Earlier, Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople said that together with the late Pope Francis, they worked to bring the Orthodox and Catholic Churches closer together. The head of the Phanar called the Pope “brother,” noting that this year they were planning to meet to mark the 1700th anniversary of the First Ecumenical Council, but “the God of life and death decreed otherwise.”
Patriarch Bartholomew intends to develop a dialog with the new Pope
Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople said that he intends to develop a dialogue with the new Pope Leo XIV “for the sake of the unity of East and West.” He said this on May 8, 2025, during an event at the amphitheater of the Vasilios and Elisa Goulandris Foundation in Athens. This is reported by The Orthodox Times.
“Indeed, a Pope of American descent was elected, who took the name of Leo the Fourteenth. As far as I remember from my stay in Rome, Leo XIII was distinguished by his social teachings. We hope that Leo XIV will also take the Church’s contribution to the world, not only in the social sphere, but also offer answers to the existential questions that continue to concern humanity. We look to the new pontiff with Christian hope. I intend to attend his enthronement and propose to develop a dialogue between East and West. Let him combine his visit to Nicaea with an official visit to the Ecumenical Patriarchate on the occasion of our St. Andrew’s Day on November 30,” — said the head of Phanar.
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