Patriarch of Constantinople received the head of the Jerusalem Church at the Phanar

Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople received on Tuesday, July 21, 2026, Patriarch Theophilos III of Jerusalem, who arrived for a visit to the residence at the Phanar. This was reported by the Greek edition of the SPJ.

The meeting of the primates took place in the Throne Hall of the Patriarchal House. It is noted that the Jerusalem Patriarch responded to the repeated invitations of Patriarch Bartholomew.

Upon entering the residence, the guest was greeted by the clergy of the Patriarchal Court, led by Metropolitan Gregory of Ancyra, after which Patriarch Theophilos III venerated the holy relics in the Patriarchal Cathedral. Also present at the meeting were Metropolitan Joseph of Proikonissos, Bishop Paisios of Xanthoupolis, staff of the Patriarchal Court, as well as those accompanying Theophilos III — Archbishop Nektarios of Anthidon, representative of the Holy Sepulchre in Istanbul, Archdeacon Mark, and lay staff members.

Following the official part, the primates held a private conversation during which they discussed inter-church and other pressing matters of mutual interest. Patriarch Bartholomew expressed personal concern as well as anxiety over the situation of Christians in the Holy Land, expressing his wish for the establishment of peace in the Middle East for the benefit of all peoples of the region. 

His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos will depart for the Jerusalem Patriarchate tomorrow.

As the SPJ previously reported, the Odessa vicar spoke about whether the UOC is conducting negotiations with the Phanar.