Patriarch Theophilus of Jerusalem discussed with Donald Trump the defense of Christians in the Middle East

Patriarch Theophilos III of Jerusalem met with US President Donald Trump at the White House during his official visit to Washington, DC. The main purpose of the meeting was to discuss the situation of Christian communities in the Middle East and ensuring religious freedom in the Holy Land amid regional instability.

According to the Greek news outlet Orthodoxia.info, during the talks Patriarch Theophilos expressed serious concern about the situation of historic Christian communities, which are facing growing pressure and security challenges. The Primate emphasized the need to maintain the presence of Christians in their ancestral lands and to ensure that believers are able to freely exercise their religious duties. Special attention was paid to unhindered access to the holy sites and preserving the status of religious freedom in Jerusalem.

A landmark moment of the meeting was the presentation to Donald Trump of the Grand Cross of the Order of the Knights of the Holy Sepulchre, one of the highest honors of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem. The two sides also noted the importance of continuing the dialog that began in 2017, when Trump visited the Church of the Resurrection in Jerusalem.

The Patriarch’s further schedule includes a visit to Athens on June 8 to meet with Greek Foreign Minister Georgios Gerapetritis to discuss support for a Christian presence in the region. In addition, according to the Jerusalem Post, His Beatitude is also expected to visit Russia in the coming days.