Catholic Archbishop of New York calls the head of Phanar an "icon"

Luncheon for religious leaders in New York. Photo: orthodoxtimes.com /GOA /D. Panagos

“You are an icon to us,” said His Eminence Cardinal Timothy Dolan of the Roman Catholic Church, Archbishop of New York, addressing Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople, Orthodox Times reports.

On November 1, 2021, the head of Phanar, who is on an official visit to the United States, attended a luncheon for New York City religious leaders. Those in attendance were His Eminence Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Archbishop of New York; Rabbi Arthur Schneier; His Grace Bishop David, President of the Standing Conference of Oriental Orthodox Churches; His Excellency Archbishop Gabriele Giordano Caccia, Permanent Observer to the United Nations; and Rev. Joseph McShane, S.J., President of Fordham University.

“You are an icon for us,” said Cardinal Dolan to Patriarch Bartholomew. “I am told that when you look at an icon, you look through an icon to the beyond. And when we see you, when we watch you, we sense the transcendent, we sense the beyond, we sense the spiritual. And we need that very, very much.”

The UOJ also wrote that earlier that day, the head of Phanar received the Human Dignity Award from the American Jewish Committee for his interfaith and environmental activities.

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