Phanar bishop discusses protection of Middle East Christians at State Dept

Archbishop Elpidophoros with a U.S. State Department representative. Photo: Vima Orthodoxias

Archbishop Elpidophoros, head of the Archdiocese of the Ecumenical Patriarch in the USA, held talks at the US State Department on the situation of believers in the Middle East. The hierarch met with American official Riley Barnes in Washington to discuss the protection of religious freedoms and the reopening of the theological school on the island of Halki, reports Vima Orthodoxias.

The State Department's representative on democracy, human rights, and labor extended a special invitation to the head of the Phanar's American Archdiocese. The diplomat and the Phanar hierarch devoted a significant portion of their conversation to the longstanding efforts to open the theological school on the island of Halki.

In the archbishop's view, the theological seminary on Halki is of great importance to the entire Patriarchate of Constantinople and even to world Orthodoxy. The hierarch believes that this issue directly concerns the fundamental right of religious communities to preserve their institutions and fulfill their educational mission.

The meeting participants also addressed the situation of ancient Christian communities in the Middle East. Riley Barnes and Archbishop Elpidophoros acknowledged the urgent need to protect the lives, safety, and religious freedom of believers in this historic region.

The interlocutors expressed a shared commitment to preserving the Christian presence in lands where Christianity has had roots since the time of the Apostles. Both sides consider peaceful life and the free celebration of worship to be the primary conditions for the survival of Eastern Christians.

The head of the US Archdiocese expressed gratitude to the American government for its continued interest in the problems of the Patriarchate of Constantinople. The parties decided to maintain contacts and identified areas for further partnership.

As the UOJ reported, a Phanar hierarch and the Vatican nuncio discussed "the restoration of unity."

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