Fanar: Visit of State Dept head is a source of joy and honor for our Church
Mike Pompeo and Elpidophoros, head of the Phanar Archdiocese of America. Photo: twitter.com/Elpidophoros
On Tuesday, November 17, the Secretary of State of the United States of America Mark Pompeo will visit the see of the Patriarchate of Constantinople "on his own initiative", the official website of Phanar reports.
Istanbul called the visit of the US Secretary of State "a source of joy and honor for the Mother Church".
“Such visits demonstrate the significance and status of the Ecumenical Patriarchate as an institution with a long history, which makes an invaluable contribution to global civilization,” says the communiqué of the Patriarchate of Constantinople.
The visits of US Secretaries of State to Phanar have become almost a tradition. Istanbul recalled that in the past, the Patriarchate of Constantinople was visited by the heads of the US Department of State Madeleine Albright, John Kerry and Hillary Clinton.
Mike Pompeo will discuss "issues of fundamental rights and religious freedom" with Patriarch Bartholomew.
The Phanar expressed its satisfaction and gratitude to the Secretary of State for including a visit to the Patriarchate of Constantinople in his schedule. Pompeo's visit to the Middle East will last for ten days.
As the UOJ reported, the US Secretary of State also intends to meet with the Patriarch of the Georgian Orthodox Church.
Read also
TCC detained a UOC priest in Yarmolynetsi in Khmelnytsia region
The TCC abducted the rector of the Intercession parish of the village of Sutkovtsy, Archpriest Volodymyr Stepanyshyn, who is already at a training ground in Rivne.
Church celebrates feast of Holy Foremost Apostles Peter and Paul
On July 12, the Feast of the Apostles Peter and Paul, the Apostles' Fast (Peter's Fast) comes to an end for Orthodox Christians.
UGCC cleric criticizes OCU head for awarding Greek Catholic officials
Hieromonk Yustyn Boiko of the Lviv Archeparchy called the awarding of church honors to officials a profanation and cited the example of an OCU order presented to a Greek Catholic official.
Expert who found no defamation in Dumenko’s remarks to face disciplinary action
An Interior Ministry research center has confirmed disciplinary measures against the expert whose findings supported what the Metropolitan’s representatives described as unfounded accusations by the OCU head against Metropolitan Theodosiy.
European Parliament condemns forced Islamization of children in Pakistan
The European Parliament has called on Pakistan to establish a mechanism to protect Christian families.
Church of the Presentation damaged by shelling in Russia’s Kursk Region
The newly built church in the village of Kulbaki, Glushkovo District, was completely gutted by fire after being struck by a projectile.