Washington with U.S. President Donald Trump.
According to the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the meeting in the Oval Office, which lasted more than half an hour, was held in a very cordial atmosphere, with the American president expressing great interest in the various initiatives and ministry of the Ecumenical Throne and in the life of Christians in Turkey.
During the discussion, Bartholomew congratulated Trump for his initiatives and overall effort to bring peace to the world and especially to Ukraine. They also discussed the situation of Christians in the Middle East.
According to information, His Eminence Bartholomew raised all the issues that concern the Patriarchate, with an emphasis on the protection of its ecumenical role and the importance of religious freedoms. Issues of interreligious dialogue and the protection of Christians in the Middle East were also discussed.
Reference was also made to the upcoming visit of His Holiness Pope Leo XIV of Rome to Turkey, in order to commemorate together with His All-Holiness this year's 1700th anniversary of the First Ecumenical Council of Nicaea. Vice President Jay D. Vance, who is a Roman Catholic Christian by faith, showed great interest in the meeting.
The Patriarch expressed condolences to the President of the United States for the murder of his friend and associate Charlie Kirk and thanked him for the warm welcome and for his nice gift.
U.S. President Trump welcomed Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew in the Oval Office, at the entrance of the Oval Office the Patriarch was welcomed by the White House Chief of Protocol, Monica Crowley.
This historic meeting between the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and the American President Trump - two leaders with significant power, one in the political world and the other in the religious world - highlights both the spiritual prestige of His All-Holiness and the respect he enjoys internationally, as well as the great importance that the American president gives to religious issues.
During the meeting present were the U.S. Vice President JD Vance, the Greek-born Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy Michael Kratsios and the former White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus along with Archbishop Elpidophoros of America, Metropolitan Theodoretos of Laodicea, Metropolitan Maximos of Selyvria and Father Aetios Grand Ecclesiarch and Director of the Patriarchal Office of the Ecumenical Patriarchate.
Today, Tuesday (9/16), the Patriarch will attend a breakfast hosted in his honor by the Ambassador of Turkey in Washington, Sedat Onal. He will then lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington Cemetery, accompanied by Greek-American General Andrew Popas, commander of the US Army Forces Headquarters.
This will be followed by a lunch in honor of His All-Holiness by the Ambassador of Greece, Ekaterini Nassika.
On Tuesday afternoon, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew will attend an official dinner at the State Department, which is organized in his honor by Deputy Secretary of State Michael Rigas.
According to the official schedule, on Wednesday, the Patriarch will attend a lunch hosted by House Speaker Mike Johnson, with the participation of lawmakers from both parties.
